Arthritis

[Marco Polo]

For inflammation, I've read good things about taking standardized turmeric supplements - 500mg 3x daily.

It's helped me before.

I hope it can help you.

[exterra1]

you're dreaming if you think a pill will fix it, you will wear it til you're bone to bone and then there is really only one way to permanently repair it and that is a good surgeon. I had my thumb to hand joint repaired three years ago, the pain was horrible for nearly a year, then it went away and my left thumb has been wonderfully pain free, that same surgery now fixes you in about six weeks. Last week I had two joints in my left hand replaced with silicone ones, they were bone to bone at the knuckle, I am in a lot of pain now due to the exercises of therapy, but in eight weeks I'll be back to fretting pain free for life (I'm 70 so I guess for life!). I've only been playing 3 1/2 years and it is just too wonderful to have it screwed up with a lot of pain, I promise you, find a top notch hand surgeon and get on with a happy guitar playing life!

[bitraker]

since using medical marijuana for wrist, finger and shoulder pain it has helped me alot in managing pain without the use of prescription pain meds

I am going to try medical marijuana - I have mild arthritis in my thumb and middle finger - and wicked tennis elbow in my right arm - prescription meds are useless

article on med marijuana and arthritis worth a read

https://www.leafly.com/news/science-...thritic-joints

[Fast Jimmy]

I've suffered arthritis in my left thumb joint for about three years now, enough pain that I couldn't use the thumb to fret bass notes. About 3 months ago I started experiencing the same pain and swelling in my right hand thumb joint. Enough pain that some nights it would hurt so bad when plucking notes I'd have to give up.
I saw the exercise video link posted in this message thread and thought it worth a try. After what I guess is 2 weeks of exercise twice a day per the video, I can say that my right thumb joint feels almost normal and the constant dull pain in the left thumb joint is almost all gone.
Look the video up and try it, it can't hurt and it sure helped me.

Fast Jimmy

[jp2558]

It appears the video posted earlier no longer exists or the link has changed.

[KenL]

Originally Posted by jp2558

It appears the video posted earlier no longer exists or the link has changed.

It's still out there, try this:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSrfB7JIzxY


Also, I've been taking turmeric for a month now (for other reasons) and it seems to be helping my hands too.

[Silly Moustache]

Originally Posted by NotValid

Here you go

http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/herb/devils-claw

"The people who took devil's claw had as much pain relief as the people who took the medication. Those who took devil's claw had fewer side effects and needed fewer pain relievers throughout the study"

This, proper nutrition and supplement and EXCERSISE!!!!!
There is no magic pill or African root that will cure it for you. The best defense is to stay active and MOVE those parts. Even if its light stretching, bending and rotating.

I have used devil's claw and strong ibuprofen creams - which have both helped temporarily - but I suspect it is the massage and rubbing in that is the helping aspect.

I do subscribe to the "use it or lose it" philosophy. Overly protected joints stiffen. Over used ones wear out more.
I'm suffering with my hands currently because it is tha time of year but also because I've restarted some gym exercises which make demands on my hands more than others.

Whilst some poor folks get arthritis at early ages - it is simply a part of the territory of growing older - in fact, growing older means managing ever more pain generally - it's just one of the facts of life.

Working harder to keep fit helps. Keeping to your ideal weight and eating wisely becomes a necessity.

[Dirk Hofman]

Originally Posted by ntotoro

I'm 43. Every single guitar player I know who is over the age of 40 has some degree of arthritis in the base of the fretting hand thumb.

Every. Single. One.

The best thing I can say is to find a neck shape that gives you comfort and, until you're more conscious of it, keeps you from grabbing the neck too hard. Chunkier soft-V necks seem to work for me. I also drink a funky tea in the mornings made with water, lemon, cayenne pepper and and vinegar. Having some of that every morning has made a huge difference in my comfort level. Maybe it's the vinegar.

Nick

52 and no problems. But I eat a mostly vegan, plant-based diet, which has resulted in a fairly massive reduction in all kinds of inflammation throughout my body. Highly recommended if arthritis is something you want to avoid or reverse. Or heart attacks, stroke, alzheimers, obesity, kidney disease...

https://www.pcrm.org/news/news-relea...toid-arthritis