Pains in my hand/thumb while playing...

[JoshDRAH]

Lately at band practice, I've been experiencing really bad pain in my picking hand while playing. Usually once we get into about halfway thru the second song, the entire muscle area around my thumb and going up into my palm is extremely tight, painful, and tensed up. It even feels and looks a little bit swollen when compared to my other hand. My thumb will stiffen up so bad that I cant even hold my pick tightly and I lose grip on it. Its so bad to where I have to stop in the middle of practice for about 5 or so minutes and let my hand rest before going into the next song. It really worries me, as thats obviously something you cannot do at a show. What also sucks is that I've just started a new job recently, and dont currently have any health benefits or anything to go to a doctor and get it checked out. So I'm just wondering if any of you have experienced anything like this, and what you did to solve the problem?

 

[amarshism]

Stop playing!!!

Don't hold your pick so hard.
Stretch your arms and shoulders for 15 mins before and after playing and find yourself a good warm up/warm down routine.
Rethink your playing posture.
Practice slower with a metronome paying particular attention to spots in your body where you're noticing sympathetic tension.

At a guess I'd say you're beginning to develop cts or tendinitis which is not a good thing.
Not warming up and poor technique are usually the cause of this.

 

[muckypup1]

Lately at band practice, I've been experiencing really bad pain in my picking hand while playing. Usually once we get into about halfway thru the second song, the entire muscle area around my thumb and going up into my palm is extremely tight, painful, and tensed up. It even feels and looks a little bit swollen when compared to my other hand. My thumb will stiffen up so bad that I cant even hold my pick tightly and I lose grip on it. Its so bad to where I have to stop in the middle of practice for about 5 or so minutes and let my hand rest before going into the next song. It really worries me, as thats obviously something you cannot do at a show. What also sucks is that I've just started a new job recently, and dont currently have any health benefits or anything to go to a doctor and get it checked out. So I'm just wondering if any of you have experienced anything like this, and what you did to solve the problem?

Stop playing now dude, and get it checked at a doctors. You've probably got some kind of RSI in your hand, I've got it in my wrists and arms.

 

[Eddy]

Could quite probably be tendonitis... Better be careful with that, as it is a bitch to heal properly.

In my case, it took two weeks of rest and a drug prescription. I've been wearing a wrist bracer (? no idea what the proper term for that is....) for the last three months and it still is not completely healed. Got better but have to be careful still.

Next option would be cortisone injection and if that doesn't help, then it's surgical operation time.... I really hope I don't have to go that far, though.


As it's been said, stop playing and re-evaluate your playing technique.

 

[plague_rider]

Can we just check (photo would be best) how you play??

ie, height of guitar, picking position...

 

[amarshism]

he play guitar like this and doesn't afraid of anything

no srsly dude, the whole no pain no gain thing definitely does NOT apply to guitar playing. Try some anti inflam cream or deep heat to help and just rest. If doesn't go away, then see a physio. I get remedial massage once a fortnight to help my gtr playing from all the hours in one position.

 

[El_Gato]

how old are you? warm-ups are mandatory after 30

 

[STINNETT]

It sounds like a muscle cramp more than tendonitis, etc. Hard to say, though.

You should also be stretching those muscles really well before playing and at regular intervals while you play.

 

[Notuern]

It MIGHT be an inflammation in that specific muscle.
I have one in my picking hand as well(From the pinkie to the wrist.), and it acts exactly the same.. in this case, its not really dangerous though.
But i have learned that everything that has to do with your hands, eyes and ears = do a checkup!

 

[GarethSE]

wanker's cramp


... come on, someone had to say it

 

[amarshism]

Lol

 

[Notuern]

wanker's cramp


... come on, someone had to say it

.. i actually have a friend with an epic right forearm, and im not joking when i tell you that its due to masturbation.
The sick old freak is actually proud of it!

 

[amarshism]

 

[Notuern]

Quagmire is left handed? o,0

 

[muckypup1]

.. i actually have a friend with an epic right forearm, and im not joking when i tell you that its due to masturbation.
The sick old freak is actually proud of it!

Hahaha I just noticed that my right forearm is much stronger than my left

 

[ahjteam]

I had the same problem when I was starting up guitar playing, problem was quite easily solved and there are most propably three reasons:

- wrong technique: this was my problem. I held the pick too tight with white knuckles, as I was too afraid that I might drop the pick. problem was solved by holding the pick just a bit more loosely and if you drop the pick, just pick it up again.
- too exhausting material: if you play constant downpicking heavy n technical chuggs at 250bpm with no pauses anywhere like Master of Puppets, your arm just will propably get really tired after 4 minutes.
- physical problem: stretching usually helps, but if it doesn't, go see a doctor