Carpal tunnel? Tendinitis?

[aberration]

Anybody want to start a pool to see what I've got in my left hand?

The tendon in my left hand (on the back, right in line with my ring finger) started hurting up a storm last night, so I iced it, then wrapped it in an Ace bandage and went to bed. Woke up this morning and my thumb and forefinger were so swollen that I couldn't bend either one of them. That tendon is painful to touch.

I'm hoping that a brace, some rest, and lots of ibuprofen will make it go away in a few days...

 

[Chryst Krispies]

Massage the back of your hand with like an aspercreme or bangay. You can also use ice for the swelling, and then later on if there's still pain use heat.

Ibuprofen is good. Don't play for a while.
Also that tendon is connected to your extensor digitorum muscle in the back of your forearm, I'd massage that too. It's just a bit below your wrist.

 

[RyanUsesThis]

Buy a large ginger root. Blend that shit up in some boiling water, and strain out the pulp. Sweeten it if you want to, then drink it like tee. Ginger works wonders on swelling, and if you drink it like that it's fantastic.

I went to school for 3D animation and I would work for hours w/ a mouse. I started getting crazy pains in my wrist and this concoction fixed it right up.

 

[Baron of Norsworthy]

Cod liver oil and no playing until it gets into your system

 

[aberration]

Damn, you guys are spot on. Thanks, gents!

 

[Chryst Krispies]

Yeah any sort of Fish Oil cap, or Flax cap is good for joints and synovial membranes which essentially = More efficient joint and tendon functioning.

 

[aberration]

What sort of absorption time frame am I looking at?

Edit: looked it up myself...anywhere from a couple days to several weeks from the looks of it.

 

[Chryst Krispies]

The oil is a fat so 3-4 hours to FULLY digest.
It's not like an instant fix though. More long term.

 

[aberration]

Looks like there are plenty of benefits besides the immediate needs of Mr. Lefty here, so it might behoove me to get into the habit of taking it any-damned-way.

 

[Baron of Norsworthy]

at least a month of oil to see the benefits and 2 months to get back to at least 2 hour playing a day.

You will need the large size capsule not the small ones.

 

[jrt12]

i dont konw what your lifestyle is like, but if youre sitting at a desk for recording, your job, or trolling myspace for jailbait all day it will affect as well. I spend alot of time at the computer (writing, recording and my job) and I started to have problems a few years ago. after reading up and talking to a few people, just changing the everyday stuff helped and it went away. check your posture at your desk, even in your car. if youre straining at your desk, or putting pressure on certain nerves in your forearm or elbow for hours at a time, it adds up. and believe it or not, that ergonomic keyboard shit works too.

not sure if this is your case, but just throwing it out there for others. the little everyday shit like that makes a huge diff.

 

[SuperD]

I ripped up a bunch of tendons in my left hand/arm years ago, and my advice from that experience is to not fuck around, SEE A DOCTOR -run don't walk, do it now.
This is something you don't want to be suffering with.
Easy for me to say I guess (free health care), but fuck dude, I wouldn't want you (or anyone) to hurt like I did.

 

[Erkan]

Duuuude! The tips in here have been good but one important thing is missing... and that is workout.

I had a crazy ass issue with both my wrists and couldn't play drums for 6 months some years ago. I used Aloe Vera gel and lots of shit, even acupuncture but none seemed to help. I then tried making a little workout tool that someone tipped me about, and it's basically a stick with a hole through it so you can tie a shoe lace or something in it and have the other end tied to a cola bottle filled with water... or cola, or whatever weight you wanna use, and roll it up and down. It can't be too heavy, you might fuck something up if it is, but a 1,5 - 2 L cola bottle should be enough, it's not about hardcore workout. After I started doing that, it became better and better... and I should still be doing it everyday to prevent any further injuries but I'm suck a slacker

 

[TheDriller]

GO TO DOCTOR

 

[Apsu]

I have to STRONGLY agree with the people telling you to see a doctor immediately. All of the ideas in here are therapeutic but are not therapies. In other words, there are several dozen things that could be wrong if you experience acute swelling and inflammation coupled with limited range of motion, and while vitamins, minerals, oils, exercise and NSAIDs may or may not be beneficial in the course of treating whatever happens to be going on, they are not themselves treatments. Hopefully it's just a mild case of localized tendonitis due to overexertion, but that's something you need to find out for sure. Inflammation, swelling and loss of normal motion in hands/fingers are not normal, ok, expected or something you shrug and wrap up, ice, down Advil and hope for the best with

Trust me, I have a friend suffering from chronic acute tendonosis right now precisely because he's a fucking moron and ignored what started out as a minor injury, so he then proceeded to repeatedly re-injure himself over several months until it finally was debilitating. Forearms and fingers should never ache or not work properly; those tendons get ridiculous wear and tear and are designed for it. But as soon as you start operating them "out of spec", they need very specific treatments or the damage accelerates rapidly.

Do yourself a favor: doctor ahoy!

 

[drunkard]

FIRST GO TO SEE DOCTOR.and not just one.I ve been to 5.Each one was saying you are ok ,you have nothing.BUt I did have something.I then been to a doctor who told me to do laser therapies,wave therapies electro therapies etc.Once in a year I do these therapies.Also,you might wanna check Matt furey "how to eliminate carpal tunnel syndrome"video.9 exercises ,2 times per day,for a month.He says you will get better with any hand problems you have.I do them and I wait to see the results.Anyone has any experience with that?

 

[TheDriller]

Incase you missed it the first time:

GO TO DOCTOR.

I can't for the life of me understand why people think its a good idea to seek medical advice on audio/guitar/music forums.
I'll guarantee nobody here has a medical qualification.

 

[ApolloSpeed]

ginger root....


fish oil...



and another good one is get some peppermint oil! Rub it on. It will also clear your sinuses while its helping your hand.

 

[MKS]

Go to your physician immediately and get setup for an EMG. Without an EMG, you're not going to know the extent fo the damage. Conservative management may work but surgery may be necessary.

I deal with this shit full time as a WC Specialist.

 

[aberration]

I'll guarantee nobody here has a medical qualification.

I deal with this shit full time as a WC Specialist.

Sometimes you get lucky. I've got an appointment next week. Thanks very much for all your advice and concern, guys.