Gary75 Posted July 26, 2013 Share Posted July 26, 2013 My middle fingers have nodules on the flexor tendons and are undergoing steroid shots over the next week, the right one being injected today. I got bored quickly and attempted some bizarre Hanon type stuff without using my middle finger. (Difficult to do where I live) Anyway, I mentioned to the musclo-skeletal guy that I had developed pins and needles in thumbs and first two fingers the last six months which happens if Im static for a long time, (like holding a steering wheel for a while). He tells me that it's carpal tunnel syndrome. So now I have two issues. I'm not down about it, I'm just determined to really take care of my hands as much as I can. Has anybody here got that issue and how do you treat it? One of the major causes I believe is walking my dogs with retractable leads. Holding onto the bulky housing combined with the shock of the dogs pulling on my hands is making them sore. I have been trying to find suitable leashes that put the hold point to the forearm and away from the hand. I can find standard leads, but I'm damned if I can find a retractable device that allows arm fixing. My dogs love having the freedom to extend the leash 20ft or so, but it seems to save my hands I am going to have to have them glued to my side Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DulceLabs.com Posted July 26, 2013 Share Posted July 26, 2013 Yup - have it and it sucks. Bad. I do ice water therapy when it flares. Keeps it under control. As does ice-cold beer therapy... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WesG Posted July 26, 2013 Share Posted July 26, 2013 It's not necessarily carpal tunnel syndrome. There are specific tests to diagnose carpal tunnel syndrome, like Phaelen's Test, that a good PT etc will know. Your symptoms match entrapment of the median nerve. The carpal tunnel is one very common place this can happen. In my case it was in my neck near where the lateral and medial cords feed the brachial plexus. If you have the "Hammond Hunch" then there is a really good chance the problem is in your back/neck and not your wrist. Hammond: L111, M100, M3, BC, CV, Franken CV, A100, D152, C3, B3 Leslie: 710, 760, 51C, 147, 145, 122, 22H, 31H Yamaha: CP4, DGX-620, DX7II-FD-E!, PF85, DX9 Roland: VR-09, RD-800 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazzjazz Posted July 26, 2013 Share Posted July 26, 2013 It's not necessarily carpal tunnel syndrome. There are specific tests to diagnose carpal tunnel syndrome, like Phaelen's Test, that a good PT etc will know. Your symptoms match entrapment of the median nerve. The carpal tunnel is one very common place this can happen. In my case it was in my neck near where the lateral and medial cords feed the brachial plexus. If you have the "Hammond Hunch" then there is a really good chance the problem is in your back/neck and not your wrist. Wes is right. My neck sometimes causes issues similar to yours down my left arm. Sleeping on my back (not easy) has helped, along with treatment from a very good Osteopath. I had my technique checked by a specialist classical teacher, who said it wasn't a problem. The dog lead thing messed me up too. I bought a lead with a very comfortable wide grip and now walking the dog is something I can do before a gig. I did have the test for carpal tunnel, but it came back negative. Good luck www.dazzjazz.com PhD in Jazz Organ Improvisation. BMus (Hons) Jazz Piano. my YouTube is Jazz Organ Bites 1961 A100.Leslie 45 & 122. MAG P-2 Organ. Kawai K300J. Yamaha CP4. Moog Matriarch. KIWI-8P. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveCoscia Posted July 26, 2013 Share Posted July 26, 2013 Get a good diagnosis. I did have severe carpal tunnel in my right hand. The surgery was in 2010 and it was successful. No functional setbacks whatsoever. Dr. Osterman, at the Philadelphia Hand Clinic, was the surgeon. He is the best. My left hand carpal tunnel is mild. If it gets worse, I'll get it done too. Steve Coscia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeedMoreBass Posted July 26, 2013 Share Posted July 26, 2013 These exercises helped me tremendously [video:youtube] Casio PX-5S...StudioLogic VMK 161 Organ Plus... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevmo Posted July 26, 2013 Share Posted July 26, 2013 Runs in my family. Had to do both rists orthroscopic surgery. PC during day and kybds /bass did it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary75 Posted July 27, 2013 Author Share Posted July 27, 2013 That's some good, insight and advice thanks. Especially posture. You know, I have always had my suspicions whether my posture is off both from hand position and bodily in general. I will do some videos and hopefully get some classically trained guys on YouTube to analyse my posture. My father has Dupuytrens Contracture, and my mother had carpal tunnel surgery on both hands, probably caused by her years as a hairdresser. That coupled with Type 1 diabetes has put me in for a whole heap of problems hand wise. I need to get another 30 years out of them! I am going to have to sit down and analyse my lifestyle to bring up potential problems that could have triggered carpal like symptoms. I guess I should include ipad/phone usage too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikecorbett Posted July 27, 2013 Share Posted July 27, 2013 Google anti inflammation diet! I have had lots of hand and tendon problems and this seems to work miracles when I manage to stick to it... We are all slave's to our brain chemistry! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brenner13 Posted July 27, 2013 Share Posted July 27, 2013 DUDE! Those stretches feel wonderful! THANKS FOR SHARING THAT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steveaudio Posted July 27, 2013 Share Posted July 27, 2013 Did you get an EMG test yet? That's what they gave me to determine Carpal Tunnel (I don't have it). You mentioned posture, & hand position. Do you have a really good, super-adjustable (in height) keyboard bench, with a firm enough seat? Do you sit at the right height to get a good alignment of your hands & wrists to the keyboard? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marzzz Posted July 27, 2013 Share Posted July 27, 2013 As already mentioned, it is very important to determine where the problem is actually coming from. It can be local median nerve entrapment, carpal tunnel syndrome, or even something coming from the cervical spine. If you get an EMG test, make sure it is done by a competent neurologist or PMNR specialist who knows what they are doing. Too often people do it a quick and easy way which is not very accurate. It is kind of a tragedy that Keith Emerson ended up having ulnar nerve transposition surgery, when his problem was (based on what he later said in interviews) actually coming from his cervical spine following some motorcycle accidents. Bottom line is getting a good diagnosis and not rushing to surgery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steveaudio Posted July 27, 2013 Share Posted July 27, 2013 It is kind of a tragedy that Keith Emerson ended up having ulnar nerve transposition surgery, when his problem was (based on what he later said in interviews) actually coming from his cervical spine following some motorcycle accidents. Bottom line is getting a good diagnosis and not rushing to surgery. Amen. I worked with a drummer in the '70's who'd had carpal tunnel surgery on his arms. His arms hurt way more after the surgery, for years. (I don't know all the details). He did sometimes have codeine pills that he'd share with the band, so at least the rest of us were feeling good for a few weeks. I have a hinky R. wrist b/c it was broken 40 years ago. I recently went to see a hand specialist--he proposed doing a "Proximal row carpectomy", which is: "an accepted motion-sparing surgical procedure for the treatment of degenerative conditions of the wrist". I dunno, volunteering for surgery...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeedMoreBass Posted July 27, 2013 Share Posted July 27, 2013 DUDE! Those stretches feel wonderful! THANKS FOR SHARING THAT. You're welcome! First time I tried these stretches I felt them immediately address the areas where I was having problems. Casio PX-5S...StudioLogic VMK 161 Organ Plus... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tarkus Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 +1 on the stretches - thanks for posting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary75 Posted July 29, 2013 Author Share Posted July 29, 2013 I have had no specific test for it. But at the moment I am being treated for tendon inflammation. I just mentioned my new symptoms and that's what he said. Stuck between a rock and a hard place because injections cause scar tissue on the tendon, and so does surgery. I opted for one last go of injections and then try and use careful management of my hands. That stretching video is great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JavaJ Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 Look up Trigger Finger. I believe that is what you have. I have had it on 3 fingers (left hand fingers 3 and 4), right hand (finger 3). I listened to my plastic surgeon and did not do steroid shots. He says it is the worst thing you can do (I wont even go into why but it scared the heck out of me). The best option is to just have surger and have them cut the tendion sheath where the nodules are. Now my fingers don't lock and I can play my keys again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmartinez Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 I have a double risk here in that my day job is in computers (all day on the keyboard) and I devote some of my off-hours to playing. Several months back issues with my wrists started developing, so I laid off the piano and starting doing other full-body exercises. I think exercises that *don't* target the wrists, actually help because you use different muscle groups and inadvertently exercise different portions of your arm and hands. In other words, there's a "spillover" effect. It seemed to help. I don't have the problems anymore. Maybe consider doing pushups/pullups.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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