Finger injury..Advice needed.

[TOOLGUY]

Hello all. I have been having an ongoing left middle finger problem for the past week or so and I am freaking out! My wrist started getting a pulled feeling three weeks ago (I thought I was getting carpal tunnel) so I took that week off from playing. About two weeks ago it felt much better and I hit the strings hard (dumb). Well, this past weekend I woke up to some pretty extreme middle finger pain. I can't bend my finger to my palm or make it go straight. If I pull on something (ie. a cars door handle) pain shoots around my middle knuckle to my palm.I just got my Dr. results back form this Thursday (they did an x-ray and tested for lyme of all things) and they said everything looks fine except for some inflammation of the middle finger.
They are sending me to a specialist. They can't see me for another week!
Has anyone else had this happen to them?
I can't play at all now
I could use some direction. I googled this today and just freaked myself out more than I was before.
I don't really belong to any other guitar/music forums so any good links would be helpful.
Thanks
Jim

 

[TheBlackman]

Man, i hope its not something too bad. A few years ago i sliced my index finger to the bone with a utility knife (i still have no feeling in that side of the tip). If you can still play with the other fingers, you can always work on stretches and alternate fingering to keep your chops up, i played 3-finger for a couple of months till the scars and all that were healed enough...man can i strech now! Good luck and don't pay too much attention to the googled stuff, could just be something minor.

 

[Don]

Be careful until you see a doc! It's worth it in the long run to take a break for now.

Hey TB, my wife is from Cape Breton.

 

[TheBlackman]

Hey TB, my wife is from Cape Breton.

Wow, thats great....what part of the island? Its a great spot to live if you don't mind not making a lot of money lol!

 

[Don]

TB, PM sent about Cape Breton.

 

[Old BF Shred]

3 things.....
ICE,

ICE...
&
ICE!

...the sooner after an injury, the better, but ice has always helped injuries for me.
I messed up my left ring finger in a motorcycle mishap a few years ago. (It's almost impossible to play without it!) It still hurts some, but it would be worse if I hadn't wrapped it in an ice pack' asap' after it happened.

Now I find that squeezing a nerf ball, or similar, helps warm up my hand before playing.
Wait until the doctor says this is OK, however.
Good luck!

 

[TOOLGUY]

Wife was able to get me in sooner (thank God). I will know more tuesday night.

 

[TOOLGUY]

Severe tendonitis
Dr. gave me a cortisone shot right in the middle knuckle (outch!)
He did not seem to concerned that I was a guitar player :?
Said it should start feeling a little better in two weeks,if not i need another shot...
Splinted me up and sent me on my way.
I tried to probe him for more help(supplements ect.),but he was one of those short and to the point Dr.s..
Guess I will wait a few and if it does not get any better find another "specialist".
Jim

 

[Old BF Shred]

I've run across Doctors like this, unfortunately. :x

At least he did "something" to help the pain....
Be careful with that, though. The cortisone will make it "feel" better, but it will still need to heal...if you push it you can cause more damage. I know this from experience with a back injury. 8)

Let it have the time it needs to heal and you'll be back playing guitar without pain, soon enough.
And, as I said before, ice is wonderful....as often as you can stand it!
Good luck

 

[stephen sawall]

First off you can play. This is your chance to get some slide in ?
Don't play slide .... Just look up open tunings.
Take my word for it. It can be a lot of fun. I see Tool in your name. You can do some cool atmosphere stuff with distortion and delay and what ever else added in there. (well it's better than nothing).

Don't let this freak you out ....
A friend of mine ten years ago did not slow down and still has problems. Three years ago I was in 3 bands playing 6/10 or more hours a day. I started having pain. I did not stop and my hand froze up. Very painful to play. I had to stop for 8 months. I wish I would have stopped before this. If they tell you to take a break just do it. When I went back to playing my hand strength has never came all the way back. And some good did come of it. I played much cleaner. We practice are mistakes.

 

[TOOLGUY]

Thanks man.
Funny, I went from a shredding phase to a long acoustic thing ( wife loves to sing old school styx and yes songs of all things ). I actually think I hurt myself playing to much acoustic not shredding.There were a lot of strange/hard chord shapes I was having to hold for extended period of time..
I am going to take another three weeks off and see how I feel. I have been reading alot of horror stories about people pushing it too far and causing serious damage to their hands.
Jim

 

[stephen sawall]

Learning a lot of early Black Sabbath on acoustic ~ lead and rhythm with high action is what did me in...
Dam you Tony Iommi...

 

[Riff Blister]

Hear is a little something to read.
I'm a big fan of this guy and his band. He's a long time Mesa Boogie user too!

http://www.guitarplayer.com/article/survivors-tale-michael/jul-03/1328

 

[Sixstringpsycho]

I had the same problem with my left pinkie and being stubborn and stupid I didnt rest it properly and it seriously took 6 months to heal, every now and then it will kind of "lock up" while im playing.

 

[TOOLGUY]

Update...
Well,the 1st shot did not help at all.
I had another one this past Tuesday and I can now come within a 1/4 of my finger touching my palm.
It still hurts.. I still can't play ( I honestly have not tried in fear of messing it up worse than it is).
It sucks...
Ever play that game with yourself.Would I rather loose an eye or a finger... Wish it was my eye.
Going to try another Dr. next week.
Talk soon.

 

[Sixstringpsycho]

ouch man sorry to hear that. GL and keep us posted, I agree about seeing a new doctor

 

[stephen sawall]

Wish the best for your problem ....