help on pains from playing to much
 

Hello there I've been a browser of this site for awhile now but I never actually made a thread or posted a response until now :P
I've been playing bass for around 5 years and I play a minimum of around 3 hours a day... I can't go a day without playing it's like my drug haha
But recently I've been getting problems with my right arm (I'm right handed btw) it's my slapping hand I ardour slap bass :bassist:
It's like a shooting pain at the back of my forearm and it really irritates me when i clench a fist.
I hope it's not musicians dystonia or a ligment problem, it might just be from playing to much I'm not sure.

But if anyone out there has some advice it'll be greatly appreciated even a link to some resources or something. I've tried to look into it myself and I'm starting to do stretches before I play.
I posted this thread in an effort to find if anybody else had the same problem and how did they deal with it or even fixed it.
Thanks for reading ;)

First, sounds to me like tendonitis. The remedy would be to take some time off, and possibly to also reduce inflammation with Aleve or similar over the counter stuff.

Second, you're probably overdoing it on your right arm and need to take some time off...notice a common thread??

Third, you would do well to see a doctor and make sure you understand how to take care of this. I strongly suspect he/she will recommend taking some time off...or cutting back to just a few minutes (not hours) a day for a while.

Last year my right arm, somewhere in the elbow, started hurting as if cut by a razor blade from the inside. After three months rest it still was there so I went to the doctor. She thought it to be a tennis elbow. Also known as lateral epicondylitis and adviced me to check her opnion at the shockwave centre. She appeared to be right. The main cause is the combination of hard labour and the subtle movements involved in playing an instrument, in my case the bass.
My arm was treated four sessions with shockwaves and the pain was gone. I don't do labour any more. I still need to be carefull and don't play too much upright either. And when I have to for an acoustic performance I build it up by exercising from a week in advance, every day a little longer and gradually enhance the strength necessary without doing any harm.

Here is some info about shockwave therapy in the states:
http://www.scoi.com/shockwave-therapy.php

And another one in Ireland:
http://www.osteopathyireland.ie/shockwave.php