Speak to someone medical. There might be a freezer spray or something that would numb the nerve.
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Fingertip damage
- Thread starter Whale
- Start date
I caught my left index in my table saw a few years ago. Cut it length wise to the end of the nail. It healed pretty well, but is still a little sensitive to this day.
In the weeks following the injury, I did my best to play with my remaining fingers, but muscle memory kicked in a few times and I pressed down on it hard. I would suggest a splint to prevent that from happening.
The good news is that following that injury, my partner 'made me' buy a SawStop
In the weeks following the injury, I did my best to play with my remaining fingers, but muscle memory kicked in a few times and I pressed down on it hard. I would suggest a splint to prevent that from happening.
The good news is that following that injury, my partner 'made me' buy a SawStop
The sensitivity will fade with time. Be careful if you live somewhere that gets reslly cold in the winter, as the capillaries in your fingertip are damaged. The loss of blood flow will allow the pinky to freeze faster than your other fingers. And I add with a smile "Could have been worse"
I cut the tip of my left middle finger off while cleaning a meat slicer—went right through the middle of the fingernail. Aside from learning about OSHA violations, getting real pissed at the coworker that bumped into me while I was doing the cleaning, it took two skin grafts and about three months before I could really start thinking about playing again. And even then, it was slow going for another 2-3 months.
The sensitivity still isn’t totally gone (8 years on), and the nerve damage means I feel at the base of my finger everything that should be at the tip, but, hey, gave me the courage to say “shag it” to a day job and just go for it. Also, major thirds are actually a little easier in thumb position now that that finger’s a bit shorter.
The sensitivity still isn’t totally gone (8 years on), and the nerve damage means I feel at the base of my finger everything that should be at the tip, but, hey, gave me the courage to say “shag it” to a day job and just go for it. Also, major thirds are actually a little easier in thumb position now that that finger’s a bit shorter.
Similar: index and middle fingers of left hand, vertical cuts about 1/2" perpendicular to the nails, in 2012. The "shock" feeling was about 27v, now under 9v. I had slight necrosis laterally on the thumb side.
Anyway, let it heal thoroughly before playing again. You want to avoid compensating for a variety of movement-placement issues pre-healing. One suggestion was to move the healed fingers around in a bowl of rice (dry). Also, gentle range of motion exercises while or after healing may be helpful.
Anyway, let it heal thoroughly before playing again. You want to avoid compensating for a variety of movement-placement issues pre-healing. One suggestion was to move the healed fingers around in a bowl of rice (dry). Also, gentle range of motion exercises while or after healing may be helpful.
I sometimes use liquid bandage on my right hand along with foot powder if it is ridiculously hot and humid. It keeps me from ripping off my callouses. Hopefully time and rest will heal it.
Jazzdogg
Less barking, more wagging!
I suffered a table saw injury to my left hand in the eighties. I stopped playing for about a year, after which, I slowly ramped up my practice regimen until I could play normally again.
One bit of advice I received from a friend who is a hand surgeon is to massage the damaged hand several time a day to circulate blood throughout the damaged area. I now play pain free most of the time, but cold weather can still summon the "shocks" occasionally.
Take it slowly and deliberately, and follow the advice of a qualified physician.
Good luck!!
You'll disrupt the healing if you cause further trauma to the fingertip, but motion and circulation will typically help.
On an injured fingertip, pressing on a bass string is like stepping on a Lego: it SUCKS if you're barefoot, but much less of a big deal in shoes.
So I've dealt with fingertip injuries by making a "helmet" for that fingertip out of a plastic test tube or piece of thin-walled plumbing pipe - basically an ergonomic splint, with the end result something like playing slide bass whenever you use that pinkie.
The end result of the finger "helmet" is that you're protecting the fingertip, reminding yourself to use it less, and much less likely to set back your healing if/when you do use it to fret a note.
On an injured fingertip, pressing on a bass string is like stepping on a Lego: it SUCKS if you're barefoot, but much less of a big deal in shoes.
So I've dealt with fingertip injuries by making a "helmet" for that fingertip out of a plastic test tube or piece of thin-walled plumbing pipe - basically an ergonomic splint, with the end result something like playing slide bass whenever you use that pinkie.
The end result of the finger "helmet" is that you're protecting the fingertip, reminding yourself to use it less, and much less likely to set back your healing if/when you do use it to fret a note.
I had a left index finger injury about 10 years ago. Severed the nerve and tendon. Needed two surgeries to fix. I wasn’t able to play bass for over a year. Healing took a while and yes, I had the electric shock feeling as well (I gigged the night of my injury, had my finger wrapped tight and didn’t use that finger).
I pivoted to learning and playing pedal steel, dobro and lap steel since I didn’t need to rely on my left hand as much as with a fretted instrument.
when I returned to bass, I switched to half-rounds as roundwounds were just too “zingy” for my index finger. 10 years later and I can play roundwounds again.
I lost some dexterity and range of motion- I’m at maybe 60-70% of what I used to have. I didn’t stick with the OT I was supposed to do. Seemed like a massive waste of time…but looking back, it may have given me back a few percentage points of dexterity and range of motion. Still don’t have full feeling at the fingertip…and at this rate I don’t think it’ll ever come fully back.
That said, I play bass every day and most of the time I don’t notice my limitations and it all feels fine. Probably took me two years to get back to relative “normal” for me.
Good luck in the recovery and be patient!!!
I mangled my left middle fingertip with my router about a year ago. Couldn't play for about a month. Took it slow for the next couple months. Eventually got back to 100% of my previous level of mediocrity.
Tony Iommi, legendary Black Sabbath guitarist, lost the tips of his middle and ring fingers of his fretting hand in an accident when he was 17 years old. He fitted homemade thimbles to his injured fingers, adjusted his playing style and never gave up. He tuned his guitar way down to make it easier to press the strings. He also started playing more power chords. Some say he may have inadvertently invented heavy metal.
Tony Iommi - Wikipedia
Tony Iommi, legendary Black Sabbath guitarist, lost the tips of his middle and ring fingers of his fretting hand in an accident when he was 17 years old. He fitted homemade thimbles to his injured fingers, adjusted his playing style and never gave up. He tuned his guitar way down to make it easier to press the strings. He also started playing more power chords. Some say he may have inadvertently invented heavy metal.
Tony Iommi - Wikipedia
Actually, Iommi was on his way to giving up until a friend or someone he worked with introduced him to Django Reinhardt. Django inspired him to keep going.
When I chopped off a finger pad in a running lawnmower about fifteen years back (darwin blah blah), first thing was a trip to the doctor. Per the doc I used a bunch of gauze and some neosporin compressed with a finger condom to help it heal. After it healed for a while, I found these rubber fingers (on top of the bandage and condom) to be helpful in playing some while protecting and padding the finger tip, though they certainly impact dexterity. Today, I can't remember or identify what finger it was anymore.
https://www.amazon.com/Swingline-Products-positive-material-durability/dp/B004E2TWMC
Note that this reinforced my preference for a manual reel mower, since there's no cure for dumbass.
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Back in the late 90s, I sliced my fingers on broken glass and needed quite a few stitches, including on the tip of my index finger.
After a couple weeks to heel, I went back to playing with my index pinger but with some tape wrapped around it.
Yes, I had to deal with a weird combination of numbness and "electric shock" feeling but I just forced myself to ignore it.
After a few years, I mostly forgot about it.
After a couple weeks to heel, I went back to playing with my index pinger but with some tape wrapped around it.
Yes, I had to deal with a weird combination of numbness and "electric shock" feeling but I just forced myself to ignore it.
After a few years, I mostly forgot about it.
@Whale How are things now?
Curious because I just sliced up my left index fingertip, likely the nerve as well, wondering what to expect.
Glad I found this thread
Curious because I just sliced up my left index fingertip, likely the nerve as well, wondering what to expect.
Glad I found this thread
Hi Mambo,
It’s been just over three months since my little finger was injured. For whatever reasons, I tend to heal quickly (usually in half the time it takes others to heal), so the gash closed up pretty quick for me. My fingernail is still struggling to grow back though. You wouldn’t think this would be an issue, but I’ve found the tip of my finger bends more without the support of the fingernail. This makes pressing strings slightly harder, but not terribly so.
The nerve in my fingertip is strange. It’s a combination of feeling numb and having a bit of the electrical shock “zing”. Both from damaging the nerve, I suppose. Overall, though, the feeling in my finger is more than good enough to play. Bass strings are easy and don’t pose a problem. Guitar strings, however, are still a challenge. The smaller gauge seems to cut into my finger more easily.
I have a fun crease in my fingertip and a scar. Neither are painful. They’re just a reminder of my stupidity. I’m still doing stupid tasks, but the injury has caused me to be much more careful with my hands.
I hope your injury heals as quickly as I did. Mine was pretty nasty (straight down into the finger and into the bone itself). Give it time and I’m guessing you should come through okay.
Best wishes!
It’s been just over three months since my little finger was injured. For whatever reasons, I tend to heal quickly (usually in half the time it takes others to heal), so the gash closed up pretty quick for me. My fingernail is still struggling to grow back though. You wouldn’t think this would be an issue, but I’ve found the tip of my finger bends more without the support of the fingernail. This makes pressing strings slightly harder, but not terribly so.
The nerve in my fingertip is strange. It’s a combination of feeling numb and having a bit of the electrical shock “zing”. Both from damaging the nerve, I suppose. Overall, though, the feeling in my finger is more than good enough to play. Bass strings are easy and don’t pose a problem. Guitar strings, however, are still a challenge. The smaller gauge seems to cut into my finger more easily.
I have a fun crease in my fingertip and a scar. Neither are painful. They’re just a reminder of my stupidity. I’m still doing stupid tasks, but the injury has caused me to be much more careful with my hands.
I hope your injury heals as quickly as I did. Mine was pretty nasty (straight down into the finger and into the bone itself). Give it time and I’m guessing you should come through okay.
Best wishes!
