Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

[CottonPickin]

I've been playing since December and am now noticing significant numbness in my left hand, especially while playing but at other times as well. No symptoms prior to taking up the guitar in December, so the guitar would seem to be the cause.

I previously had CTS surgery on my right wrist, and would like to avoid it in my left wrist. Any tips for avoiding CTS?

[imwjl]

Exercise and sleeping with braces followed by learning to not sleep on my hands put off problems for me.

[DupleMeter]

1. Stop Playing!
2. Find a good occupational therapist/sports therapist to see if they can [a] discern the actually problem and [b] provide exercises to minimize further damage. Hopefully they won't send you straight to a surgeon.
3. when you're feeling better, find a good teacher who is mindful of hand position and the dangers of lazy/bad left hand position & RSIs.

My wife had a bout with CTS when in college as a classical guitar major. Messed her hand up good. She ended up switching from guitar major, voice minor to a voice major and education minor because the pain was so horrendous.

We've slowly worked her back up to playing again - but we had to go slow and I was a drill sergeant when it came to hand position. Once she got her strength back and we cleaned up her hand position playing became a tension release for her hands/wrist and now relieve tightness & pain rather than contribute to it.

[travisd572]

I know exactly what you are going through! I researched all over the internet and found this handy little tool.

http://www.doczac.com/products.html


Watch his videos on youtube on about CTS. He makes a lot of sense on what muscles you use playing guitar and what muscles you don't. The muscles that you don't become weak and you start to experience CTS. I bought this and do it not always but when I start to have symptoms. Its worked for me and I don't suffer any problems as much as I used too and I play daily. Good luck! I hope you are able to get relief. Travis