Wrist Pain, becoming concerned.

[santucci218]

So I was playing guitar the other day and my wrist started to hurt, three days later and i can still feel it when i turn my hand and apply pressure in a certain way. I got one of those exercise balls that you squeeze to see if that helps, but so far, no. Anyways, im 19, and this is becoming a problem for me. I havent played guitar or bass for about 3 days now and i have NO health insurance. The pain, on my left wrist, seems to be on the sides of the wrist, mainly the thumb side. Anybody have any advice or exercises i can do?

[Selta]

Stop looking at porn would be where I'd start.

[James Hart]

Originally Posted by Ray Salamon

Stop looking at porn would be where I'd start.

or at least get a helper of your choice

[Araillac]

I started getting pain in my left wrist as well but on the other side. I just kept playing guitar hoping that maybe it'd get stronger or something. I was thinking maybe it's just sore muscles around the wrist area. I dunno if this is true or if I'm damaging myself more but it doesn't hurt anymore and hasn't for months.

[santucci218]

its my left arm and im right handed.

[Selta]

Originally Posted by santucci218

its my left arm and im right handed.

Well, your signature and such kinda made me wonder.


Have you tried icy hot or anything?

[Relic]

Originally Posted by santucci218

So I was playing guitar the other day and my wrist started to hurt, three days later and i can still feel it when i turn my hand and apply pressure in a certain way. I got one of those exercise balls that you squeeze to see if that helps, but so far, no. Anyways, im 19, and this is becoming a problem for me. I havent played guitar or bass for about 3 days now and i have NO health insurance. The pain, on my left wrist, seems to be on the sides of the wrist, mainly the thumb side. Anybody have any advice or exercises i can do?

Might be carpal tunnel? I dunno, the best thing as always is to see a doc, insurance or not.
Also could just be that you injured it somehow. I've done stuff like that before and it usually went away after a while with some ibuprofins. (Advils, etc) They are also an anti-infammatory in addition to being a pain killer so if something's swollen, that may help.
Dunno though, I'm far from being a doc, I'm just speaking from my own experience.

[santucci218]

Originally Posted by Ray Salamon

Well, your signature and such kinda made me wonder.


Have you tried icy hot or anything?

I haven't. I'll pick some up.

Originally Posted by Relic

Might be carpal tunnel? I dunno, the best thing as always is to see a doc, insurance or not.
Also could just be that you injured it somehow. I've done stuff like that before and it usually went away after a while with some ibuprofins. (Advils, etc) They are also an anti-infammatory in addition to being a pain killer so if something's swollen, that may help.
Dunno though, I'm far from being a doc, I'm just speaking from my own experience.

I really hope it isnt carpal tunnel =[ Anyways, ill take some advil! I have like, 12 dollars to my name currently, so no doctor for me.

[TallLankyBastyd]

Have you tried icy hot or anything?

I haven't. I'll pick some up.

I'm pretty sure he meant for your wrist.

[Araillac]

Originally Posted by santucci218

I have like, 12 dollars to my name currently

Dude! Me too! This is so cool, we could be like...brothers man.

[Ericman197]

First, some questions about the pain:

Specifically, how does it feel? Is it a sharp pain? Burning? Dull? How painful is it, on a scale of 1 to 10? Is there numbness/tingling, or ONLY pain?

Where does the pain occur, exactly, and does it spread to anywhere else? When you say the sides, specifically the thumb side, I'm thinking pain here:



If the pain is elsewhere, it would be great if you could describe it in detail, or attach a picture (search for human hand in google image search. If you search for hand without the safesearch filter on... well... you'll see).

Also, describe the exact position in which you feel the pain, and where this pressure point is. If you need help, here are the movements of the wrist/forearm:



Finger/thumb movements are easier to describe:

Flexion: touching your fingers to your palm
Extension: opposite of flexion
Opposition: touching pinkey to thumb
And of course spreading (fanning your fingers out) and pressing them back together.
Thumb movements are a little more complicated and I can't find a good picture, so we'll just take it from there...

I'm not including these terms to confuse you, only so you can better describe the movement and exactly when the pain occurs. You don't have to use the terminology, I just want you to be aware that these are the choices, so to say. The terminology is used for a specific reason: since a chart does not typically include pictures/video (nor does your post), positions need to be described so that there is only one interpretation. If you say "when I press my wrist down" that could be many things.

I would also recommend that you do not practice physical therapy on your own. In many cases physical therapy can be harmful to recovery. Your body is telling you that it hurts to do what you're doing - so don't do it. If a doctor prescribes physical therapy, then ok. But without training, you are just as likely to do harm as good.





I can tell you right now that you don't have the typical clinical presentation for carpal tunnel syndrome, but it is a possibility, and we will have a better idea when you answer the above questions. If I tell you exactly what to look for with carpal tunnel syndrome, there is a decent chance that positive signs/symptoms will magically appear. There are some very simple tests that you CAN perform at home, but they can easily be misinterpreted, so I don't want you to do them - at least not right away.

A word on carpal tunnel syndrome:

Contrary to popular belief, most cases of carpal tunnel syndrome are not caused by environmental factors. I wouldn't go smashing my wrist on the table though - actually, I am quite careful never to press on my wrist. So although I don't recommend using your wrist in any way that is painful to you, if you DO have carpal tunnel syndrome, bass is not necessarily what caused it.

Finally, carpal tunnel syndrome is very often genetic - does carpal tunnel run in your family?

[santucci218]

Originally Posted by Ericman197

First, some questions about the pain:

Specifically, how does it feel? Is it a sharp pain? Burning? Dull? How painful is it, on a scale of 1 to 10? Is there numbness/tingling, or ONLY pain?

Where does the pain occur, exactly, and does it spread to anywhere else? When you say the sides, specifically the thumb side, I'm thinking pain here:



If the pain is elsewhere, it would be great if you could describe it in detail, or attach a picture (search for human hand in google image search. If you search for hand without the safesearch filter on... well... you'll see).

Also, describe the exact position in which you feel the pain, and where this pressure point is. If you need help, here are the movements of the wrist/forearm:



Finger/thumb movements are easier to describe:

Flexion: touching your fingers to your palm
Extension: opposite of flexion
Opposition: touching pinkey to thumb
And of course spreading (fanning your fingers out) and pressing them back together.
Thumb movements are a little more complicated and I can't find a good picture, so we'll just take it from there...

I'm not including these terms to confuse you, only so you can better describe the movement and exactly when the pain occurs. You don't have to use the terminology, I just want you to be aware that these are the choices, so to say. The terminology is used for a specific reason: since a chart does not typically include pictures/video (nor does your post), positions need to be described so that there is only one interpretation. If you say "when I press my wrist down" that could be many things.

I would also recommend that you do not practice physical therapy on your own. In many cases physical therapy can be harmful to recovery. Your body is telling you that it hurts to do what you're doing - so don't do it. If a doctor prescribes physical therapy, then ok. But without training, you are just as likely to do harm as good.





I can tell you right now that you don't have the typical clinical presentation for carpal tunnel syndrome, but it is a possibility, and we will have a better idea when you answer the above questions. If I tell you exactly what to look for with carpal tunnel syndrome, there is a decent chance that positive signs/symptoms will magically appear. There are some very simple tests that you CAN perform at home, but they can easily be misinterpreted, so I don't want you to do them - at least not right away.

A word on carpal tunnel syndrome:

Contrary to popular belief, most cases of carpal tunnel syndrome are not caused by environmental factors. I wouldn't go smashing my wrist on the table though - actually, I am quite careful never to press on my wrist. So although I don't recommend using your wrist in any way that is painful to you, if you DO have carpal tunnel syndrome, bass is not necessarily what caused it.

Finally, carpal tunnel syndrome is very often genetic - does carpal tunnel run in your family?

Woo, lots of stuff here!

Here is where my pain is.



Now for the questions.


Specifically, how does it feel?

It feels like tension and fatigue.

Is it a sharp pain?

All sarcasm aside, i would call it a blunt pain.

Burning?

A little

Dull?

See blunt answer.

How painful is it, on a scale of 1 to 10?

I don't cringe or anything, its just agitating. 4?

Is there numbness/tingling, or ONLY pain?

Only pain.

Honestly, could it be from typing or texting a ton? because i do both a lot i guess.

[iamlowsound]

See a doctor. Then get health insurance and kick yourself for not having it before. Third, LEARN PROPER TECHNIQUE! Not just ok technique, but proper down to the 1/8 of an inch type of technique. I used to get wrist pain from playing guitar/bass on my fretting wrist, so I decided to focus on just technique for a month or so, no more pain, but I do have CT from swinging a hammer all day, although that is the other wrist.

lowsound

[Ericman197]

None of what you wrote indicates carpal tunnel syndrome.

I would need to know a little more to tell you exactly what tendon is involved, because you didn't mention anything about the movement. That's ok, I know I typed out a HUGE novel... in practice you would be asked these questions one by one.

I have a few general ideas what tendon is to blame, but I'm really not sure. So I need more details about this movement before I have any idea what's going on.

Regarding the problem itself (and not the anatomy), is there inflammation in the area of pain, or anywhere in your forearm? In other words, do you feel any swelling, or is that area hot? To test this, feel the area with the back of your other hand, then compare to the other side. Or have a friend help you. This would indicate tendinitis. If there is no inflammation, it may be tendinosis, or something entirely different.

Obligatory disclaimer: I am a student, and at this stage I cannot make a definitive diagnosis/treatment plan, certainly not on the internet. So if at any time you feel compelled to, go see a doctor. To tell you the truth though, it is very likely that he will simply tell you 'don't do that,' and give you an anti-inflammatory drug. If you do have tendinitis, there isn't much that can be done to treat it - it will get better on its own. But it could be something else. I definitely wouldn't want to chance it, even if you show obvious signs of something or other, it would still be helpful to see your hand (and I can't).

If you'd like, here's a test you can do at home for a random, but potential tendon problem:

Form a fist, with your thumb inside. Now move your fist towards the pinkey side (ulnar deviation). Normally, there should be slight pain at the side of the wrist (not exactly where your pain is, but close). If the pain is severe, that is a positive sign for Finkelstein's test. This is for DeQuervain's syndrome. However, again, the usual disclaimer: none of these tests really ~prove~ anything because I am not there to watch you do it. I'm not saying you're going to do it wrong, but for many of these tests, it is more useful for me to be able to see and feel exactly where the pain is, and so on.

Wiki article on the condition, and test: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DeQuervain%27s_syndrome

However if you want to know what I think might be the problem, I have two possible theories. One, you're playing bass with the neck way too low, so your wrist is being flexed/strained too much. Another, is you are pressing too hard on the neck, and so you may have damaged a thumb tendon. However that isn't to say that bass has anything to do with it. In answer to your question, many of these tendon problems are idiopathic - in other words, it isn't a great idea to play with bad technique, BUT it is possible that unknown factors have caused the problem. We really don't know at this point what causes some of these injuries. I know nothing about your technique, lifestyle, or how your wrist hurts. So in answer to your question: I really can't say whether bass is responsible... maybe, maybe not.

[whoatherechunk]

go see a doc....my best friend is an awesome cello player and thanks to her carpal tunell the **** hit the fan. get it fixed before things turn worse.

[NJL]

Originally Posted by santucci218

So I was playing guitar the other day and my wrist started to hurt, three days later and i can still feel it when i turn my hand and apply pressure in a certain way. I got one of those exercise balls that you squeeze to see if that helps, but so far, no. Anyways, im 19, and this is becoming a problem for me. I havent played guitar or bass for about 3 days now and i have NO health insurance. The pain, on my left wrist, seems to be on the sides of the wrist, mainly the thumb side. Anybody have any advice or exercises i can do?

are your palms hairy?

[Ericman197]

Originally Posted by whoatherechunk

go see a doc....my best friend is an awesome cello player and thanks to her carpal tunell the **** hit the fan. get it fixed before things turn worse.

For what it's worth, it definitely is not carpal tunnel syndrome. You can look up the wiki article if you'd like, but basically the primary symptoms are numbness in the area of the thumb and first two fingers, weakness in opposing thumb to pinkey, etc. Pain is not the main symptom, and if he is describing the pain correctly, it's not in the normal location. If it were carpal tunnel, he would be telling a very different story, such as "I woke up last night with numbness in my hand, and it got a little better after I shook it, but it keeps coming back." Also, CTS is much more likely in females.

Here's where he'd be feeling it:



Especially in the thenar eminence (fancy term for the lump at the base of the thumb). But it looks like his pain is more in the forearm, and going into the thumb - but nowhere else, which leads me to believe it's a thumb tendon, or possibly something related to the wrist. Of course I'm not going to say that I am 100% sure beyond any shadow of a doubt that it is not CTS, but the only thing he mentioned that might make me think it's CTS is some pain in the thenar eminence. But that is not nearly enough to make a CTS diagnosis. If he tells us that he's also got the numbness, is waking up at night, can't press his thumb against his pinkey, etc. then I might think otherwise.

[santucci218]

Originally Posted by Ericman197

None of what you wrote indicates carpal tunnel syndrome.

I would need to know a little more to tell you exactly what tendon is involved, because you didn't mention anything about the movement. That's ok, I know I typed out a HUGE novel... in practice you would be asked these questions one by one.

I have a few general ideas what tendon is to blame, but I'm really not sure. So I need more details about this movement before I have any idea what's going on.

Regarding the problem itself (and not the anatomy), is there inflammation in the area of pain, or anywhere in your forearm? In other words, do you feel any swelling, or is that area hot? To test this, feel the area with the back of your other hand, then compare to the other side. Or have a friend help you. This would indicate tendinitis. If there is no inflammation, it may be tendinosis, or something entirely different.

Obligatory disclaimer: I am a student, and at this stage I cannot make a definitive diagnosis/treatment plan, certainly not on the internet. So if at any time you feel compelled to, go see a doctor. To tell you the truth though, it is very likely that he will simply tell you 'don't do that,' and give you an anti-inflammatory drug. If you do have tendinitis, there isn't much that can be done to treat it - it will get better on its own. But it could be something else. I definitely wouldn't want to chance it, even if you show obvious signs of something or other, it would still be helpful to see your hand (and I can't).

If you'd like, here's a test you can do at home for a random, but potential tendon problem:

Form a fist, with your thumb inside. Now move your fist towards the pinkey side (ulnar deviation). Normally, there should be slight pain at the side of the wrist (not exactly where your pain is, but close). If the pain is severe, that is a positive sign for Finkelstein's test. This is for DeQuervain's syndrome. However, again, the usual disclaimer: none of these tests really ~prove~ anything because I am not there to watch you do it. I'm not saying you're going to do it wrong, but for many of these tests, it is more useful for me to be able to see and feel exactly where the pain is, and so on.

Wiki article on the condition, and test: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DeQuervain%27s_syndrome

However if you want to know what I think might be the problem, I have two possible theories. One, you're playing bass with the neck way too low, so your wrist is being flexed/strained too much. Another, is you are pressing too hard on the neck, and so you may have damaged a thumb tendon. However that isn't to say that bass has anything to do with it. In answer to your question, many of these tendon problems are idiopathic - in other words, it isn't a great idea to play with bad technique, BUT it is possible that unknown factors have caused the problem. We really don't know at this point what causes some of these injuries. I know nothing about your technique, lifestyle, or how your wrist hurts. So in answer to your question: I really can't say whether bass is responsible... maybe, maybe not.

Just read it, but im splitting for work right now. I will answer all of the questions tonight, but as for now..When i did make a fist with my left hand and my thumb inside and moved it to the left, it did hurt. Not a ton, but it did hurt, and that is exactly where the pain im feeling is.

[Ericman197]

Originally Posted by santucci218

Just read it, but im splitting for work right now. I will answer all of the questions tonight, but as for now..When i did make a fist with my left hand and my thumb inside and moved it to the left, it did hurt. Not a ton, but it did hurt, and that is exactly where the pain im feeling is.

Did you compare to the other side? If one side hurts more than the other, that may still be normal. If one side hurts MUCH more than the other - and we're talking about severe pain - then you may have DeQuervain's tenosynovitis. In fact, it's much more likely to be tendonitis/osis of one of the tendons in that region than DQT. I'm just trying to explore some of the possibilities.

But one way or the other, if you don't want to go to the doctor unless it is absolutely necessary... the best advice for now is not to do anything that hurts. A wrist brace may be beneficial, especially at night. Most likely, a tendon is hurt, and needs time to heal. But you should definitely feel around for lumps (cysts), or heat (inflammation).

[NJL]

i think his problems stem from giving himself "The Stranger", repeatedly