Fretting hand fingertip pain

[dancrocker]

The tip of my ring finger on my fretting hand (left) is sore. It's the sort of pain one feels with a bruise but hasn't gotten any better in the last week or so. I have been playing a lot so, when it first started hurting, I wasn't too surprised. But now I'm starting to get a little worried. None of my other fingers is sore at all. Any idea what I could have done?

[NickInMesa]

Stop playing for a few days. Apply some ice. Let it heal. Then keep playing.

Are you a beginner? Sorry to ask but beginners are sometimes surprised to lose sensation in their finger tips from torturing them with metal strings.

[dancrocker]

Originally Posted by NickInMesa

Stop playing for a few days. Apply some ice. Let it heal. Then keep playing.

Are you a beginner? Sorry to ask but beginners are sometimes surprised to lose sensation in their finger tips from torturing them with metal strings.

Thanks for the response. I have a gig tomorrow, then another on sunday. So, I'll try to rest in between.
I'm not a beginner but also not terribly experienced either. I wouldn't be that surprised about losing sensation (if you mean as a result of calluses). Occasional soreness also wouldn't bother me. But this soreness has lasted longer than I would expect. I did go several days last week without playing (much) but the soreness didn't go away. I didn't ice it though. I will try this.

[NickInMesa]

Originally Posted by dancrocker

Thanks for the response. I have a gig tomorrow, then another on sunday. So, I'll try to rest in between.
I'm not a beginner but also not terribly experienced either. I wouldn't be that surprised about losing sensation (if you mean as a result of calluses). Occasional soreness also wouldn't bother me. But this soreness has lasted longer than I would expect. I did go several days last week without playing (much) but the soreness didn't go away. I didn't ice it though. I will try this.

Maybe you have an infection and you need to see a doctor. Will give you a cream

[jelwood]

Happened to me once when I was playing for way too long (I was actually doing bar chords on a guitar I think). Couldn't feel ANYTHING in the tip of my middle and ring fingers. Stayed that way for about two weeks. Sensation came back after a really long break, maybe about three weeks. Never went to see a doctor about it though. Would rather spend the money on some new gear I mean, as long as my fingers weren't falling off, I didn't worry about it too much.

*edit* my fingers were sore before they were numb like that, if it helps at all.

[NickInMesa]

Originally Posted by jelwood

Never went to see a doctor about it though. Would rather spend the money on some new gear

Yes, but if he has an infection then he might lose his finger.

[Pilgrim]

Might simply be due to pressing too hard...?

[perfektspace6]

Probably just suppressed the nerve endings of the fastidial metacarpal joint or, uh, something medical.

Play through the pain wussyman! If it turns black seek medical attention.

[dancrocker]

Originally Posted by NickInMesa

Yes, but if he has an infection then he might lose his finger.

I assume you're kidding about the infection. If so, it reminds of me of famous line from Kindergarten Cop: "It's not a tumor"

[mpdd]

my finger pain is from photoshop, bass, drawing, and nose picking

[fearceol]

Originally Posted by perfektspace6

Play through the pain wussyman!

NO !! I would not advise this sort of testerone driven advice.

I'd say give it time to heal, maybe a week or so. Try playing again. If it is still not healed, it may need more time, or it might be best to see a doctor.

[IvanMike]

Originally Posted by NickInMesa

Yes, but if he has an infection then he might lose his finger.

zactly. went to hand specialist after being bitten by cat once (really don't laugh ) nice guy, said people lose hands and fingers all the time from infections.

That said, good chance it's just minor tissue damage from overplaying. Have a doc look at it to be safe. An Infection should hurt like heck and be warm, off chance you could have fractured your finger, but i doubt it. Still, we're not doctors here, we just act like them - go see a real one.

[MonetBass]

Originally Posted by Pilgrim

Might simply be due to pressing too hard...?

This was my first thought. You need hand and finger strength, for sure, but you really don't have to press as hard as you think to get a good tone. If you do, methinks a setup on your bass is in order. It is an amplified instrument, after all.

[Fergie Fulton]

Fingertip pain is a hard thing to pinpoint as you have so many nerve endings there. Never suffer pain it is there for a reason so find out why.

Common problems is something under the skin or a puncture of the skin, like say a small splinter of wood, glass or metal. This is a sharp pain. It maybe a compressed injury like a bruise or from over playing. This is a dull pain. In both of these cases it will develop in to a throbing pain if it is serious, if not inspect the tip closely and inspect the nail area as well, sometimes a problem in the nail bed leads to tip pain. Then there is cold fingers, this can give the sensation of pain or tenderness.

If it is a problem see a doctor and get it diagnosed.

[NickInMesa]

Originally Posted by dancrocker

I assume you're kidding about the infection. If so, it reminds of me of famous line from Kindergarten Cop: "It's not a tumor"

I did have an infection on a finger once that I did not bother about. Turns out I had paronychia and none of the OTC medicine could get to it. It was so bad they even considered surgery and I would have lost a chunk of flesh.

Fortunately the prescription cream took care of the problem in about a week.

"Play through the pain" is not a mature comment. It does not work in sports, it does not work in music.