Thumb pain

[RJVB]

Arthritis usually Emirates from the joint itself.

Is there a prize for the funniest auto-whatever slip-up of the month?

[pauln]

The spot looks a bit odd as a place for playing-related injuries though. We do a lot of things with our hands that we don't think to much about, and regularly I find myself with a sore spot or a hematoma from something I did (possibly by accident) that didn't really register at the time. A classical case for me is the handle mechanism for opening the Velux roof/trap windows in my bedroom and study: the design really invites using a phalange for leverage and developing sore spots.

Outside the box - that's a very good point. I've told it before a few years back...
I discovered a pain in my left index finger's distal joint that only occurred when up the neck holding two adjacent stings down at the same fret. I resolved to take notice of things I did with that finger for a few days with an eye to anything new or changed from the past. Turns out there were two things.
The first I noticed a few minutes later as I raised my new coffee cup to drink. My niece had made a heavy ceramic cup for me with my name and my guitar painted on it. It had a handle ring that was only big enough to fit my index finger alone, so a bit of sideways force on that joint. I retired the cup and went back to the light big ring ones. In a few days the finger was much better but not totally.
The next thing I noticed was I'd been procrastinating replacing the recently faulty mechanism inside the tank and just holding down the flush handle with my finger for about 10 seconds at a time to get things to work. That was compressing the already stressed joint - a few days after ceasing that all was well.

So yes, monitor your thumb an take notice of everything you use it for on the lookout for something new or different, especially something repetitive.

[lammie200]

no new stretchy chords

two thumb positions
Eb maj7
Attachment 115640

Bb11
Attachment 115641

I can't comment on the thumb fretting because I can't do it. The reason may be partly due to the fact that I like thicker necks. But as far as fretting with your thumb behind the neck, I suggest trying to roll your thumb so that more of the inside edge of your thumb contacts the back of the neck, not the pad of your thumb. Might become second nature soon enough.

[Peter C]

TI jazz swings 13
yes I like a highish action
I think I pick quite hard , I like that
sound , but hate any kind of fret rattle
or buzz

I’ve just had 10 days off playing
and indeed the pain has subsided

I’ve just noticed that I’ve got it
slightly in my right hand thumb too !
(in the same exact place)

so maybe not guitar related at all
feels like the tendons under there
are moaning , an age thing probably

Thanks for all the input and ideas guys

If you like thwacking those bad boys with gusto and Freddie Green-style action, maybe go down a gauge and do the old trick of swapping out the plains as required?

I just fretted a chord with thumb over top and it was at a similar angle to the one in your photo...If you're getting pain in your other hand, maybe it's a circulation-related thing? Age/wear and tear are definitely a factor, so just take a break (and swear a bit if it helps)

[ruger9]

Is there a prize for the funniest auto-whatever slip-up of the month?

Whoops... corrected!

[Ukena]

Whoops... corrected!

Almost – "emanate"

I agree with others that it's a strange place for arthritis. Like ruger, I have arthritis pain in both thumbs, in the joints, but not between the joints and the nail. Also, if you seem to be getting the pain in the other thumb, as well, some of the suggestions to examine how you use your thumbs extra-guitar-ly might be in order.

As a self-taught guitar player who learned on a very cheap Harmony with high action, I have thumb-wrapped for decades, even extending to the A string. And yes, I did it because I found it difficult to barre an F chord on that Harmony when I was 16.

[rpjazzguitar]

Seems like an odd spot for pain. I have no idea what would cause pain right in that spot, and not in the adjacent joint, except an injury.

My guess is that, if you saw a doctor about it, they wouldn't guess. Instead, they'd order an x-ray. If the x-ray didn't show anything, they'd probably tell you to stop doing whatever you were doing that makes it hurt. And, when you told them you didn't want to stop playing, the doc would shrug.

Anyway, the basic point is that you need a clear diagnosis before you can really point to a treatment plan.

Wait! Do I see a hint of swelling in the thumb-over-neck picture? Just possibly, a leak in the joint capsule could do that -- and does happen in arthritis. But there are probably more common reasons this could happen, like infection or something.

[RJVB]

some of the suggestions to examine how you use your thumbs extra-guitar-ly might be in order.

Just to give an example: my teacher asked my if I'd hurt my left hand yesterday: there's hematoma-like spot over the centre of the back of my hand, right over where the big veins converge. I'd noticed that too, coming and going the past couple weeks (without any discomfort), and today I realised what's causing it.
I still have this contracted strand or something in my left shoulder that I asked about in spring, and I've taken back up an old habit of mine to keep it a bit under control: auto-massage with a big rotan staff (one of the last tangible souvenirs from my martial arts days). I hook my fully relaxed left hand over it behind my back, bend forward and roll it gently over the sore spot with my right hand somewhere up in the air holding the other end of the stick. The hematoma on my left hand is where it contacts the staff.

Wait! Do I see a hint of swelling in the thumb-over-neck picture? Just possibly, a leak in the joint capsule could do that -- and does happen in arthritis. But there are probably more common reasons this could happen, like infection or something.

I noticed that too, but it seems to be at the base of the nail and I wrote it off as related to that. It's not really visible on the 1st picture.

[Eugle]

How are you now? Were you lucky to solve the problem?
It can be frustrating, especially when you can't pinpoint the cause. I had something similar during my calisthenics training for boxing. After reading this guide, I started focusing on wrist and grip strength exercises instead.
It might help to take a break from activities that stress your thumb. Have you tried any rehabilitation exercises? Wishing you a speedy recovery!

[benhatchins]

Are you feeling better now? To be honest, my fingers are okay after playing guitar for long hours, but my nails always look horrible. I’ve been meaning to take better care of them, so I contacted rossi nails and am going to have my first treatment ever. I’m curious to see how it goes—hoping it will help with both the health of my nails and how they look. Have you ever had a nail treatment before? Would love to hear your experience if you have