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Fingertip damage

Whale

Whale

Apr 12, 2008
622
2,433
Portland, OR
#1
Sadly, the little finger on my left hand was caught up in a table saw. The saw blade cut into my fingertip vertically (straight down) to about the first knuckle. The good news is that I always tend to heal in about half the time as everyone else and as gnarly as the injury sounds, it really didn’t hurt that much. The bad news is that due to the damage caused by the saw, the nerve in my fingertip is now extremely sensitive. Every time I try to play a note with my little finger it feels exactly like a VERY strong electric shock.

I can use three fingers on most songs, but some require all four of my left hand fingers. I was thinking that I could desensitize my fingertip and re-build a callous by practicing a lot, but so far that hasn’t helped much. Plus, it is mentally tiring to anticipate an electric shock each time I use a certain finger.

I tried adding a bandaid to my finger. That kind of works okay. I also tried using the rubber fingertip condom thing. That didn’t do anything at all. I was wondering if anyone has tried the liquid skin stuff. “Rock tips” is one brand. There are a few others, as well.

I’ve been playing for 30+ years, so I’m not a rookie. Just looking for some advice or ideas on how to keep playing with a painful fingertip.

Thanks in advance.
 
#4
Groove Doctor said:
Take the hint my friend…. Stop using it until it heals. Repeatedly aggravating it will only slow the healing process.

Could take 6-12 months with this severity of injury.
Click to expand...

I’m afraid you’re probably right. It was a nasty injury and if I’m to be honest, it’s rather foolish to think I can return to some sort of normalcy after only a few weeks of healing.

As you you pointed out, practicing is only aggravating the injury and slowing the healing process. Perhaps, instead of trying to push my body to mend, I should simplify my basslines as much as possible and follow Django Reinhardt’s example by using fewer fingers.

Thanks for the sound advice. My wife told me the same thing, but being a typically dense guy I didn’t listen as I should have. :banghead:
 
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#5
Definitely wait a while. Even if your finger feels fine for the most part, internally things still may not be 100%. It can take 6 months or longer for nerves to grow back and become normal (if they so fix themselves).

If you're getting close to being fully healed and maybe need a little something, they do make little silicone sock/condom looking things. I've used them on my hammer toe before when it was really bad. Not sure how it'll feel to play with, but it may get you on the road a little bit sooner.
 
#6
I am no expert on this thing, but I have a feeling that time will heal it. My grandpa was a military person who lost the tips of his right hand index and middle finger from the first knuckles. He said he got the electric shocks for a few months before it felt normal again. I wish you a speedy recovery!
 
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#10
Whale said:
Every time I try to play a note with my little finger it feels exactly like a VERY strong electric shock.
Click to expand...

in 2012 i had a hand injury that need 37 stitches.
i got the same electric shock feeling when i touched stuff so playing was not good. about 4 months after the injury i kind of forced myself through it by sliding my pinky up and down the strings to try and make my brain get past the electric shock feel. i think it worked because i got back to playing pretty fast after that. i still have some numbness in the pinky and lost some dexterity but at least i am playing.
 
#11
Thanks everyone for your suggestions and advice. The community of friends is what makes Talk Bass so great.

I was injured twice while in Iraq and healed enough to continue playing, so I am used to be banged up. The difference this time is that instead of simple numbness or a complete loss of feeling, the sensations are magnified.

I’m just going to take it easy and give my body time to do whatever it’s going to do. If it heals, that’ll be terrific. If not, I’ll try to teach my brain to accept the new sensations. Either way, it’s not going to stop me from doing what I love most.
 
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#12
Groove Doctor said:
Take the hint my friend…. Stop using it until it heals. Repeatedly aggravating it will only slow the healing process.

Could take 6-12 months with this severity of injury.
Click to expand...

This. ER nurse here and I've seen some pretty bad tissue damage; just like Groove Doc said, leave it alone and let it heal. Work on other aspects of playing, maybe try alternate fingerings or work on developing increased three-finger playing. But, yeah, let it heal...:thumbsup:
 
#14
Whale said:
Sadly, the little finger on my left hand was caught up in a table saw. The saw blade cut into my fingertip vertically (straight down) to about the first knuckle. The good news is that I always tend to heal in about half the time as everyone else and as gnarly as the injury sounds, it really didn’t hurt that much. The bad news is that due to the damage caused by the saw, the nerve in my fingertip is now extremely sensitive. Every time I try to play a note with my little finger it feels exactly like a VERY strong electric shock.

I can use three fingers on most songs, but some require all four of my left hand fingers. I was thinking that I could desensitize my fingertip and re-build a callous by practicing a lot, but so far that hasn’t helped much. Plus, it is mentally tiring to anticipate an electric shock each time I use a certain finger.

I tried adding a bandaid to my finger. That kind of works okay. I also tried using the rubber fingertip condom thing. That didn’t do anything at all. I was wondering if anyone has tried the liquid skin stuff. “Rock tips” is one brand. There are a few others, as well.

I’ve been playing for 30+ years, so I’m not a rookie. Just looking for some advice or ideas on how to keep playing with a painful fingertip.

Oh, I am so sorry for your mishap. How long ago did this happen? You lucky this wasn't amputated.

I have no remedy to offer. My son ( bassist), while he was on Christmas break while enrolled in the armed forces music school, was demonstrating how sharp a KA-Bar knife by slicing a piece of paper in his left hand and sliced off the this tip of his index finger and a large portion of the tip on his middle finger. Those two fingers now look like they belong to ET.

He was given three choices, show up and play, reassign to another MOS where using your fingers are not so critical, or fired. Well, he sucked it up and finished out his course load and graduated , but it was a bloody mess.

I hope you situation either resolves or you find a work around. Best wishes.




Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
 
#15
Whale said:
Sadly, the little finger on my left hand was caught up in a table saw. The saw blade cut into my fingertip vertically (straight down) to about the first knuckle. The good news is that I always tend to heal in about half the time as everyone else and as gnarly as the injury sounds, it really didn’t hurt that much. The bad news is that due to the damage caused by the saw, the nerve in my fingertip is now extremely sensitive. Every time I try to play a note with my little finger it feels exactly like a VERY strong electric shock.

I can use three fingers on most songs, but some require all four of my left hand fingers. I was thinking that I could desensitize my fingertip and re-build a callous by practicing a lot, but so far that hasn’t helped much. Plus, it is mentally tiring to anticipate an electric shock each time I use a certain finger.

I tried adding a bandaid to my finger. That kind of works okay. I also tried using the rubber fingertip condom thing. That didn’t do anything at all. I was wondering if anyone has tried the liquid skin stuff. “Rock tips” is one brand. There are a few others, as well.

I’ve been playing for 30+ years, so I’m not a rookie. Just looking for some advice or ideas on how to keep playing with a painful fingertip.

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
I hit my thumb with a chainsaw a little while ago. It didn't hurt much either. It never really does when it's that quick.

16898189860133340730551878509856.jpg


You can still sort of see the line where the old meets the new, but everything's good to go. Pretty quick too. A couple weeks.
 
#16
That sounds like a bad cut, Whale.

I'm in agreement with "let it heal". If you haven't consulted a doctor about this pain, I'd advise that. A nerve specialist, I guess. If it was me, I'd also see if I could find out about desensitizing the fingertip, even temporarily, if possible.

I had a similar injury long ago; the tip of my left pinkie was cut off and reattached. It healed up nice but that same electric shock sensation persisted for years.

Good luck!

Tom
 
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#18
Plenty have given the sound advice to give it time to heal, I had a piece of wood speared all the way through my thumb and I also had the shock-buzz type feeling when playing as well. What worked was time….it just takes time to let the damaged nerves heal themselves.
 
#19
Not the exact same but had severe damage to the ulnar nerve on my left hand and required a surgery. Caused some numbness and tingling in the 3rd and 4th fingers. That has got better over the years but I can still hit my elbow on something and it feels like I just touched a live wire. Not an easy feeling to get used to. I would give it 6 months before I started worring too much.
 

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