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And hes an MD?
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10-11-2015 06:29 PM
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I used to add a bunch of it to white rice when I cooked it and it turned the rice yellow , never noticed any funky taste. Bob
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I'm surprised nobody mentioned rare Earth super magnets for arthritis pain. I'm not talking about refrigerator or the weak wrist bracelet magnets you can buy, super magnets are the type that latch onto steel and like a junkyard dog and will not let go! I've used them to recover heavy sunken tools off my dock, and even picked up an anchor with one.
To get them, being in the PC R&D business I've always stripped older hard disk drives and had a bunch of them around my desk, my ex boss' wife passed my desk one day and commented on the many magnets I had stacked about my workspace. I told her that some felt relief by passing these super magnets over their affected areas, as did I on some occasions.
Well she had REALLY bad arthritis in her wrists and poo poohed the idea and I went to hand her some and she laughed saying she wasn't a good candidate for hocus pocus and placebos. I said "well, it's your wrist not mine" she grabbed one and went off to her office. Twenty minutes later she came back asking for more telling me they were a miracle.
Well, IMO, if you have the pain, try them, you have nothing to lose, but remember not refrigerator magnets or bracelets.
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Sorry repost.
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I generally play standing, with the upper strap attached above the nut on the headstock like Wes Montgomery. That has improved my left hand positioning and eased the tension in the hand and fingers. It also helps the back.
When I have any pain in my hands, my wife has a hot wax pot that I can dip my hands into that is the ultimate in healing therapy. You place your hand in for about 3 seconds, remove, allow the soft wax to cool a little, and repeat for 3 times. You get a nice, thick, very warm layer of soft wax surrounding your hand. When it cools, you peel it off and if you want put it back into the pot. This is something that women get when they go to a spa for pedicure's etc. Leaves your hand feeling great, especially if it's all dried and cracked from doing tuff-guy things in the shop or yard. It's awesome.
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I had hot wax therapy following hand surgery. It was great!
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I find it helpful to stretch my forearms with the assistance of armaid
not affiliated Revolutionary tool to fix RSI, forearm pain, tendonitis & tennis elbow
years of masonry work, rock climbing, and playing have results in a lot of knots; if the forearms are tight the fingers can't move right
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i'm going to set aside RA for a second, God bless anyone who has it.
So,
OA is the "overuse arthritis", the "wear and tear arthritis", yes? i believe it has a hereditary component as well.
(BTW - That statement from Keith Richards' doctor seems to be a half truth to me. he may indeed have risk factors beyond the guitar, but playing the guitar all day for 60 years can't help matters in terms of degree of symptoms.)
turmeric may provide a little relief for some, or it may not. Glucosamine-Chondroitin-MSM seems to be losing its luster as an aid. that's a bummer.
but to be clear - there is NO CURE for arthritis, and it sure as hell ain't diet and supplements. there are things one can eat or drink that aggravate inflammation, and a few things one can eat to mitigate it, but that's it. be on the alert for quackery. there's a lot of money to be made off aging baby boomers.Last edited by fumblefingers; 10-12-2015 at 08:45 AM.
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>> ...is there any validity to my friend's claim that playing more and even more is beneficial or actually therapeutic? <<
As a guitar player my answer would be: yes - within reasonable limits!
People suffering from (painful) osteoarthritis who evolve into idle couch potatoes, will in the long term suffer more and harder, physically and mentally. Never underestimate the dominance of the mind over the body! How do you think that musicians like Django Reinhardt or Michel Petrucciani, to name just a few, overcame their severe physical handicaps?
As a MD and orthopedist I'd say the same provisorily, depending on the cause of the osteoarthitis (degenerative, posttraumatic, postinfectious, inflammatory or rheumatoid, genetical like Heberden's and Bouchard's nodes on the interphalangeal joints, etc.), its localization and extent (bone, cartilage, soft tissue), its progress and actual activity. Comorbidities must also be considered.
One reason for this wholesale sounding tendency is that the upper extremities, as opposed to the lower extremities, are relatively little affected by the body weight and the loads while walking. Unlike some other musical instruments, such as violin or trumpet, playing the guitar allows a far more comfortable and individual posture. The chance of overloading of joints and soft tissues by frequent guitar playing is very low, even with pre-existing OA. Of course, it's different with an acute tenosynovitis!
Playing with a "straight" wrist, like fellow doc Oldane has suggested, can be really helpful - if mainly the wrist is affected. Do consider though, that the joints like moving: about 80% of the articular cartilage is nourished by the synovial fluid. This fluid is formed by the synovial membrane, and only in sufficient quantity when the joint is moved enough. Life is movement!
In OA the degree of pain, especially after exercise, is crucial for the proper temporal and physical dosage of the load.
The aim of any therapy must be the alleviation of pain, the preservation of limbs mobility and muscle strength, and effective suppression of serious long-term consequences.
Without anamnesis, a meticulous clinical examination, radiographs, MRT or arthroscopy, etc., and lab test, no reputable doctor would make an individual statement. Forget the rest...Last edited by Ol' Fret; 10-12-2015 at 12:47 PM.
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Ol' Fret,
That is a very good write-up. Thanks. I go to a very small jazz guitar group instruction once a week that is entirely old guys. The sensei begins the session devoting time to stretching exercises of the arms, shoulders, neck, and mostly the fingers and wrists.
I think stretching exercises before playing helps a lot and strongly recommend it to the players here.
Steve
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Lots of interesting and thought provoking ideas here, some new to me and definitely worth trying. Thanks to everyone, and the OP for raising this - from another old guy.
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I figured I'd throw this out at you folks who are interested in possible alternative RA treatments. I not only have the RA problem, and some sort of issue in my left knee, but also a touch of pleurisy in my left lung that crops up every few months and lasts for weeks. Both are painful and do not get much relief if any from NSAIDS OTC or prescription.
Two weeks ago my motorcycle had a blowout, and while waiting for a tow I walked around the interstate exit and found a prickly pear cactus, grabbed a couple of fruits and ate half (getting my hands full of spines too) of one. Well, I liked it and started buying them in the grocery store, flea markets, and getting them from friends who have cactus in their yards.
When cold the fruit is refreshing like a watermelon with rock hard (edible) seeds, I love them. The taste is sorta like a watered down strawberry / watermelon flavor.
Well, In the past week my hands and knee are nearly 100%, my left lung is to the point where I barely feel the inflammation.
I had not attributed this to anything but coincidence until today, reading up on cactus pear fruit and juice has made me think that it is worth giving more time to try.
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Interesting, not too sure where to get these to try in the UK...........we're a bit low on deserts, it rains too much.
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Lots of great advice on this thread.
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Figured this recent article was fitting for this thread:
https://reverb.com/blog/chronic-pain...rking-musician
Cheers,
Sam
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Originally Posted by GNAPPI
In my house, doctors & meds are strictly last resort.
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Originally Posted by bananafist
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Originally Posted by rabbit
Just the man I want to talk to, as I also am privileged to enjoy a host of medical conditions too.
Lots of inflammation and degenerative disc disease in my neck and shoulders. Diabetes also, but somewhat under control with diet. However the inflammation manifests as carpal tunnel, thoracic outlet syndrome, and peripheral neuropathy. It sucks. Numb left hand and now shooting electric shocks when I grab for certain chords.
Magnesium is recommended for nerves in general, however would like to regenerate my nervous system as much as possible. I still have use for it. So, I am open to suggestions.
Many of us are digging our graves with our teeth. I tend to resonate with the idea that food is medicine, and that we can reverse many conditions through proper diet (including generous amounts of raw and steamed veggies).
Doc Dosco
PS ......Getting old isn't for sissies I have been told. Can't say I disagree.....
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Originally Posted by pubylakeg
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For anyone on a "blood thinner" such as Coumadin (Warfrin) or a "platelet thinner" such as Plavix, (generally prescribed following a TIA or stroke), beware of natural NSAIDS such as turmeric in large doses. I just gave up cooking with it, myself. Dying from spontaneous internal bleeding or just a simple bump into the furniture is a tough way to go. For arthritis, play when you can, don't when you can't. Pretty straight-forward. Someone mentioned hot wax hand baths - they are great for pain relief but do nothing to cure you. But they do no harm and are pretty cheap to purchase. I have mentioned it before, but an Occupational Therapist the specializes in hand issues is invaluable and can produce some great braces that can keep you pretty pain-free (I have a great brace on my right hand that allows me complete, pain-free finger-picking) without resorting to surgery. Just my experience and opinion.
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I haven't had this problem myself but have known pro musicians with various hand medical problems and their experience has nearly always been, find a specialist that deals with musicians hand problems and do what they tell you. Their experiences have indicated the problem never got really better until they spoke to someone who was seeing their problem regularly in the musician community. This person is highly unlikely to be your normal General Practitioner - your family doctor.
If you were in the UK I would advise asking the Musician's Union for help in finding practitioners or asking the top Music Schools like Trinity, Royal Music Academy, Leeds University etc., for their contacts. You might strike lucky just searching the web, but you'll have no recommendadtions.
Although these experts are quite expensive it can be well worth it to know exactly what exercises/rest you should be doing and what medication can help. It's more a one off fix than a continuous set of visits and costs. In the UK don't expect the National Health to be helpful unless you are a professional and its career threatening, in which case they will refer you - but you'll be doing the searching for the right person. If you don't live in Europe, then you'll be paying for this - but the route to finding a specialist is the same - just replace my UK contacts with your local Union or Music Acadamies.
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On a momentary lighter note,
Patient: "Doctor, it hurts when I do this" (swings extended right arm through 360 degrees).
Doctor: "So don't do it then"
Patient: "Doctor, it hurts when I do this, (pokes extended index finger into chest), "and this", (pokes finger into stomach), "and this" (pokes finger into upper thigh).
Doctor: "You've got a broken finger".
Have a great weekend, guys.
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Originally Posted by ah.clem
I am very leery of surgery although I have had it recommended by specialists for my wrists (carpal tunnel) and my back. (unhealed compression fracture at L1). It will be a cold day in hell before I have 3 vertebrae fused and 4 screws put it my lumbar spine. But, my back injury is severe enough to get this as a diagnosis.
The trick, I think, is to get all of the medical options and then decide wisely on what one's own course of action should be... first to alleviate the pain and discomfort, and second address mobility issues (both in being able to move around and function normally, and in being able to continue playing guitar). Surgery just doesn't work in many cases and I have heard tell of several musicians who regretted getting a surgical procedure.
Another issue that those with chronic pain might encounter is the epidermal pain shot. All the specialists I have seen have tried to sell me on them. No thanks.....
Doc
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Originally Posted by docdosco
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This might help some folks here. It cover's musician's repetitive strain injuries:
http://www.amazon.com/Carpal-Tunnel-.../dp/1878069179
Cheers,
Doc
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