I've had this off and on for a while now. I guess it could be one of several different things.

Anybody else have this? Any suggestions short of surgery? Of course, it is mostly my right hand.

Even driving down the road with my hand on the steering wheel will do it.

Hope somebody has some good ideas on how to make this stop.

Best
Scott

Scott:
I've had this problem for years, It stops when I give the hands a rest for a day or too. Asked my doctor, he was sizing me up for a bypass or something, but could find nothing wrong. I think the over use of the hands causes the muscles to tense up and cut off the circulation, causing numbness and tingling sensation. I play guitar and really give em a workout on the keys too.
When I play guitar the left hand goes, keyboards right hand. Its hell getting old.
You should visit your doctor just to be on the safe size, could be your getting a warning signal?........Pose

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Cheers....Pose

Scott,

Could be a number of things causing this. More often than not, it's decreased circulation caused by arterial sclerosis, which can easily be checked with some non-invasive tests. The other cause is usually nerve compression, which is more difficult to detect, but still a non-invasive procedure done with electrical stimulation. Carpal tunnel disease would be the first thing that comes to mind with musicians that primarily use their hands to play.

Good luck,

Gary

I had it, and Chiropractic treatments made it all better ! 3 times a week for about 18 months - no surgury, and insurance covered the bill. It was pretty relaxing too ..... they treated the neck and shoulders, and gave a general adjustment each time. Felt really good.

Interesting topic. I can relate because over the past 6 months I've been having similiar problems. Mine doesn't start in the fingers though. Mine starts right at the bottom right of my palm at the crease between my wrist and my hand. It then creeps up and bothers my pinky, and the finger next to it. I'm certain mine is associated with music. Playing the keys, guitar, and drums over years really puts a pounding on the wrists and fingers. It really upsets me because I'm quite young compared to others here on the forum. To give a hint on my age. I'm not even over 30!! Didn't say I was over it, and not saying I'm under it either

Squeak

[This message has been edited by squeak_D (edited 12-01-2004).]

I had this.

It was diagnosed as tendonitis. Almost similar to Carpel Tunnel, but with the outer wrist joint pinching the tendon running down my pinkie.

Cause: Poor playing technique with right hand.

Remedy: REST FOR TWO-THREE WEEKS. Then change your playing technique so that (my) hand is ALWAYS perpendicular with the keyboard. This is not as easy as it sounds since I've had this poor habit of torquing my hand to the right in order to finger chords. My teacher drilled me to no end to get me to use correct fingering with my hands using my 3rd, 4th, and 5th fingers more.

I have not had any pain since I corrected this behavior!!!!!

Now this may not be your exact diagnosis Scott, but in my case I did have pain, numbness, and tingling in my fingers.

Please consult a doctor and even a Piano teach to evaluate your technique.

Al

Also make sure your posture is correct no matter if you are playing your keyboard or driving your car. Don't lean forward, which can put added pressure on your wrists - I have to be very careful about this when going on long bike treks or my hands will go totally numb. And, place your hands below your heart when possible, something that's easy to forget when driving with your hands at the normal "10 and 2 o'clock" position. I don't know how you have your keyboard(s) placed but instead of having my two keyboards on a single two-tier stand I prefer to have them on two seperate stands ata right angle to each other to help with proper posture and hand/wrist placement.

Just some tips - always see a doctor as others here have suggested.

My friends....gettin old ain't for whimps

Yeah ... how would YOU know, Donny?
You're just a young pup !( like ME ! )

It could be what Gary suggested as well ("The other cause is usually nerve compression,").
I had a numbness and tingling in my left forearm, thumb and pointer finger. Diagnosed as nerve compression, I think it was the 3rd vertebrae. Saw a chriopractor - didn't work. Had to visit a physiotherapist for about 6 months. She put my neck in a sling with weights and cold compresses. Didn't work very well until she laid me down on a bed and pulled my head with her hands (yes. my head did not come off, make a wish ). I believed it happened when I was sleeping on my stomach. Hasn't reoccured since. Phew!
You need to get this diagnosed. Good luck.
Starkeeper

[This message has been edited by Starkeeper (edited 12-02-2004).]

Hmmmmmm? Yea Dave, Gary reminds me every chance he can..... hahahaha

Coincidently, just yesterday I was given the electric stimulation and 'needle' tests by a neurologist. I have been diagnosed with some arthritis in discs C5 and C6 and have experienced 'tingling' and numbness in my hands ...he was checking for nerve damage... he found some Carpal Tunnel and suggested some wrist braces to wear at night ... we'll see how that goes ...
t.

Our organ player, last year was diagnosed with tennis elbow, carpel tunnel, something like that. For a few weeks she didn't play but we needed her so, to play without having too much pain she had to take the pedals and bench out of the organ and just use a regular chair. Ofcourse her elevation was lower and when she played she had to reach up and use the upper manual and it looked rather silly, but it did help her play comfortably. That went on for about 4 or 5 months and the problem eventually went away.

I sincerely doubt I'm using the correct positioning as part as my fingers are concerned, I'm probably sitting to close to the keyboard too but its what I'm used to and its not easy to change something I'm used to. So I suspect I'll eventually suffer from the same problem in the future.

I'm convinced resting my hand on the corner of my desk for hours on the computer working the mouse caused my numbness in my little finger and my ring finger on my right hand. Even now I have to watch my hand position when using the computer.

Go ahead and laugh at me the way I laughed at my wife when she told me what her mother said. My mother-in-law said a doctor in Canada prescribed to her sister (I think) to take B100 complex once a day and B6 about 6 times a day.

I laughed and laughed. However, I have a wife that is very persistent. She bought the B vitamin stuff and kept bringing it to me to take. To appease her I did, and after a couple of weeks the numbness disappeared.

Like I said, if I keep my palm near the wrist resting too long on the edge of my desk working the mouse my little finger starts to get numb still. I do take vitamin B6 now occasionally when I notice it in the cabinet.

I don't think you're supposed to take the full recommendation for more than 2 or 3 weeks. I don't know why. Give it a try. You've nothing to lose. I don't think vitamin B is very expensive. Let's pray that the AMA doesn’t hear about this. They will figure a way to put this on prescription and charge $5 a pill.

I also know something that will get rid of athlete's feet that cost maybe $3 or $4 for a 20-year supply.

I don't want to post the cure publicly because the AMA would really jump on this. Anyone suffering athlete’s feet can email me.

[This message has been edited by brickboo (edited 12-02-2004).]

Boo, just loosen your grip on all that money you carry around. The feeling will come back!
DonM

Don,
I thought you were my friend?

Not really, I only tolerate you because of Penny and Drew.
Don

By the way, Boo, I have a couple of really good photos of you and Hank The Lurker. Also, some of the recordings of you playing with me came out really good.
Folks, Boo can REALLY play a saxophone, plus he does a great job on vocals and keyboard.
And he has a great wife and kid that somehow put up with him.
DonM

Funnily enough, I'm going to see my doctor this Monday about the constant pain and now pins/needles in my right arm and wrist. It all started when I was writing music using Cubase on the PC, and taking piano lessons and practicing at the same time.

I started back at school last year and handwriting has now become unbearable. Now that I'm at university I feel I must do something about it because it's going to start affecting exams. I just hope it's not too late for a good recovery!

Carrie

Yea but, can he lay bricks?
Starkeeper

Hey Scott,

Best of luck with your diagnosis !! Everybody kinda touched on all the possibilities - as Gary says, there's a "non-invasive" test to check the nerves between specific points. Yes, "non-invasive" - but you might want to hang on to something when they turn the electricity on as your arm will do things entirely out of your control. I've had carpal tunnel syndrome for many years. It goes and comes, but it's never been bad enough that I wanted to have surgery. There are several non-surgical treatments now days. One is light therapy (using light-emitting diodes - at different frequencies). I can usually tell when it flares up by the fact that my "pinky" finger and the one next to it begin to get numb. Again, good luck with the situation.

vc

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Vern

Try the vitamin B regimen. You've got nothing to loose it worked for me in about 2 weeks. My little finger and ring finger were numb constantly for a couple of months before I tried the vitamin B treatment. It does something for the circulation I was told.

So Don, are you gonna send the pictures and recordings?

Oh my G-d, you guys are scaring the heck out of me. Is this what's in store for keyboardists as they age?

I'm sure it varies per individual. There are several factors that contribute to it as well. I guess it was worse on me from playing both piano and guitar. I just found out the other day that my old lead guitarists gave up his instrument after 40 something years of playing. It took a tole on his wrists. I feel really bad for him too. He was a hell of a guitarist. I do remember in our rehearsals he wore braces on his wrists. I don't play guitar nearly as often as I used to so I think my progression has slowed down a bit. Only problem is that playing guitar isn't like riding a bike I tried to get back on the other day and fell off a lot I now try my best to have good hand posture when playing on the keys. There are times where I stop because I'll get a sharp pain in my wrist and pinky finger.

Squeak

Boo,
Will send as soon as I get time. REALLY busy this time of year.
DonM

Back in 1995 or 1996 if I remember correctly, I read an article on Keyboard magazine, which I believe had something to do with the current topic.

The article stated that Keith Emerson had felt a certain inability to perform his own music some months before the article.

The symptoms were nowhere near the "I feel numbness" status, they were more like "my mind sends the proper messages, but my fingers don't interpret them as they should, but only I can realise there is an actual difference or sluggishness in the way I perform".

The article went on about how he found a specialised piano teacher who told him "just sit on the keyboard and play". She stated that from the moment he touched the keyboard, she knew what the problem was. Not carpal tunnel syndrome but some kind of minor deterioration of the nerves, caused by years of bad stance and arm/wrist/finger position.
Even though he was a pro player he had not had the proper "education" on how to position himself for the best effect in playing but also in keeping the "stress factor" low, and to learn to in that age, was painstaking for him.

I can't exactly remember the outcome, since I read the article so long ago, but I posted this here, wondering if someone collects those back issues and can find it.
I don't have similar symptoms or an opinion to voice, It is only my little contribution to all of you that perform professionally and live out of playing an instrument. you may find something in the above that helps.

Just my 2 cents,
Theodore

chony ... unfortunately, ANY constant repetitive action will eventually take its toll on the particular part of the body ... to lessen the chance of it happening, or to have it happen later, rather than sooner, proper body/arm/wrist position at the key board is a must ...

trident ... I remember that article and in fact made reference to it in a similar, earlier thread on the same subject ... In the late 90's I started taking piano lessons for the first time ... I started to develop pain in my wrists and forearms ... the teacher told me to definitely NOT try to 'play through it', and gave me a copy of that article ... I do believe Emerson eventually went back to playing, but it almost cost him his career ...
t.

Hmm if I recall correctly my father who used to play an instrument quite frequently also had these symptoms from time to time .

However there could also be a whole truckload of medical reasons for it , if it becomes bad I would have it checked out .

Here are some easy exercises that have helped me and others with the numbness thing. I originaly got them from classical pros who'd been playing for decades:

1) Work on your posture. That's the most critical. osture while playing, driving, computing.

2) Stand with feet at shoulder width, arms down at sideas, relaxed. Raise both arms in front to shoulder height. Let go and let arms drop naturally and let them swing to rear as far as comfortable wiithout forcing them. Repeat at aprox 80 BPM. Try for five minutes at first, then extend to fifteen minutes. Focus on breathing fully and rhythmically.

2) Stand as above. Swing arms loosely to left as far as they'll easily go, sort of letting them swing around your trunk. Repeat to right side. Continue to cycle left and right in rhythm, extending the swing as you warm up. Again, 80 BPM is a target rate, five minutes top start and extend time as comfortable, be sure to breathe fully and rhythmically.

3) Dance! Seriously. Get up from your board frequently and dance to whatever turns you on, just start gardulaay and work up to something that gets the entire bod moving in rhythm. and don't forget to breathe as above.

4) Walk. Walk at least three times a week for 20 minutes. Get in a groove that allows your extremities top swing loosely and freely. Almosty like a dance. Whenm you find the right pocket for your physique, you might find it really gets creative juices flowing. the boddy makes a great percussion section as a foundation. Just listen to the rhythm of your hands, feet, etc.

All this may sound like snake serum, but these guys I learned it from toured and recorded successfully for 5-6 decades and stayed limber. I've noticed when i don;t follow this regimen, the tingles return.

Hope this helps.

(And, Boo, if you'll forgive me, what about a trip up into the higher country or over toward slickrock country once in a while? That air down there in GJ is getting pretty tainted. I know that every time I go down there it gets me after a few brisk laps around Sam's Club or the mall.

BC

I'd like to thank everybody for all the input. I'll check it out and see what does it for me.

Scott