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