Terrible left hand fingertip pain!

[gmando]

hey all you pickers-
i was just playing and got a shooting, terrible, stinging, EVIL pain in my middle finger right on the tip when i planted it on the fingerboard.

i know you're not doctors(most of you, anyway), but does anyone else get this ever?

when i try to play again, the pain comes back even if i give it a rest for a while

oh yeah, i'm only 20! this should only happen to you old folks! i need more time!

any thoughts, suggestions, complaints?

[Phil Goodson]

I've had this happen from time to time. Usually I notice that I've been putting way too much pressure on the strings as I play. This is a bad habit I got 40 years ago by learning to play on a cheap guitar with the strings about 6 inches off the fingerboard.

When it happens, I take a rest, lighten up a bit and within a few days it's gone away (so far).

Anyway that's my experience with fingertip pain.

Phil

[Ivan Kelsall]

Galen,this pain could come from a temporarily trapped nerve ending which just means rest-up for a while. Our fingers are full of touch sensitive nerves & they are painful if trapped or damaged. Obviously if it persists,visit your Doc.

[Tim2723]

I've had it a couple of times, also in the left middle fingertip. Feels almost like there's a splinter or something in your finger. Rest it and see the Doc if it doesn't stop or if the pain speads further, and especially if your finger or hand starts to feel cold or tingly.

[jk245]

While this will certainly not take care of a medical condition, there are a couple of things which might solve more benign problems: use a lighter set of stings and lower the (bridge) action. In these two situations the fingers will have less pressure on them.

[GTison]

I see 2 ways to interpret your description.
1. "stinging" , I think of a sliver of steel in the end of your finger. (I get them from GHS strings.) I don't know why just them but it's true.
2. Nerve, overuse, too much pressure on the string. I have this too. Rest is the cure a Doctor will tell you. Rest means to stop playing until it's Completely well. (Dobro time) . Take care of that finger early. Go to a Certified Hand Doc. for the authoritative answer.

[Salty Dog]

Gmando, I had this problem a few times when I was about your age. #I assume that you are an aggressive, hard clamping player that really hammers the strings. #When you play this way and haven't conditioned your fingertips properly, you get one of two conditions - a blister or a bruise. #The blister is easy to recognise, really isn't that painful, and you can easily tell when you can pound on it again. #The bruised fingertip is much more painful and takes a while (absent more abuse) to heal. #My non-medically based opinion is that you have a bruise. #Playing the mandloin is an invitation to either of these conditions as the strings are tight and they are doubled. #If I am correct, a week of rest will put you back on track.

[John Gardinsky]

This has happened to me as well although I can't remember which finger. Sounds to me like what Saska describes above. Mine was fine at rest but using the finger touched off a trigger point that was uncomfortable. It has always come back to normal in a day or two

[Mark Walker]

I've never had that happen with a fingertip, but have had severe cramping in the crook between my thumb and first finger of my left hand... #As in, I couldn't even grip my neck on my mandolin. #Felt like someone stabbing an ice pick right there.

When I played a lot, the callouses on my fingertips seemed to dull any pain in my fingertips. #

I wondered about a steel sliver too - interesting observation by bowfinger. #

[Tom C]

I believe it to be the bottom of a callus pinching tender skin under it.

[John Gardinsky]

I was thinking about this today and googled it when I reached my computer. There is alot of information on the web about RSI "Repetitive Strain Disorder". This is a broad class of injuries covering many manual activities. Intrument playing is mentioned in almost every article. Seems that proper ergonomics is essential to a long playing life. I also gathered that the harder the strings are to push down then the more likely a person is to have symptoms. Makes me wonder if I should lower my action off "man" setting. Na, not yet. John

[Bertram Henze]

I had this sometimes after long playing and hard pressing on high action - the short term answer is a few days' rest, the long term answer is proper setup.
Pain is a warning signal - I suppose if you ignore a little pain and keep on playing, the warning level is just jacked up a few notches making more pain until you give in.

Bertram

[MandoSquirrel]

This seems to pop up here every few weeks, so a search may bring more useful info.

[gmando]

thanks for all the input-
the funny thing that y'all keep mentioning is heavy gauge strings and high action... I use light elixers and have a lower than normal action. my playing style does happen to be very aggressive, and I get carried away sometimes at gigs and probably press my fingers a lot harder than i should when I get lost in the moment... maybe a lil less of the substances will help that out. that being said- in general i do not press the strings down too hard. My band had a gig today(and another tonight) and i was super bummed because I had to watch them- i'm just going to keep resting up, I have to! I rested it for three nights then tried again today and it didnt do much-

more rest i guess!

[gmando]

it's back- after a week and a half of rest. my band is opening for some of my musical heroes in two weeks and i don't knwo what to do! I am going to the doctor tomorrow- anyone know if theres any chance of this being something serious? i hate to say it but i'm really nervous

[Ivan Kelsall]

Hi Galen,you're doing the right thing by visiting your doctor.Only the experts can figure out what's going on and advise you as to what needs to be done. I have different problems with my left hand which i have to put up with. I've had one op.on my hand,but another isn't an option 'i'm going to take up unless things get very much worse.
Good luck Galen & keep us posted,
Saska

[GTison]

I was near depressed about my finger getting sore along with the Doc. telling me to rest. If you have gigs to do that is going to be tough to get through. You may need to rest for an extended period of time. I really did purchase a cheap resonator guitar and learned a few tunes, while I rested the mandolin fingers. I stopped the mandolin for about 3 months. I was necessary to keep me from going nuts with out playing any music. But when I started back I was better. And I say better because I have to keep an eye on my playing time and not over do it. I checked a book out of the library (interlibrary-loan) called "The Athletic Musician" that's a great book to read up on finger problems and the whole rat race of getting someone in the medical community to help with musicians injuries. I strongly recommend that you get this book. You ask if its serious, my answer is yes. If it prevents you from doing something you love it is serious.
Take care of it early. I tried several herbal remedies and supplements. None helped me. The long rest worked the best. Getting a shot of steroid will only work about 2 times. And you should rest the hand if you get a shot IMO. Take care of it and Get that book.

[Paul Kotapish]

gmando,

I get a similar left-hand fingertip stinging sensation every once in a while, but I don't think it has anything to do with repetitive stress or how I have the instruments set up. I suspect that it is some weird pinching of a nerve caused by slightly out-of-alignment attack coupled with a weird callous condition.

It is usually very temporary--20 minutes or so--and goes away without me doing anything about it. It happens in the middle of a gig every so often, and when it does, I just soldier on with alternate fingerings for a little while until it goes away. (Good excuse to get that pinky strong and to learn to play in different positions.)

True repetitive stress injuries, tendinitis, and under-the-callous bruises are conditions that require real rest, and you should make sure that you are not suffering from one of those maladies. If it's just the temporary pinched nerve thing, my experience is that it will go away fairly quickly with just a very short period of rest.

[Mark Robertson-Tessi]

gmando

Had the same exact thing as you. Mine came from overplaying during a festival weekend. By the end of the three days I had shooting pain when i would press down on the strings. When I wasn't pressing down, no pain. If I massaged the fingertip, I could also feel the pain, but only if I pressed just right.

That was about a year and a half ago, and I'd say it lasted about a month. I did three things to try and correct it. First, I stopped using that finger when i played, for about three weeks. In my case it was index finger, so that was probably easier than trying to play without your middle finger, but...

Second, I did stretches many times a day which a musician friend recommended for this problem: Basically, place your fingertip on the edge of a table, so that your palm is off the edge, facing the floor, and other fingers hang down pointing to the floor. Gently press down so your finger bends back somewhat. Not too much, just enought to stretch a little. Repeat with other fingers. I usually do index and pinky at the same time, and middle and ring separate.

Lastly, I gently massaged the fingertip often, to try and loosen up whatever was pinching in there.

Anyway, I'm not a therapist or doctor, but those are some things that worked for me. Haven't had the pain since. I slowly started using the finger again on the mando and guitar after I couldn't feel the pain when massaging it.

Cheers
Mark RT

[gmando]

so the doctor at my school referred me to a physical therapist basically saying"i have no idea what it is, probably some sort of problem from excess pressure in lower nerves". do y'all think i should stick with this PT or go back and go to a specialized hand surgeon? i am probably going to weep if i can't play with my boys next weekend, which it is looking like might be the case. we are supposed to open for soulive, who are the whole reason i started playing the type of music i do- one of those once in a lifetime gigs that you just can't pass up.
i'm starting to think of alternatives.
bowfinger- you mentioned a shot of steroids? what about cortozone? sh*t!

[otterly2k]

gmando- I sometimes have symptoms like what you're describing... usually when I've been playing a lot, and rest usually helps. I don't know for certain that it's the same as what you're experiencing. But I would say be VERY CAREFUL when consulting with surgeons. Because they are trained to cut, they are likely to recommend surgery and to overlook other strategies that should in most cases (imho) be tried first... with surgery as a LAST resort. If any doctor recommends any type of surgery, I strongly recommend you ask point blank what the success rate and potential hazards are of that particular surgery (both in general and by that particular doctor) before making any decision. If they cannot or will not provide you that information, don't do it.

consult a hand doctor? sure. a surgeon...? I'd say that's heavy guns at this point in your exploration of the issue.

[GTison]

IF, IF you have tendonitis I don't think surgery is called for. True enough Otterly if you go to a surgeon he will cut on you, they say. That's how he makes his living. BEST BETS: If you live in a large enough city, you may have a orthopedic doctor who specializes in musicians' injuries a "certified" hand doctor will also know what it is. If you have insurance to cover all this is a whole different story. I cannot diagnose. The PT may can help BUT excercise may aggravate . Steroid shots may help for this gig, ask the Doc. But get that book ASAP!

[Blueglass]

It likely just means you've finally started practicing as much as you should. My finger tips only hurt when I've put in 10 hours in a week. or on a triple gig weekend.

[gmando]

i've been playing 15 plus hours a weeek for about a year now- no routine change has come, but good point.

[Frank Silver]

I searched for this thread, I knew I wasn't alone. I have been playing 8-9 yrs. - no problems. Now, I have this same problem - really piercing , needle like pain in two finger tips - ring and middle finger - not something I can play through. (ring is worse)

Reluctantly, I have stopped playing - almost 2 weeks now. I have started seeing an acupuncturist and have an appt. with a hand specialist next week. REST is what is currently being advised - but how long ???

My Facts - I don't play hard, no death grip here. I use J74's - I assume these are 'average' and my action is quite low.

I do have a 'dumb' question. Should this persist, is the violin an 'easier' instrument on hands ? I'd be a fair novice again, but certainly have the sense of how thing lays itself out. Has anyone moved to another instrument as such ?

Any input appreciated and I'll let ya'll know on my progress.