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Hope you heal up soon and are able play pain free. Best of Luck
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Sorry to hear you have this problem. I too had major problems like this, in both arms. Unfortunately I didn't have the benefit of seeing a specialist doctor as I had no medical insurance. I did go to the local free medical care, but all the doctor could do was prescribe for me prescription strength anti-inflammatory medicine (basically extra strength Tylenol). And it didn't even help. Anyways for me the only solution was to stop playing guitar for almost 3 years. It couldn't have happened at a worst time as it came on right before my first semester as a music major in college. I was forced to be a voice major for my first 3 years of college. After the 3 years, I was able to play guitar again without severe inflammation, but my arms were never the same again or at 100% But hey it worked out I guess. I finished school. I've been playing guitar for the last 12 years without any major problems, though I do feel tinges of mild inflammation if I play too much in one day or week, which scares me a little sometimes. But it's about 20x less severe than what I had 15 years ago, and it hasn't been so bad I couldn't play the next day.
Anyways, just consider that you may need to take a long break from playing guitar. It won't be the end of the world. Taking a long break now might be better than trying to keep pushing at it with inflammation all the time, and could possibly extend the amount of years in the future you have bad inflammation. I'm pretty sure if I had tried to force the issue and not take the 3 year break, I would have made the problem much much worse.
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mark105: Thank You!
jazzadelic: hey, its like a deja vu, I am in the same situation, just began jazz conservatory... dont want to stop for 3 years, thats the term my school lasts. Going to the doctor tomorrow, I think he checkes my hand then I gonna get a newer plaster. My teacher said yesterday in the conservatory that when the plaster (my shackle) comes off, I can practice 10 minutes a day no more, and can raise the practicing time with 5 mins each week but if I feel some pain I need too stop that day. Also need to get rid of bad habits like playing in a railed easy-chair, that gets my hand play in a very bad position. And dont have to play 12 hours long...
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I had it real bad. If I played for 10 mins, I would start to get inflammation...and then 24 hours later, I would get full blown inflammation up the tendon from my elbow to my wrist. For those who have never had this problem, it can feel like someone cut your arm open and poured vinegar, salt and lemon juice into the wound. That's the best way I can describe it. The inflammation is on the tendon, but your whole arm can be numb with pain, and then your shoulder and neck muscles can get tense and in pain from it too. And for me, everything I had to use my arms for hurt: driving (turning the steering wheel), typing up all my college papers, carrying my backpack full of books. After a few days the inflammation might finally die down. After a couple weeks, my arms would even start feeling "normal". And then I would pick up the guitar for 10 mins....and the whole cycle began again. I would increase the intervals between trying to play guitar. First it was like a week or two, then a month, then a couple months, after a while I realized even with a few months rest, I could not play anymore. So that's when I let a couple years go by without even trying.
I've heard many stories from people of similar problems, and one thing I have noticed is that everyone gets it to different degrees. So if you are lucky, you may not get it as bad as I did. Some people I've talked to only took a month to recover, and they were back to normal. I've actually never talked to anyone, or heard of anyone who had it as severe as I did. So hopefully, you will be lucky and it will clear up in a short time. I don't want to scare you and be mister negative or anything, just giving you fair warning...in the worst case scenario, you may be forced to take a long break.
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Actually, the worst case scenario is that you get permanent damage and you have to give up the guitar for good...and on top of that you still have constant pain from other activities. So maybe it's not worth pushing through the pain, eh?
Do what I did: take up the trumpet for a while. It will ensure you are still progressing musically, you'll become a better reader, and you will be overjoyed when you finally return to the guitar and you realize how much we take range for granted on our instrument. I know you're studying guitar in the conservatory, but it's not worth your health to stubbornly try to push through this thing. Stop doing the strengthening exercises too...just REST.
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I have been to the doctor yesterday, he put my plaster off my hand and examined it. He pushed a point on my wrist, and saw the pain on my face and said that I get a newer plaster and I must keep pick the anti-inflammation tablets. One of the symptoms disappeared tho, it was a squeaky sound in my wrist when I moved it up or down. So he said it is getting ok.
Jazzadelic: hope I dont have to skip years from playing, the doc said I shold rest it 1 month long. My teacher said that after the 1 month long „forced” resting he allows me to play 10 mins a day, then I can raise the practicing time 5mins/week.
Coolvinny: I have never played the trumpet, but thanks for the tip. I think that singing from sheet music is also a solution. And I have to practice the music theory, in which there is also the sheet music (function editing, etc.).
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Thank You all guys who supported me with this. I have to tell You that in the 3rd week I got a bandage on my hand and a medical plaster called "Keplat". That helped me a lot. Now I am practising again, had already 1 gig with the big band (2 days before) and made 1 garden party with my duo yesterday. My teacher suggested wearing gloves in cold, and i am still using some liminents on my wrist.
thanks again
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