Index finger nerve pain (shock sensation)

geoff_in_nc · #1 12-06-2009, 11:26 AM

Background: guitarist off and on (mostly off last 15 years), playing bass for 1 year. I'm sure I brought sloppy technique habits to the bass.

Anyway, I've been getting these shock sensations while playing in my fretting hand index fingertip off and on for the last couple months. Generally (but I don't think totally) if I play with my index fingernail pointing truly perpendicular or truly parallel to the fretboard, I'm OK. If I hold my finger at about 45 degrees (which is typical for me), I'll get these shock sensations. They're not constant - maybe once or twice in a 2-3 hr practice, but they're there. My index fingertip is now also more sensitive to pressure than my other fingers.

Any thoughts? This has got to be a nerve thing, but I can't figure it out at all, or how to avoid it. I never had this when playing guitar over so many years. I've had carpal and cubital tunnel surgery some years ago on my right arm (not music related), so I'm soooo not interested in nerve problems!

Thanks for any and all help in advance.

TFunkadelic · #2 12-06-2009, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by geoff_in_nc

so I'm soooo not interested in nerve problems!

Hate to give you bad news but that's what you've got. See a doc, and ideally one who specializes in musicians health, to figure out what you're doing wrong. If I were you, I'd ease up on playing or stop entirely if I could, until then.

Good luck.

N.F.A. · #3 12-06-2009, 03:52 PM

Try doing some hand massage and stretching to help loosen stuff up in there. PM me for more. ( experienced licensed massage therapist here.)

geoff_in_nc · #4 12-06-2009, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TFunkadelic

Hate to give you bad news but that's what you've got. See a doc, and ideally one who specializes in musicians health, to figure out what you're doing wrong. If I were you, I'd ease up on playing or stop entirely if I could, until then.

That's basically what I thought, but was hoping to hear different of course...

Quote:

Good luck.

Much appreciated.

Mulebagger · #5 12-06-2009, 07:31 PM

I had it in both hands and almost had the surgery. What saved me was learing some classical guitar stretching exercises and taking a break from playing bass for a while till I healed. Best of luck and give your hands time to heal properly!

CoffeeJanitor · #6 12-06-2009, 11:14 PM

Go see a physical therapist ASAP.

Just my opinion.

fearceol · #7 12-07-2009, 04:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CoffeeJanitor

Go see a physical therapist ASAP.

+1. No one here is qualified to give this kind of advice.

geoff_in_nc · #8 12-07-2009, 04:54 AM

Thanks all. You've helped shut down that part of my brain that kept wanting to say "nah... it's no big deal, play thru the pain... it'll go away", and deny there's a problem here.

I'm going to call my insurance company and get a line on a physical therapist. Plus I just remembered a buddy of mine's wife is a PT. I'll ask her if she has any colleagues who work with musicians' injuries.

MikeyB · #9 03-05-2013, 06:04 PM

I know this is a zombie thread - but I've just started experiencing the same problem with my fretting index finger. Figured I'd post here to see how this story ended. There's a lot of "finger pain" threads, but the "shock sensation" description here nails exactly what I'm feeling. It's like I've bruised the bone perhaps, or somehow irritated the nerve in there.

I don't have big meaty fingertip pads, so I figure I could be prone to this. But I've been playing off and on for 30 years and this is the first I've encountered it.

Anyone else? OP? How did this end?

Thanks all...

-Mike