Some of you know I’ve been having pain in my fingers for a while now. I’ve been to my GP and 2 orthopedists. They all agree it’s not carpal Tunnel or arthritis, but that it IS “over-use” on the computer keyboard (but NOT the piano keyboard).

My finger tips seem to be taking the worst of it (on the computer keyboard) and it‘s causing pain in other parts of my fingers.

I was browsing the Web looking for solutions. Are any of you familiar with these Gorilla Tips Fingertip Protectors? They seem to be padded enough to "cushion" impact.

Gorilla Tips - Amazon
Gorilla Tips - Musician's Friend
Gorilla Tips - Walmart

Or.......is anyone familiar with what I'm experiencing and can offer other solutions?

Mark

Mark, these are for protecting the fingers from abrasion, and they're not at all useful for piano or guitar players. About 5 years ago my fingertips were raw and bleeding, the pain was awful, and that's what one of the 14 doctors I went to told me to use.

It turned out that the root cause of my problem was a deficiency of vitamin D. My D level was only 10 and should have been 50. I began taking 5,000 USP per day and within three weeks my hands and fingertips were completely healed. I've been taking it ever since to maintain a level of 50 and the problem has never returned.

One of the things I discovered is that as we age, we loose the ability to absorb vitamin D through sunlight. I get lots more exposure to the sun than most folks, mowing the lawn and sailing on Chesapeake Bay, but even with all that exposure I was not absorbing much of the needed vitamin. Of course, I use sun block to prevent skin cancer while sailing and working outdoors, and when the weather gets cold, most of us wear long sleeved shirts, long pants and coats, which also blocks the sun.

Just something to consider,

Gary

I take Vitamin D, I thought it made your d@#k hard, not your fingers.

To ensure I get enough Vitamin A and D, I take a Halibut Liver Oil capsule daily.

Halibut liver oil contains more vitamin A and more vitamin D per unit weight than any other common food.

In addition, it contains 7 percent each of the essential omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA, and small amounts of vitamin K.

Cod liver oil works about the same, but with halibut liver oil, the capsules are smaller, and you don't get any aftertaste.

The fat-soluble vitamins in fish liver oils are best absorbed with a meal that contains fat. Absorption of vitamin A, D and K is inhibited by some medications including antibiotics, antacids, steroids, laxatives, mineral oil and some cholesterol lowering medications.


Ian

Ian, have you ever had your vitamin D level tested? Most people have not, and the vast majority of the doctors know very little about Vitamin D. Cod liver oil and halibut liver oil only provide approximately 1,360 IU per tablespoon, which is not very much, especially for the elderly, a category of which we both fall under. Additionally, you reside in the frozen north, where sunlight absorption is quite low in comparison to southern climates such as the lower US states. Get it checked, old man - you may be in for quite a surprise at the results.

All the best,

Gary

I'm good to go, Gary...my doctor is very thorough, and that's why I take only the one capsule per day for maintenance, along with 1000 mg of Vitamin C.

The Halibut Liver Oil capsules I take contain 5000 IU of Vitamin A (2750 mcg) and 400 IU of Vitamin D (10 mcg).

I also drink a bottle of Ensure (with Fiber) every morning, and I eat pretty healthy, having several small meals per day rather than two or three of larger size.

For someone who was 66 this past March, I'm pretty healthy...the health issues I had several years ago were my epiphany, and since then I've taken serious measures to remain in optimum health.

Being healthy was always a priority after my freedom from alcohol and drug addictions at age 30, and it kinda got lost in the shuffle when I was sole caregiver for my late Uncle Jim (who had Alzheimer's) and my concerns about him were at the cost of my own health (stress was especially damaging).

Nowadays, I look after me first...a healthy selfishness.

Ian

Gary……..in my December 2014 blood test, I was short on Vitamin D. That’s interesting because I take tons of vitamins daily. So I bought Twinlabs D3 “dots”……2,000 I.U. 2x a day gives me 4,000 I.U. per day. I’m due to have my blood done again next week. It’s possible I’m not absorbing the Vit D for some reason.

You guy might find this interesting. When I was living overseas, I discovered they don’t sell vitamins in Europe…..only herbs, etc. After about a year, I asked my friend to send a complete package of all the vitamins I asked him for. I had previously read somewhere that it takes 3-4 weeks before you feel the effect. Sure enough, at the end of 3 weeks I was noticeably feeling full of energy……I actually felt a difference in my body!

Early last year, I realized I wasn’t keeping up with my vitamin intake (life is too busy to remember to take vitamins even!). So I called Vitacost and ordered another batch of vitamins. I also started taking them at various times throughout the day so my body was constantly bombarded with nutrients. And I added 40 grams of protein from Optimum Nutrition protein powder daily.

Sure enough again…..same thing happened. After around a month, everything kicked in and I’m feeling energetic again.

Sometimes I think the cure-all of anything and everything is good nutrition.

I’ll see what’s going on with my Vit D absorption next week. Sometimes it could be as simple as that.

Mark

Gary......did you actually try these? I found the company that makes them and called them today. He said they are padded enough at the fingertips to cushion the impact somewhat from hitting the keys on the computer keypad.

Mark

Ian.........I'm also impressed with YOUR health program too. I think that "how much does this piece of equipment weigh" question is not as important as "is my body receiving enough nutrients to cause it to work at it's optimum?"

If I feel physically "well", I will definitely play at a higher level.

Feeling sick, even a low-grade discomfort, can really take away my enthusiasm for playing.

Ian

Yes, I used them. When I went to the Baltimore Hand Specialist they gave me two packs of them to use. At that point my fingers would bleed every time I played the keyboard and I was wearing white, cotton gloves in order to keep working. The pain was excruciating when the fingertips would split open and bleed. The Gorilla Fingers felt like clubs at the end of my fingers when I tried to play, so I went back to the white gloves.

Ironically, it wasn't any of the 14 doctors that discovered the problem with vitamin D, but instead it was a resident at one of the retirement centers. When he saw me playing with the white gloves he said to me "Hey Gary, what's with the gloves? Aryou trying to imitate Michael Jackson?" When I showed him my hands, he said "My wife had something like that, she took large doses of vitamin D and within three weeks her hands completely healed."

My wife went out and purchased the vitamin D and said "give a try - it can't hurt." Within a week there was a noticeable difference and by the end of three weeks my fingers, hands and a few other bodily lesions had completely cleared.

Bottom line: 14 doctors, three years of pain, and huge sums of time and money didn't provide a cure. It only took a tiny, yellow capsule to do the job. ironically, some internet research revealed the facts about the decreased absorption of vitamin D with aging. I never really think of myself as being among the elderly, but the guy looking back at me in the mirror keeps telling me otherwise.

As I stated earlier, very few doctor have ever performed vitamin D levels for their patients. That's why I asked Ian if he knew the actual level. He stated that his doctor told him during his last exam that all his bloodwork was just fine. Of course, that statement was based on what blood tests he had performed. I have copies of every blood test and xray that has been done on me in the past 40 years. I want to know what those numbers are and know when there have been changes in my xrays. Those things are really important information for both you and your doctors.

Doctors are now discovering the value of vitamin D and it's relationship to preventing a host of diseases, including heart disease. Vitamin D is natures best anti inflammatory drug. My wife takes a number of multivitamins daily. I convinced her to have her doc check her vitamin D level last summer, which she did. It was 19. She was amazed and so was her doctor, knowing that my wife spends quite a bit of time on my boat with me every summer. She prescribed 5,000 IU daily for my wife and her level is now 47, which is acceptable and within normal limits.

I think if Ian gets a copy of his bloodwork from his doctor, he will discover that the tests that were done were likely the standard lipid panel only, and NOT the vitamin panels.

Good luck,

Gary

Actually, my doc had done a D level test (I said he was thorough) which is why I am on the current maintenance level, and I have scheduled blood work coming up again first of next month. I'm told I was very lucky to get the doctor I have as he is highly regarded. Plus, he's younger than me so I should have him for awhile. Funny, we both have a penchant for spicy (very) foods and always compare our latest tongue blistering dishes.

Since being on the prescribed vitamin regime, I haven't got a cold or flu in quite a number of years, despite never getting (or wanting) a flu shot.

Also, I'm a very careful eater...no junk food, whatsoever...years of Martial Arts taught me at least that much, and I neither drink nor smoke, so I suppose that helps as well.

Ian

I agree about the flu shot. The vaccines are two years behind the flu, which usually mutates quite a bit during that time. The only time I'm smokin' is when I'm playing the keyboard, but I have been known to drink a few Margarettas once in a while - helps keep the arteries open.

All the best,

Gary

My band buddy used to say the biggest problem with drugs and alcohol is that the damned stuff wore off.

They say so many people die because of alcohol. Perhaps they never realized how many of them are born because of it.

Ian