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pain in thumb joint - carpal tunnel syndrome/thenar atrophy?

Santuzzo

By Santuzzo
in The Lesson Loft — Guitars

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Santuzzo Newbie

Santuzzo

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Hi,

 

I was not sure in which forum to post this, but I think the Lesson Loft might be a good place, but I know it's somewhat off-topic, I apologize.

 

For some while (a few months or at least weeks) I have been having (not very strong) pain in the joint of my left hand thumb. Sometimes this pain is also in the wrist and the underarm.

 

I found in online articles that one of the possible effects of carpal tunnel syndrom is thenar atrophy which is the thumb muscle in the palm becoming smaller. So I immediately checked on my hands and noticed that this thumb-palm-muscle of my left thumb is noticeably smaller than it is on my right hand, so this worries me a lot.

 

Has anybody else had experience with this? or anything similar?

 

I will have this checked by a doctor tomorrow, but I wanted to get some information beforehand, since this really worries me.

 

Thanks,

Lars

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Santuzzo Newbie

Santuzzo

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I was thinking, it might be a stress fracture - socket or something, or sore cartilage. I couldn't spell cartilage so I left that thought out lol.

 

Thanks !

 

See, the pain is not too bad, it's just when I read about the thenar atrophy and then I noticed my thumb-palm muscle IS smaller on my left hand than on the right, so this freaks me out. Maybe it's just always been like this, I dunno, and I'm being a bit paranoid now :idk:

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Santuzzo Newbie

Santuzzo

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My hands are a quarter size apart. I'm right handed but my left hand is bigger except my right thumb is fatter. I read there are asymmetric as opposed to symmetric people.

 

Thanks!

I see, in your case the whole hand is bigger. My hands are both appr. the same size, it's just the muscle at the thumb inside the palm that is smaller on my left hand.:confused:

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Santuzzo Newbie

Santuzzo

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Are you right handed? Could be that rather than degeneration. ?

 

 

The weird thing is, I'm left-handed (I play the guitar right-handed, though).

I was thinking, maybe due to holding the pick, my right hand has a stronger muscle there, but it does really not take so much strength to hold the pick.

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Jasco Newbie

Jasco

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Hand injuries scare me.

 

I don't have any specific infomation for your symptoms, but I wish you luck.

 

 

About 10 months ago, right before I had to play a festival I slammed the index finger on my fretting hand in a door at the hotel I was staying at. I had to play the festival with it swollen and bruised. And it still hurts quite a bit to this day. (Spedifically the middle joint of the index finger.)

 

The good news in my particular case is that it hasn't caused any lack of mobility or other playing problems. And it's been with me long enough that it's very predictable what hand actions are going to hurt now, so there are no glitches caused by the suprise of finger pain.

 

 

Again, good luck and keep us informed Santuzzo.

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Santuzzo Newbie

Santuzzo

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Hand injuries scare me.


I don't have any specific infomation for your symptoms, but I wish you luck.



About 10 months ago, right before I had to play a festival I slammed the index finger on my fretting hand in a door at the hotel I was staying at. I had to play the festival with it swollen and bruised. And it still hurts quite a bit to this day. (Spedifically the middle joint of the index finger.)


The good news in my particular case is that it hasn't caused any lack of mobility or other playing problems. And it's been with me long enough that it's very predictable what hand actions are going to hurt now, so there are no glitches caused by the suprise of finger pain.



Again, good luck and keep us informed Santuzzo.

 

 

Thanks, Jasco!

 

Did you see a dcotor about your finger?

 

I'm not sure if what I have is something serious or not, reading up on symptoms of capral tunnel (especially the thumb-muscle degeneration part) really got me freaked out. I might just be panicing for no reason, but then agian, I don't know.

But I have to find out and that's why I will see my GP tomorrow.

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jeremy_green Newbie

jeremy_green

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I am also a lefty who plays right. My left hand thumb muscle is a little smaller as well... is the sizing drastic? Because mine is fairly subtle.

 

Virgman is right they usually say exactly that. Although I dont want to sway you from getting it looked at. Doesn't hurt to have it checked out but that is easier for me to say up here in the land of free health care : )

 

Were I you I would try to track when it hurts specifically. Maybe try different techniques on different nights to see if there is a specific motion that antagonizes it. Many times these things come and go. I have had several bouts with hand aches but they usually fade.

 

As a general comment though I would say really make sure your positioning is good (straight wrists as possible). Also work on generally a lighter touch - this helps with speed as well! Play light light light and learn to dig in in this place. Its tough actually. I found I was squeezing much more than needed quite often. This contributes for sure.

 

Good luck man! Dont do the "no pain no gain BS"

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Jasco Newbie

Jasco

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Did you see a dcotor about your finger?


 

 

No. I'm fairly poor.

 

I've been keeping aware of progress. It's slowly getting better, I think. And I'm pretty sure it's not getting worse.

 

I stretch it out a lot, and do more slow warmups than I used to.

 

Finger extensions don't hurt. Finger contractions don't hurt unless they are quick and fairly extreme. It's mostly lateral movement/pressure that hurts. So barres will hurt sometimes, as will index finger vibrato (primarily pushing vibrato, pulling doesn't hurt much).

 

If I noticed a big increase in pain or decrease in mobility I'd figure a way to go to a doctor.

 

 

For my own state of mind when dealing with hand injuries, I'll pretend that God is reminding me it's time to work on other aspects of my musicallity like composition, listening skills, theory, ect...

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Santuzzo Newbie

Santuzzo

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I am also a lefty who plays right. My left hand thumb muscle is a little smaller as well... is the sizing drastic? Because mine is fairly subtle.


Virgman is right they usually say exactly that. Although I dont want to sway you from getting it looked at. Doesn't hurt to have it checked out but that is easier for me to say up here in the land of free health care : )


Were I you I would try to track when it hurts specifically. Maybe try different techniques on different nights to see if there is a specific motion that antagonizes it. Many times these things come and go. I have had several bouts with hand aches but they usually fade.


As a general comment though I would say really make sure your positioning is good (straight wrists as possible). Also work on generally a lighter touch - this helps with speed as well! Play light light light and learn to dig in in this place. Its tough actually. I found I was squeezing much more than needed quite often. This contributes for sure.


Good luck man! Dont do the "no pain no gain BS"

 

Thanks, Jeremy.

 

Well, I don't know if the size difference is drastic, maybe not drastic, but it is noticable without a doubt.

 

The pain is not too bad, actually. I practiced about 2 hours or so today without any pain, and I did look for the wrist as straight as possible, that's great advice!

 

 

Like I said before the pain is really not very strong, and had I not read about the thumb-muscle shrinking thing as a symptom for carpal tunnel syndrom online, I probably would not even have made a doctor's appointment.

 

 

Thanks again everybody for your good luck wishes!:thu:

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Virgman Newbie

Virgman

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No. I'm fairly poor.


I've been keeping aware of progress. It's slowly getting better, I think. And I'm pretty sure it's not getting worse.


I stretch it out a lot, and do more slow warmups than I used to.


Finger extensions don't hurt. Finger contractions don't hurt unless they are quick and fairly extreme. It's mostly lateral movement/pressure that hurts. So barres will hurt sometimes, as will index finger vibrato (primarily pushing vibrato, pulling doesn't hurt much).


If I noticed a big increase in pain or decrease in mobility I'd figure a way to go to a doctor.



For my own state of mind when dealing with hand injuries, I'll pretend that God is reminding me it's time to work on other aspects of my musicallity like composition, listening skills, theory, ect...

 

 

You might want to try dipping your hands in really hot water for a few minutes. Then ice them for a awhile.

 

This helped me after I messed my middle finger up.

 

I'm now able to give people the bird without pain.

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Santuzzo Newbie

Santuzzo

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No. I'm fairly poor.


I've been keeping aware of progress. It's slowly getting better, I think. And I'm pretty sure it's not getting worse.


I stretch it out a lot, and do more slow warmups than I used to.


Finger extensions don't hurt. Finger contractions don't hurt unless they are quick and fairly extreme. It's mostly lateral movement/pressure that hurts. So barres will hurt sometimes, as will index finger vibrato (primarily pushing vibrato, pulling doesn't hurt much).


If I noticed a big increase in pain or decrease in mobility I'd figure a way to go to a doctor.



For my own state of mind when dealing with hand injuries, I'll pretend that God is reminding me it's time to work on other aspects of my musicallity like composition, listening skills, theory, ect...

 

 

This is one of the very few things I don't like about the US: the health care system. Only people who can afford to pay can go and see a doctor. To me that is substantially wrong. Everybody should be able to go and see a GP without having to worry about the costs.

Don't misunderstand me, I'm a huge USA fan, and I wish I could live there, but this is one thing I think is not so good about the US.

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meganutt7 Newbie

meganutt7

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Also, Santuzzo, get a DYNAFLEX GYRO!!! It will most likely heal all your ills.

 

I bought one and swear by it... Alot of musicians, golfers, tennis players, etc. use this to CURE carpal tunnel and tendonitis...

 

Look up Dynaflex Gyro on any search engine and it will lead you to their website.

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Santuzzo

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Also, Santuzzo, get a DYNAFLEX GYRO!!! It will most likely heal all your ills.


I bought one and swear by it... Alot of musicians, golfers, tennis players, etc. use this to CURE carpal tunnel and tendonitis...


Look up
Dynaflex Gyro
on any search engine and it will lead you to their website.

 

Thanks !

 

I have read about it, it's the powerball thing, right?

Looked at their website abnd got confused because they have like dozens of different models :idk:

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