Ok, this is about a bass player, but it pertains to all guitar-like instruments, so i'm putting it in the guitar section because more people look here.
Anyway, my father if a well-respected electric bass player who has been playing regularly for over 35 years. He's 51 years old. In the last year, he's developed severe arthritis in his left pinky. The joint closest to the fingertip is bent pretty bad. He thinks that this is a result of spraining the finger ten years ago, since he doesn't have any other joint pain in his hands. He's ok playing an hour or two, but we all know that isn't long enough to play any real gigs. He's tried smaller necks, low action, low gauge strings, etc...it helps, but still not enough to play out. He even tried playing using only 3 fingers, but still experiences intense pain both during playing, after playing, and the next day.
He's been invited to join a wedding band recently, but doesn't think he can do it because of the finger. He's checked around local music and healthcare circles, and nobody seems to have any suggestions or a cure.
Does anybody have any suggestions? Is this something that is currently beyond medical science, or is there some sort of trick out there?
Has he tried over the counter arthritis medicine? Possibly a visit to a doctor for some p rescription stuff? Maybe a doctor should look at it anyhow. In the mean time though, can he get by minimising the use of his pinky in his playing? (Ooops .. se he has tried that) If playing is that important to him, and I suspect it probably is, I would suggest geting it looked at.
I type in the word p r e s c r i p t i o n and the word spam appears ....... I can understand that. :lol: It just kept looking like I was advising spam for arthritis relief.
"Work hard, rock hard, eat hard, sleep hard,
grow big, wear glasses if you need 'em."
-- The Webb Wilder Credo --
I wonder if he could find some exercises that might help?
I don't play bass, but I am also semi-fossilised through age and exercises helped me. Before I started playing guitar I had more or less continuous pain in my left pinky, which I put down to arthritis. I assumed it would just continue to worsen.
But when I started learning guitar, and building up my finger strength and dexterity, the pain actually went away and never came back.
Now, our two cases are probably completely different. But a quick Google for arthritis and exercise threw up a big range of sites recommending various exercises that supposedly help increase mobility and reduce pain in hands and various other parts of the body. So he may be able to find a particular finger/hand exercise that would help - perhaps in conjunction with some remedy like capsules of some recommended oils or whatever is the favoured medicine these days.
Hope he find something.
Cheers,
Chris
Hmmm, he has tried arthritis medicine, but the problem is that arthritis medicine only treats symptoms, it doesn't fix the joint.
Stretches are what I was thinking...good idea.
This website may help.
Denny
http://www.drugdigest.org/DD/HC/AdditionalContent/0,4054,8,00.html
