| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| thumbstruck |
Posted - 04/02/2011 : 05:29:43 AM
After 30+ yeas of washing windows and playing music, my left fore arm has a touch of tendonitis. I went to PT last spring and that helped, but it came back. I've been using a massager and icing the spot 20 minutes a day and it seems to be getting better. I've also been doing light weight lifting. What a bummer! Anyone else have any suggestions? |
| 15 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| ypochris |
Posted - 06/12/2011 : 10:21:05 AM
Wanda,
The beauty of seeing a D.O is that an insurance company will pay for it just like any other doctor visit. Getting them to pay for a chiropractor is a bit iffy. Of course, if you are in an HMO you would need to get a referral from your primary care physician. |
| wcerto |
Posted - 06/09/2011 : 2:09:27 PM
Yes, Chris, I did. I have been pondering this for a little while and thinking about whether a chiropractor could help me. And if insurance would pay for it. It sure bears further investigation. |
| ypochris |
Posted - 06/09/2011 : 1:59:40 PM
Which brings me back to the neck bone is connected to the pinkie bone- did you consider my earlier post, Wanda? |
| wcerto |
Posted - 06/09/2011 : 04:12:51 AM
Woo-hoo, Kory! It is amazing that your foot affected your neck & shoulder. But I am glad you found relief!
Goes to show that the foot bone is connected to the ankle bone and the ankle bone is connected to the.........and so on. |
| thumbstruck |
Posted - 06/09/2011 : 04:05:50 AM
Good news! I went to a chiropractor. He had me take my shoes off and told me that my right foot was crooked. I told him that I broke that ankle 11 years ago. He told me that my balance was off, my right foot was affecting my neck and left shoulder. After 2 adjustments, my left arm is fine. I also got better orthotics for my shoes. Amazing. |
| slipry1 |
Posted - 04/04/2011 : 5:59:12 PM
quote:
Originally posted by wcerto
While searching for information on how I can relieve the neuropathy pain and regain movement in the ring finger and pinky on one hand, I found that massage really is a valid way to help. I know there was a study by whom and when I cannot remember, but the gist of it was that frequent massage of the area helps tremendously. Additionally one of the things that helped me stretch the muscle and therefore take the strain off the tendon and release the ulnar nerve that was being compressed was a very weird exercise:
For both hands put pointer and thumb together like your are makiing the OK sign. Now turn your hands upside down so the OK is on the bottom and your pinkies are stick up in the air. Then move each hand to your eyes like they are spectacles. The goal is to lay the inside of your thumb and pointer flat against your eye socket. They had me hold it for a count of 15 at first. Maybe 10 minutes later, try it again and hold it longer. Keep doing that as often as you can think and it really will help stretch the muscles and relieve ulnar nerve pain and stretch the muscles and tendons in that area.
What Haolenuke says really for sure works.
Then begin to sing "Up in the air Junior birdmen", etc |
| mike2jb |
Posted - 04/04/2011 : 5:04:12 PM
quote:
Originally posted by wcerto
For both hands put pointer and thumb together like your are makiing the OK sign. Now turn your hands upside down so the OK is on the bottom and your pinkies are stick up in the air. Then move each hand to your eyes like they are spectacles. The goal is to lay the inside of your thumb and pointer flat against your eye socket. They had me hold it for a count of 15 at first.
Wanda, if you can please reproduce this and if Paul can provide a musical accompaniment, I believe you have just described the next YouTube video to go viral, or at least to headline the next Mele Monday. |
| Retro |
Posted - 04/04/2011 : 3:31:56 PM
quote:
Originally posted by thumbstruck
Come on, ice cream!
Wasn't that a song by Dexy's Midnight Runners? |
| ypochris |
Posted - 04/04/2011 : 3:26:00 PM
A bit of a tangent, but...
Wanda,
I have no idea if this is applicable to your case, but I also had a ring finger and pinkie I couldn't use- the pinky in particular just hung there loose, and flapped with any movement. My left arm had numb, low level constant pain, tingling "asleep" feeling, and my entire left hand was weak-almost useless- and starting to atrophy a bit from lack of exercise, although I tried to use it as much as possible.
After about two years of this, I went to an osteopathic doctor, who said a nerve was pinched in my spine. He did some fairly gentle manipulation (OMM), and I immediately had a somewhat firmer grip in that hand and gradually recovered over about six months. Years later, I still get pain and numbness after long walks, or other situations where my arm is dangling and swinging, but am essentially recovered. After thinking I had permanently lost most use of my left hand, that is a great relief!
An osteopath is similar to an MD, having all the rights to prescribe, do surgery, etc. etc. However, as it is somewhat less prestige, it is easier to get into an osteopathic program, so many osteopathic doctors are just trying to be regular doctors and never learn the OMM, which is something like what a chiropractor does. Osteopaths are pretty rare in the west, but quite common in the "midwest". The issue is finding one who is skilled in OMM.
It was well worth the price of the single appointment to regain use of a hand! If you are no certain that this ISN'T the cause of what sounds quite similar- loss of use of the pinkie and ring fingers- it could prove well worth your while to seek out this treatment. |
| thumbstruck |
Posted - 04/04/2011 : 1:37:13 PM
The hand held massager is used at least 2 times a day along with ice and heat. Bumbye we get'em. Come on, ice cream! |
| Retro |
Posted - 04/04/2011 : 09:02:39 AM
I may have to hang onto this as the (slightly out of context) "quote of the day":quote:
... pain returns when I do stupid things ...
 |
| wcerto |
Posted - 04/04/2011 : 08:56:55 AM
While searching for information on how I can relieve the neuropathy pain and regain movement in the ring finger and pinky on one hand, I found that massage really is a valid way to help. I know there was a study by whom and when I cannot remember, but the gist of it was that frequent massage of the area helps tremendously. Additionally one of the things that helped me stretch the muscle and therefore take the strain off the tendon and release the ulnar nerve that was being compressed was a very weird exercise:
For both hands put pointer and thumb together like your are makiing the OK sign. Now turn your hands upside down so the OK is on the bottom and your pinkies are stick up in the air. Then move each hand to your eyes like they are spectacles. The goal is to lay the inside of your thumb and pointer flat against your eye socket. They had me hold it for a count of 15 at first. Maybe 10 minutes later, try it again and hold it longer. Keep doing that as often as you can think and it really will help stretch the muscles and relieve ulnar nerve pain and stretch the muscles and tendons in that area.
What Haolenuke says really for sure works.
|
| Haolenuke |
Posted - 04/04/2011 : 08:17:06 AM
This is probably not applicable to your situation, but it might be worth a try. I had forearm pain from overuse that for many months refused to respond to rest, stretching, and ibuprofen. The doctors I consulted were talking about a wrist operation, when I met an old coworker that had had a successful operation to address scar tissue in the muscle sheaths in his forearms. As an operation was not all that appealing, I tried breaking up the scar tissue in my forearms with vigorous massage. To my surprise, and great relief, the pain went away within a week. The pain returns when I do stupid things, but it can still be resolved with more massage.
|
| thumbstruck |
Posted - 04/04/2011 : 05:19:06 AM
I've been laying off the guitar. Work, on the other hand, is a constant. I can feel the condition slowly improve. The 4 hour stretch was a few weeks ago and I hold my hand and arm differently for the polka gigs. I just got a bigger gel-pack, much better! |
| Trev |
Posted - 04/04/2011 : 12:21:52 AM
I've had the tendonitis before, in fingers. It does go away, but takes ages! The problem is that rest is really important, but as I use my fingers to play stringed instruments and computer keyboards every day, this is kind of difficult. If you are playing for four hours at a stretch, this is probably far too much. The heat/cold treatment will help, as will the anti-inflamatories, but perhaps you could take it a bit more easy on the playing! |
