Arm Pain

dgeorge822
Posts: 0
Joined: Sat Mar 07, 2009 7:30 pm
Status: Offline

Mon Aug 17, 2009 1:59 am

I am right handed and started to learn bar chords about 5 months ago. About 2 months ago, my left arm started to hurt (bad) from the wrist up to my neck. I stopped playing but the pain seemst be getting worse. I've tried the over the counter arm and wrist splints, and have taken ibuprophen for 60 days now. Nothing helps. I don't have medical insurance and have been hesitant to go to the Dr. because it will cost too much.
And no,it's not a heart attack, so don't go there.

My question is: Is this a normal part of learning bar chords that everyone goes through, and will eventurally go away? Or is it something that no one else has ever experienced?

Thanks everyone.


AndyT
Posts: 0
Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2009 2:06 am
Status: Offline

Mon Aug 17, 2009 2:05 am

It sounds like a form of carpel tunnel syndrome. There are stretching exercises you should be doing before, during and after you practice. When it begins to hurt, stop and rest.

The very best choice is to go and see a sports medicine doctor or, an osteopath. He will know what to look for in your bone structure and musculature. Not having insurance sux really bad, but if you have a problem you need to discover it early so you can take steps to correct it instead of making it worse.


Chasplaya
Posts: 0
Joined: Sat Sep 20, 2008 8:41 pm
Status: Offline

Mon Aug 17, 2009 2:25 am

Two things I agree with Andy you can't let something like this go, it may develop into something worse, and, secondly if this only started when learning barre chords get someone who plays well to watch you play barres cos it may be your position that needs adjusting.

Everyone can expect slight pain till you get used to barres but if its not going away get it checked out otherwise the ramifications could be worse...


willem
Posts: 5
Joined: Fri Mar 20, 2009 7:53 am
Status: Offline

Mon Aug 17, 2009 4:07 am

Hello, guitar playing goes in the beginning alway's with a kind of pain and special when you practise to long,go for a half hour and take some rest and some stretching, go for a walk and think on the thing you where playing for the memorise,when you to long in a same postion(and maybe a wrong) you can get hurtings al over the place, when you sit and playing go for the classical way about that sit and holding the guitar,it helps,and try alway's to be relax and not to much tens,when i get pains when i play or practise to long i stop for a while and after that (sometimes a week) the playing also goes better..

keep playing, but first get the pain away....


AcousticAl
Posts: 0
Joined: Wed Mar 25, 2009 3:10 pm
Status: Offline

Mon Aug 17, 2009 7:05 am

I've had some aches along the way- but nothing like that. Is there something other than guitar that might be causing it? Especially since you said it was getting worse even when you STOPPED playing?
Maybe avoid barres until you figure out what's wrong- but it could be caused by something else.. work?

Good luck and take it SLOW.


Al


quincy451
Posts: 0
Joined: Wed Mar 11, 2009 10:53 pm
Status: Offline

Mon Aug 17, 2009 4:38 pm

First off...nope I don't think this is a heart attack. Second I don't think it is guitar related. But in the face of this issue excess guitar playing is most likely a bad idea. Personally what I would do is spring for a about a 100 dollar doctors office visit and see if you get some medication on point. If that fixes it fine, if it makes it better until the meds run out. Then you take your new knowledge of what works to over sees pharamacies to get the medication much cheaper and the same relief.


BigBear
Posts: 0
Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2009 11:02 am
Status: Offline

Mon Aug 17, 2009 8:54 pm

George- the arm/hand position of playing the guitar is not natural and you can put a lot of pressure on your hands, arms, joints and the inner mechanics like tendons and ligaments. With respect to Andy, I wouldn't jump on the carpal tunnel bandwagon just yet. But it does sound like a repetitive motion-type injury.

Without health insurance you only have one real choice. Stop doing whatever it is that makes it hurt. If it is tendon or ligamanet related injuries to those tissues heal very slowly. Maybe even several months. Drugs may mask the pain but it is just a slow process. Other movements may continue to irritate whatever is damaged so it may seem like it is getting worse.

I don't think it is uncommon for players just learning barres to use WAY too much force believing that barres are a hand strength issue when in fact they are very technique related. Hand and wrist position, proximity to the fret, learning which strings really need to be pressed etc. are far more important than finger/hand pressure.

Maybe you could stop playing barres until you heal and just work on open position chords. You still have a ton to learn without barre chords so take your time, study Neil's technique videos and keep us posted on your progress!

Best wishes for a speedy recovery! :cheer:


AndyT
Posts: 0
Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2009 2:06 am
Status: Offline

Tue Aug 18, 2009 2:47 am

With all respect to Quincy, avoid medication if you can. In many cases it can actually cause more pain that it gets rid of. I know this because I'm recovering from a torn rotator cuff tendon (shoulder) and the pain meds actually make it worse.

I'm not a Doctor, but the repetitive type injury (carpel tunnel or something else) is something you need to get fixed as they get worse over time if not treated. I go to physical therapy twice a week for my shoulder and its helping quite a bit. I highly recommend a good Osteopath because that's what he is trained to fix.


dgeorge822
Posts: 0
Joined: Sat Mar 07, 2009 7:30 pm
Status: Offline

Tue Aug 18, 2009 3:22 pm

Thanks everyone. I'll try the arm stretching exersizes first. I may have irritated it with bar chords, then made it worse typing on the computer. I'll give both a rest and see if that helps.
Thanks again for your help.


dgeorge822
Posts: 0
Joined: Sat Mar 07, 2009 7:30 pm
Status: Offline

Tue Aug 18, 2009 3:26 pm

Thanks Big Bear. I'll give it a complet rest for a couple of weeks (including the computer) then start the stretching.


Post Reply Previous topicNext topic