Feel like I'm starting over again... (mini rant warning)

[Sam Evans]

Sorry to hear a boat your skin condition buddy! I wonder if tapewounds would be helpful to you? After all then your finger would never be touching metal but only the nylon wrap of the string.

Dude, you beat me by 7 minutes.
OP, I would definitely try tapewounds if I were you. It could be a weird contact allergy to the metals - it sounds odd that it could only affect one finger, but that's how those work sometimes. A dermatologist would probably be able to hook you up with some allergy tests.

 

[StatesideRambler]

@Joe Nerve don't put off getting that finger looked at by a particularly good M.D. Years ago (early seventies) I got an infection of some sort at the second joint of my plucking index finger. It was difficult and painful to bend and impossible to play index and middle but I had gigs to play. I adapted by using middle and ring fingers and got passably good at it while I put off seeing the doc. It didn't seem awfully bad until I was hospitalized for a week and a day. I came out OK, regained full use of the finger but the docs were pretty grouchy about my reliance on luck to dodge the consequences of delay.

 

[BAG]

I've found flats and a hard pick can be made to sound surprisingly like rounds and fingers, and you can do some really cool palm muting that is very difficult if not impossible to do fingerstyle. Probably a good thing to have in the arsenal in case your other fingers start having problems.

Wedgie thick rubber pick --- I've been wanting to try them.
View attachment 3098991

Being a dedicated pick player until a couple of years ago i gave these a try but found them to "grab" the string too much for my liking. Other people however do like them and they can sound quite a bit like playing fingerstyle.

 

[buldog5151bass]

My only suggestion is to keep playing some with that finger, so you don't lose the technique. I generally use my right index and middle finger. Last year I broke my index finger, so spent two months using middle and ring. It took months to work the index back in, and I still lead with the middle. Eight weeks messed up over 30 years of muscle memory.

 

[dragon2knight]

Wow, that really sucks about the finger....but it can be remedied if you don't take too long to get it looked at, procrastination can hurt more than help here.

Here's a true, painful story for ya: I put off having my aching fret wrist looked at hoping it would just clear up on it's own....and man did I pay the price. Turned out to be a tiny bone spur from an ancient accident that was pressing on my nerves....it took three docs to find it, and one seriously talented sports doc to fix it. It cost me 1 1/2 years of training and I'll admit to being pretty certain my bass playing days were over before they even got started( I'm switching from being a lifelong drummer) if I couldn't figure out another way to do it. I even went lefty (I'm a righty naturally) for a few months with pitiful results. Thankfully it healed up properly and I'm playing again, but all three docs agreed if I had it looked into earlier it would have been a very different story.

The morel? Don't put it off, just head on over to a doctor and get it checked out, it might be more serious than you think it is.

 

[juancaminos]

No Joke, Dunlap Felt picks

 

[BassCliff]

Hi @Joe Nerve,

I've put you on my prayer list. Wishing you all the best.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

 

[Joe Nerve]

Thanks for all the input and support.

I guess I'll elaborate...

First. I've gone to 2 separate dermatologists. One said they didn't know what it was and prescribed a clindamycin phpsphate, the other said it looked like eczema, and prescribed halobetasol propionate. One of those doctors prescribed something else when the first prescription didn't work, I don't remember what it was. None of the cremes/gels helped at all. And then I was told that those medications could actually exacerbate the problem, as well as thin my skin because they contained steroids.

I've switched from metal to nickel strings thinking that might have something to do with it, but I realized all my other playing fingers are fine. I have no allergies.

Finally, something I didn't mention - I had the same problem on the thumb of my left hand. I never treated it, and it completely disappeared on its own after about 2 months. I only treated my right finger because, well.... I needed it to play. I tried everything else I mentioned, as well as doing nothing, and because I used it so frequently it just keeps getting ripped up.

Completely resting it (and learning to play with my ring finger) is all I haven't tried yet, and I am doing that before hitting up the doctors again. I suspect the doctors may very well be the cause of my not being able to get over this in the first place (if those cremes really did thin my skin)... so I'm being beyond cautious this time around. The medical schools will be where I go should it come down to that, but I know I will be just a guinea pig there, so I'll do that now only out of desperation. I appreciate everyone's concern with the doctor thing, but yeah... I have a horrible track record with MDs, and it doesn't seem to be changing. Doctors have saved my life more than once, so I'm grateful and will use them when necessary - but I use them wisely.

Not much more to say other than I am getting pretty comfortable with a standard pick, and I'm enjoying learning to use my new finger. It's a challenge, and if/when the other one heals I'm excited about the possibilities.

RE pick playing... I was originally a guitarist, so I know how to handle a pick. I'm learning now though for the first time how very different bass is with a pick. I've played lots of punk stuff with a pick, but playing songs like Whitney Houston's Dance With Somebody, or Finess brings it to a whole different level. It takes a new kind of pick control that took a bit of practice to be really in the pocket and move the songs the way fingers can.

Das all. This was my defensive rant. Thanks again everyone. I'm good.

 

[Stumbo]

Thanks for all the input and support.

I guess I'll elaborate...

First. I've gone to 2 separate dermatologists. One said they didn't know what it was and prescribed a clindamycin phpsphate, the other said it looked like eczema, and prescribed halobetasol propionate. One of those doctors prescribed something else when the first prescription didn't work, I don't remember what it was. None of the cremes/gels helped at all. And then I was told that those medications could actually exacerbate the problem, as well as thin my skin because they contained steroids.

I've switched from metal to nickel strings thinking that might have something to do with it, but I realized all my other playing fingers are fine. I have no allergies.

Finally, something I didn't mention - I had the same problem on the thumb of my left hand. I never treated it, and it completely disappeared on its own after about 2 months. I only treated my right finger because, well.... I needed it to play. I tried everything else I mentioned, as well as doing nothing, and because I used it so frequently it just keeps getting ripped up.

Completely resting it (and learning to play with my ring finger) is all I haven't tried yet, and I am doing that before hitting up the doctors again. I suspect the doctors may very well be the cause of my not being able to get over this in the first place (if those cremes really did thin my skin)... so I'm being beyond cautious this time around. The medical schools will be where I go should it come down to that, but I know I will be just a guinea pig there, so I'll do that now only out of desperation. I appreciate everyone's concern with the doctor thing, but yeah... I have a horrible track record with MDs, and it doesn't seem to be changing. Doctors have saved my life more than once, so I'm grateful and will use them when necessary - but I use them wisely.

Not much more to say other than I am getting pretty comfortable with a standard pick, and I'm enjoying learning to use my new finger. It's a challenge, and if/when the other one heals I'm excited about the possibilities.

RE pick playing... I was originally a guitarist, so I know how to handle a pick. I'm learning now though for the first time how very different bass is with a pick. I've played lots of punk stuff with a pick, but playing songs like Whitney Houston's Dance With Somebody, or Finess brings it to a whole different level. It takes a new kind of pick control that took a bit of practice to be really in the pocket and move the songs the way fingers can.

Das all. This was my defensive rant. Thanks again everyone. I'm good.

Was the problem with your thumb from playing too?
Just curious, did you tell the docs you play bass and that it has happened before to your thumb?

Pics or...

 

[IamGroot]

Joe,

Best wishes on your recovery.

 

[LYNCHMAN]

years ago (back in the 80's) i cut the pad of my left index finger to the bone with a razor blade (right in the middle of the pad)...my fretting hand as opposed to your strumming,plucking,picking hand but after getting 14 stitches and having the pain killer wear off i was left wondering how was i going to get thru band rehearsal later that day....i tried tape, more tape, gauze pads with tape...wound started bleeding again. in the end i did the same thing you did, learned to play with other fingers instead...took about 2 months and several gigs to heal enough to use it again but i got thru it...i'm way more careful now.

 

[pcake]

did neither of these dermatologists try actually doing a culture???

nickel is a common allergen and irritant, and if one of your fingers had micro abrasions from playing while the others didn't, only one finger could be affected and it could sort of spiral out of control. many people can't wear earrings with minor amounts of nickel in the stainless steel wire even when their ear piercings and many years old and closed.

i'm happy you're taking care of your finger, and with no help from the doctors, but concerned that you'll normalize a problem that could have a cure if you found a more involved doctor or lead to worse problems. i'll keep a good thought.

 

[Clef_de_fa]

It sucks to have skin problem but I did learn to use 3 fingers and I also did injure my plucking index because of too much slap and so I did work on my ring finger so I could do the 3 fingers plucking later and I also played with a pick.

When that happened it was during my college year in music. I couldn't stop playing music so I did what I had to until it was healed.

I also did have skin problem with my strings once, I guess they were dirty or something anyway it went away. I change my string more often now and sometimes play with Elexir string. The coating help sometime with that and they are kinda slippery.

 

[Joe Nerve]

Was the problem with your thumb from playing too?
Just curious, did you tell the docs you play bass and that it has happened before to your thumb?

Pics or...

did neither of these dermatologists try actually doing a culture???

nickel is a common allergen and irritant, and if one of your fingers had micro abrasions from playing while the others didn't, only one finger could be affected and it could sort of spiral out of control. many people can't wear earrings with minor amounts of nickel in the stainless steel wire even when their ear piercings and many years old and closed.

i'm happy you're taking care of your finger, and with no help from the doctors, but concerned that you'll normalize a problem that could have a cure if you found a more involved doctor or lead to worse problems. i'll keep a good thought.

I had the problem on my thumb when I went. Neither dermatologist did anything to test what it was, they both took guesses. Literally said, "Hmm... that looks like _ _ _ try this cream. I went to the dermatologist with a referral for other skin things my doctor wanted me to have checked out and treated. I don't know what other people's experience with doctors is like, but as I've said before, mine have not been all too good. Especially for some reason with dermatologists. They've been incredibly arrogant A-holes, on many levels.

When I went to the first I was asked when filling out paper work if I wanted a full body cancer screening. I said, "Sure," as I'd be an idiot to not take advantage. When the doctor saw me he looked at the problem I was referred to him for, but didn't do the screening. I asked if he was going to do it, and he said, "Why, are you worried about anything specifically?" I said no, but I'd like to be checked. He literally looked me up and down for about 2 seconds, said, "Turn around," did it again, and said, "You're fine." My adrenaline pumped a bit at that and while he was starting to write something down I said, "You know, I actually do have something I'm concerned about." I have a small patch on my back that gets itchy all the time, for more than a year. It's a tiny spot, and it's always the exact same spot. I described it in detail, he told me to turn around, looked again for about 2 seconds, said, "There's nothing there," and then went back to writing.

Maybe it's a NY thing... Though I've had some good experiences with GPs here. As fer nickel, I was using steel and switched to nickel to see if it would help. I'm confident the strings have nothing to do with it. Repeatedly injuring the finger is what the problem has become. It's been 3 days since I've used it at all, and it's beginning to heal.

Going to add something else... though I don't want to get into my MD rant. I've had many, MANY bad experiences with doctors, and I don't make them out to be the gods that some people do. They're humans. One particularly bad experience happened about 25 years ago when I was in college. I had gotten into acting and music took a back seat. After doing a children's show (I played Jiminy Cricket ) I started to have throat problems. I had a sore throat every day, as well as swollen glands and other problems that were going along with it. It was chronic, and it killed any acting I was doing. It became impossible to project, and it started getting me really depressed. I started going to doctors a week after it happened and continued for the next year and a half. My issue got to the point where I had to carefully choose my words throughout the day, and felt limited to about 200. The more I talked, the more it hurt, and life was getting really tough.

What the doctors did throughout that year and a half was the same thing over and over - GP, they'd prescribe antibiotics, it wouldn't work, and they'd send me to an ENT. ENT would run tests, come up with nothing and prescribe more antibiotics. And that wouldn't work, and then I'd make the rounds again, with different doctors. None of them could figure out what was wrong, and as I said - then other problems started. Stomach problems, depression, fatigue, swollen lymph nodes - I started to think the end was near. One day someone educated me about antibiotics, and freaked out at the amount I had been taking. At that time I thought of them like vitamins, though I was of course taking them only as prescribed. Long story short, I stopped all treatment, stopped going to doctors, started looking into some holistic solutions... and within 2 months what had plagued me for over a year and half disappeared completely.

I understand that many people have different experiences, and I'm happy for them. I don't like to "treat" things though unless absolutely necessary. I spent all of yesterday in the hospital with my brother who is 4 years younger than me because they believed he had a stroke. Doctors have been "treating" his high blood pressure with about 5 pills a day now for almost a decade. He's on about 4 other medications for other issues because doctors are his "go to" solution. He isn't getting healthier over time, he's getting much sicker.

And so my MD rant starts seeping out anyhow...

I put a lot of time, thought, and education into my health decisions. Outside of my finger and a sketchy lower back that I'm working at healing, I'm in perfect health, and happy to not be dependent on any medications. At 57 years old, these days I consider that an accomplishment.

 

[pcake]

I had the problem on my thumb when I went. Neither dermatologist did anything to test what it was, they both took guesses. Literally said, "Hmm... that looks like _ _ _ try this cream. I went to the dermatologist with a referral for other skin things my doctor wanted me to have checked out and treated. I don't know what other people's experience with doctors is like, but as I've said before, mine have not been all too good. Especially for some reason with dermatologists. They've been incredibly arrogant A-holes, on many levels.

When I went to the first I was asked when filling out paper work if I wanted a full body cancer screening. I said, "Sure," as I'd be an idiot to not take advantage. When the doctor saw me he looked at the problem I was referred to him for, but didn't do the screening. I asked if he was going to do it, and he said, "Why, are you worried about anything specifically?" I said no, but I'd like to be checked. He literally looked me up and down for about 2 seconds, said, "Turn around," did it again, and said, "You're fine." My adrenaline pumped a bit at that and while he was starting to write something down I said, "You know, I actually do have something I'm concerned about." I have a small patch on my back that gets itchy all the time, for more than a year. It's a tiny spot, and it's always the exact same spot. I described it in detail, he told me to turn around, looked again for about 2 seconds, said, "There's nothing there," and then went back to writing.

Maybe it's a NY thing... Though I've had some good experiences with GPs here. As fer nickel, I was using steel and switched to nickel to see if it would help. I'm confident the strings have nothing to do with it. Repeatedly injuring the finger is what the problem has become. It's been 3 days since I've used it at all, and it's beginning to heal.

Going to add something else... though I don't want to get into my MD rant. I've had many, MANY bad experiences with doctors, and I don't make them out to be the gods that some people do. They're humans. One particularly bad experience happened about 25 years ago when I was in college. I had gotten into acting and music took a back seat. After doing a children's show (I played Jiminy Cricket ) I started to have throat problems. I had a sore throat every day, as well as swollen glands and other problems that were going along with it. It was chronic, and it killed any acting I was doing. It became impossible to project, and it started getting me really depressed. I started going to doctors a week after it happened and continued for the next year and a half. My issue got to the point where I had to carefully choose my words throughout the day, and felt limited to about 200. The more I talked, the more it hurt, and life was getting really tough.

What the doctors did throughout that year and a half was the same thing over and over - GP, they'd prescribe antibiotics, it wouldn't work, and they'd send me to an ENT. ENT would run tests, come up with nothing and prescribe more antibiotics. And that wouldn't work, and then I'd make the rounds again, with different doctors. None of them could figure out what was wrong, and as I said - then other problems started. Stomach problems, depression, fatigue, swollen lymph nodes - I started to think the end was near. One day someone educated me about antibiotics, and freaked out at the amount I had been taking. At that time I thought of them like vitamins, though I was of course taking them only as prescribed. Long story short, I stopped all treatment, stopped going to doctors, started looking into some holistic solutions... and within 2 months what had plagued me for over a year and half disappeared completely.

I understand that many people have different experiences, and I'm happy for them. I don't like to "treat" things though unless absolutely necessary. I spent all of yesterday in the hospital with my brother who is 4 years younger than me because they believed he had a stroke. Doctors have been "treating" his high blood pressure with about 5 pills a day now for almost a decade. He's on about 4 other medications for other issues because doctors are his "go to" solution. He isn't getting healthier over time, he's getting much sicker.

And so my MD rant starts seeping out anyhow...

I put a lot of time, thought, and education into my health decisions. Outside of my finger and a sketchy lower back that I'm working at healing, I'm in perfect health, and happy to not be dependent on any medications. At 57 years old, these days I consider that an accomplishment.

i'm sorry you've had to deal with doctors like this, and it's not just a NY thing. i've had many bad experiences with medical professionals ranging from inconvenient to painful or scary to fatal in the case of my mom.

just on recent example. my husband had a lung problem, and our insurance required a change of doctors. my husband was told by the new doctor's nurse practitioner that he had spinal compression (for a deep, wracking, unstopping cough and difficulty breathing deeply? really???), and when we called the office and asked WTH, the doctor saw him and told he had congestive heart failure. we made all these lifestyle changes but changed insurance and could see our regular doctor again. he discovered my husband didn't have congestive heart failure and gave my husband a steroid inhaler and a rescue inhaler, that mostly got rid of the issue, then sent him to a pulmonary specialist who discovered my husband had allergies.

we've unfortunately got plenty of stories like that that happened to us personally. i've only had three doctors as an adult who seemed to be good doctors, but luckily we have one now. unfortunately here in the los angeles area, there are a few types of doctors who are very few and mostly very poor at their jobs. luckily we did manage to find a good dermatologist - she rocked.

good luck finding a good dermatologist who does more than just guess! or maybe with luck, the condition will just go away. that would be good, too.

 

[Flashback Bass]

My .02 on the subject is this.

I've been a CAD operator for more years then I care to mention. At one job they had tablets and digitizers to draw with. I did a series of isometric drawings which involved an extreme amount of clicking with my index finger. I blew my finger out to the point I couldn't even click a mouse! So I had to learn to operate a mouse with my middle and ring finger. I now squeeze the mouse between my index and pinky fingers with the two center fingers on the left and right buttons. I've gotten so used to this arrangement I can't go back!

Long story short, keep practicing with your ring finger and it will come around!

On a related subject; I too was a guitarist before I took up the Bass. Before the Bass I never used the pinky on my left handle during single line leads. Once I learned to use the pinky on bass it transferred over to guitar!

Adaptation, it's an amazing thing!

 

[Groove Doctor]

Sounds like resting it is working. Fingers crossed Joe.

I've used middle & ring fingers when I burned my index finger. I simplified bass lines or used a pick for the trickier songs.