For about 3 weeks now, my fingers are very painful from overuse on the piano and from typing on the computer keyboard too much. Also, I have "trigger finger" in my left pinky/left hand. This is the finger that takes the most pressure from piano playing. The finger snaps open from a "closed" position" instead of opening slowly.

I can't play the piano at all without aggravating it and typing anything is a near no-no! Never dealt with anything like this before. Can't play and can't type as of now.

Does anyone have suggestions on what to do and what I'm up against? Called my doctor today and he doesn't really care. Brushed me off with a throwaway answer. No recommendation on taking an anti-inflammatory, or Ibuprofen, etc.

Going to call my chiropractor tomorrow but I'm not hopeful he'll know what to do.

I'm real concerned that this, together with my torn rotator cuff, could be the end of playing for me.

Mark

Regarding Typing on computer one suggestin...there a number of programs that enables you to speak and it will auto type the words...SPEACH TO TEXT

Whats important every time you plan to play piano is to build up slowly with finger excersises..

All you can do now, if give your fingers some serious rest, and after that start slowly, building up strength again..

I have been trough this when i moved from synthkeybed to a pianokeybed... but the last few years i have been fine... but back then it was mostly the pinky on my right hand, often using it to play the solo on top of a chord with the other fingers...


If it continous, you could allways switch back to unweighted keys...


And another thing, get rid of the doctor that does not care..

I have had occurences of trigger finger on my right hand middle finger maybe too many signals to crazy drivers? All kidding aside I went to an Orthopedic doctor., he gave me one shot and said a second may be needed, it was. I went back for a 2nd shot and that solved it for the last year. The bad news it's coming back, I'll try another shot, if not there is a minor surgery performed in the doc's office. The good news is playing the keys whether on piano, the arranger or the computer keeps it moving and seems to be therapeutic for it. When it really acts up it's overnight while sleeping/clenching my fist.

Mark ... Like me, you may be experiencing arthritis pain ... ibuprofen will help - I take 1 - 2 800mg each day ... sometimes I wake up and find I have been sleeping with my hand under my head, or with a clenched fist, or turned wrist, all which will result in pain ...
You might also want to check this out:
http://www.healthline.com/health/osteoarthritis/arthritis-hand-exercises#overview1

as gary always says getting old aint for whimps lol....go see your doctor..good luck

Hi guys....I came online just to check for replies....and you gave me a few to work with. Fingers continue to hurt......have to type lightly and very slowly. I don't think it's arthritis because 10 fingers equal 10 joints.....would be unusual to have each joint go at the same time. Definitely NO piano and I have an extremely important piano job next thursday....can't practice. Panic is at my doorstep. later will digest what you wrote here and regroup myself.

Yes, I'm thinking about another doctor after 40 years with this one. things change and people change including doctors.

one more thing.....i called the pharmacist for my prescription.....cost: $2,500. I fainted...I asked her again...some medications can cost that much.....translates to better have good medical coverage or don't get sick!!!!!!!!

She said Motrin, etc will do the same thing. bad enough you've got the medical condition.....then you have to fight your way through the whole medical system and pretty much make your own decisions on what to do. Who do you trust when your own doctor writes out a prescription for you over the phone for a "designer" drug without even examining your hands!

Mark

Trigger Finger is a form of tendonitus, which can be treated surgically, but that surgery does not have a very high success rate.

Mark, you may be experiencing Raynaud's Syndrome, which essentially results from abusing the hands and fingers. Construction workers frequently get this, mainly from hammering nails all day long, running jack hammers, and other tools that have a repitative impact to the hands and fingers. Essentially, the small blood vessels in the hands and fingers are shutting down, therefore, people that live in colder climates tend to suffer most from Raynaud's Syndrome. Other factors that compound the problem include smoking, which also causes blood vessels to constrict, particularly in the hands and feet.

There is no treatment for Raynaud's Syndrome that I am aware of other than soaking your hands in a basin of warm water and not repeating the process that triggers the disease whenever possible. I know many piano players that have experienced this and some can no longer play the piano without experiencing severe pain. Physicians may prescribe a regiment of steroids such as Prednisone to decrease any associated inflamation caused by Raynaud's and, or tendonitus trigger finger. Keep in mind, though, that the steroids have some very serious side effects associated with them as well, the least of which can be the destruction of your immune system.

Hope this helps,

Gary

I have a friend who has one of the strains of Hepatitis - her liver was seriously affected ... She was on a pill that cost $1000 EACH ... but she no longer has the Hep ...

As for the piano job, stay off the piano for a couple of days, then perhaps do some finger exercises and maybe practice a little bit on Tuesday ... I would think that with your ability and experience you will get through the gig with no problems - other than perhaps some pain/discomfort ... BUT REMEMBER - I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV ...

Age and piano playing...a rough combination. I have to add upright bass (worse than all other instruments) and guitar.

I'm on borrowed time. The pain is intense. Playing music is heavenly.

When my left arm tendon is completely stretched out, I'm done.
It will be a sad day, but I'll be eternally grateful for the chance to make music a major part of my life.

Russ

Russ, when you reach that point, buy a sailboat. Worked for me.

Good luck,

Gary

Since I last posted, I had my hands x-rayed. Thankfully only mild age-appropriate arthritis. I then went for neuropathy testing (nerves malfunctioning?)for both hands and feet and got a clean bill of health there so my doctor decided that an MRI was not needed

But I still get aching in my hands if I practice over an hour. But.....my instinct is telling me it's NOT the piano that's hurting my fingers...it's the computer keyboard. But working in music nowadays calls for a lot of music related computer usage.

And, also, now I developed a trigger finger on the left hand little finger. The same one that comes down heavily on the piano keyboard when you're playing "stride" and the same one that comes down heavily on the Control key on the lower left of the computer keyboard.

Not sure what the next step is I have so many other things happening at the same time.

Mark

A few years ago I was offered a great job at a Casino, five nights a week, three hours a night, for $1500. a week. Only thing is I had to play their grand piano, actually just background music in a lobby. I borrowed a digital piano with fully-weighted action and practiced for a week.
By the end of the third day, it was apparent that I couldn't do it. My hands ached all the time, fingers hurt and were stiff, wrists hurt, etc. I had to call and cancel the upcoming job.
Arrangers don't hurt my hands, but even now I can't play those with heavy actions, and it is counterproductive to my playing style anyway. I need fast action with which it is easy to activate the sounds. The Korg PA4X is about the heaviest I can handle, and it isn't very heavy. I can even envision having to go to a PSR-like action at some point in the future, but by then, it will be just for fun anyway.
The point is, if I were a piano player, I wouldn't be able to work!
I find Naproxen (Aleve) helps me, so I take one occasionally when I'm hurting. It seems certain changes in weather trigger the arthritis or whatever it is.

DITTO