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Thread: Nerve pain in my finger

  1. #1

    Default Nerve pain in my finger

    I can't seem to find the right search terms for this. I get nerve pain in the base of my left index finger. I believe this is due to the pressure of the weight of the instrument resting against my finger. I also get pain there holding my fiddle.

    I have started using a shoulder rest for my fiddle and it helps take a lot of the weight of the fiddle off and I think now I can play the fiddle for more hours without pain.

    I use a strap when I play the mandolin, but it is still a lot heavier than a violin and the neck is also larger in diameter. My mandolin is very heavy at the head in comparison to other mandolins I have felt. I have a The Loar LM-500-VS, an f-style.

    By the way, I also get pain in the same place playing the flute.

    Is there anything I can do for this, to relieve pressure from the weight of the instrument? Foam pad? Anything? I don't feel like I can play for very long anymore. I've been playing for over 10 years now, so this is something that has just been getting worse over time.

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Nerve pain in my finger

    Quote Originally Posted by sbhikes View Post
    I can't seem to find the right search terms for this.
    With your somewhat limited description, I'm unsure why you categorize it as "nerve pain". Bone bruise, tendonitis, muscle cramp, and (maybe/especially?) arthritis are things that musicians more commonly deal with (I certainly have), and you probably need to look at those, or at least have your doctor do so.

    (I'm not a doctor nor do I play one on television, but my biologist wife consults with them in real life. She's also dealt with way more than her fair share of muscle/skeletal issues since a major accident in '72 almost ripped a leg off.)
    - Ed

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    But by all those roads, my friend, we've travelled down
    I'm a better man for just the knowin' of you."
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  3. #3

    Default Re: Nerve pain in my finger

    That's why I can't find any information. It is nerve pain. Not tendonitis, not a cramp, not arthritis. I will be playing and suddenly I will feel the nerve in my finger. It's a shooting electric tingly feeling that shoots upward from the pressure point against the base of my index finger. It's not tingly on my finger tips. It's not from the strings. It is sort of like hitting your funny bone in your elbow, the same kind of electrical feeling. After that happens, it will remain sore for days.

  4. #4

    Default Re: Nerve pain in my finger

    Nerve pain can originate somewhere else where the nerve is compressed or irritated. Could originate in you neck or shoulder. Best bet is to get it evaluated and address where it’s comimg from. There are olso other things that can cause neuropathy as well. I have had that funny bone feeling that refered into my fingers and it was a nerve compressed in my shoulder. Shot of cortisone and it was gone. Was about 7 yrs ago. If there is some sort of compression you want to address it because chronic irritation can eventually case damage.

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  6. #5
    Doc Ivory Doc Ivory's Avatar
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    Default Re: Nerve pain in my finger

    Could that be a bit of a bone bruise?
    Sounds like it to me but I[m by no means a med doc.
    Doc Ivory
    -Play loud, live long..

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    Default Re: Nerve pain in my finger

    Wow …. I do have some numbness from a pinched nerve in my neck in my left hand index and middle fingers but shooting pain... no, thankfully not at all in my hands. Time to visit the doc I'd say. Repetitive stress injuries cover a lot of ground …. Good luck and let us know how things turn out. R/
    I love hanging out with mandolin nerds . . . . . Thanks peeps ...

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    Default Re: Nerve pain in my finger

    +1 for having it checked out. Nerve pain is tricky. It doesn't always originate where it's felt.
    Mitch Russell

  9. #8

    Default Re: Nerve pain in my finger

    I saw you mentioned that you play with a strap... Are you standing or sitting?

    I know sitting with an F-style and using a footrest & strap, you don’t have to use your left hand to support the instrument much - if at all. You also get better speed on LH work.

    Good luck, and heal soon. I had pinched a nerve in my thumb from overzealous chord practice... you may have to let it rest for 2-4 weeks and let it recover. Not what you want to hear, but what you need to know.

  10. #9
    Registered User Jim1954's Avatar
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    Default Re: Nerve pain in my finger

    As others said, and you probably know, a doctor is best route if time off or other changes didn't work. But I know how you feel wanting to see if simple changes can help first, I'm in similar situation and feel for you, it sucks not being able to play. I have the common fingertip nerve pain (with callouses), lowest setups possible, light gauge strings, custom-light on guitar and not a tight neck grip. 50 years of acoustic guitar just wore something out.

    The posts above covered the important points I found in many searches. I have link below from here and another for performing arts injuries organization that may help find a doctor in your area. I'm giving fingers a long break first to see if that helps nerves heal then if I find it’s still there, I know a good hand specialist.

    You probably already know this already but thought was worth mentioning. Neck-heavy mandos and tendency to hold neck up too much is common. Some tie strap to headstock to stop that, I tried it and not my preference. When I first played, I used left hand too much to hold neck then soon learned correct way of very slight pressure on body with forearm and/or palm of hand. F style resting on leg when sitting helps too of course.

    I also bought something to stop strap from sliding on shoulder. I can actually take left and right hand away and neck won’t tilt down at all, although slight pressure on body still needed when playing, not as much now though. These are very durable, took on and off a few times to reposition and still sticking perfect for about a year, at least on my man-made material strap. I don’t allow them to touch wood which may cause finish issues. Just using 3 pieces, 7/8” x 5”. The “semi-clear” have white tint so black best for dark straps. http://www.pursegummy.com I have no affiliation with company.

    http://www.artsmed.org/referrals This website didn’t work good with Safari browser but Firefox did.
    https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/s...ingertip-pain! I realize this is on fingertips but you may find parts helpful.

    Best of luck to you!
    Last edited by Jim1954; Oct-06-2018 at 12:19pm.
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  11. #10

    Default Re: Nerve pain in my finger

    The head is really heavy on my mandolin. So heavy that I cannot put the strap on the curly thing on the body. It just falls head-first down that way. So I attach the strap above the nut. I play sitting or standing, depending. I sit a lot at work so sometimes I just want to stand at the jam. This same pain is playing violin and flute, too. It's from resting the instruments there on my finger. I wish I could rest it in the crook of my hand between my thumb and index finger like other people can, but my hands are not big enough to do that. Hold my hand against some of my big male friends and it's like a child compared to them. Maybe I will try some foam on my finger next weekend. We have a long weekend of jamming coming up.

  12. #11
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    Default Re: Nerve pain in my finger

    Another thought ….. If you add a Toneguard to your mandolin it will increase the body weight and shift the balance point. R/
    I love hanging out with mandolin nerds . . . . . Thanks peeps ...

  13. #12

    Default Re: Nerve pain in my finger

    Search "bone bruise mandolin" or "index pain mandolin" and you'll find a sea of discussions on google.

    I am still trying to heal from what I assume was bone bruise on the inside of my first knuckle, left hand index finger. Seems really common, unfortunately. I believe mine originated from a combination of fretting too hard, and balling up the index awkwardly when playing the first frets on the E string.

  14. #13

    Default Re: Nerve pain in my finger

    I can't believe you can get a bone bruise from playing a musical instrument. I got a bone bruise once. It took a crash with a car on my motorcycle. A crash where I was t-boned and I flew up onto the hood of the car.

    I put a little piece of foam on my mandolin neck. It sort of helps, but it gets in the way if you have to slide up the neck at all. We'll see how that goes.

  15. #14
    Confused... or?
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    Default Re: Nerve pain in my finger

    Quote Originally Posted by sbhikes View Post
    I can't believe you can get a bone bruise from playing a musical instrument.
    Believe it! Generally, in the musical world, it's not from one grand debacle but from hundreds or thousands of small repetitions with, IMHO, a bit too much enthusiasm. Just last year, I was learning a new latin jazz tune w/ lots of unfamiliar chords, and -dang- it happened again, maybe for only the 3rd time in my 5+ decades of playing.

    My other bone bruise episode was on the bottom of one heel, from running hurdles back in high school. Not one grand smash but many small ones.
    - Ed

    "Then one day we weren't as young as before
    Our mistakes weren't quite so easy to undo
    But by all those roads, my friend, we've travelled down
    I'm a better man for just the knowin' of you."
    - Ian Tyson

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