any suggestions to reduce finger pain?

[three4rd]

I've been playing all my life and just have never gotten around varying levels of pain in my left fingertips. Hard to remember back to my teenage years when I really played nearly every day for varying lengths if I had this problem or not, but definitely the last 10-20 years has been quite severe. The more I practice and play longer than usual, the worse it gets. I know I probably use excessive pressure (at least I was told this by a luthier who repaired my old acoustic and showed me how there are grooves worn into the frets - though couldn't some of that simply be from extended usage?) I switched to light gauge strings a few years ago hoping that would help, but it didn't.

I love playing, but sadly the pain really takes much of the joy out of it - it becomes more of an endurance test than a rewarding and fun musical experience. I usually take ibuprofen about a half hour before any public performance. Any suggestions? I have been trying to use only as much pressure as needed to play, but the problem continues. I recently got a new high-end acoustic, and thought that would help, but I'm experiencing the same problems. Granted that I have been playing alot more than usual since I'm preparing to play a wedding. Playing on my electric makes no difference either. My callouses are pretty good most of the time so that shouldn't be the issue as well.

Probably the most important question is - should I continue to play once my fingers hurt really bad, or is there a point beyond which more harm than good is being done?

[Suzidownunder]

If you've been playing for many years may I assume you are now an 'older' player?
When you say pain do you mean in your fingers or finger tips? Is this arthritis? If so using and ibuprofen gel like a hand cream helps mine. I rub it in a short while before playing and that helps me.

[Steadfastly]

Try playing concentrating on the pressure you use when fretting, using only enough to ring the notes clear. It may be a learning process to use less pressure. You might check with your doctor as well as this seems abnormal.

[Beakybird]

I would give some credence to the luthier to start off.

You're either putting too much pressure or there is a medical issue with the nerves in your hand or a neurological condition.
Maybe visit an Alexander technique practitioner who can watch you play and gauge if you are clamping the guitar. A referral from your internist to a specialist would be recommended.

[The Bard Rocks]

The fact that you've been playing for a long while and at an advanced level takes away most of our "ammunition". You could try nylon strings, but you'll get a different sound.

Most likely what is happening is something that is not guitar-related. It's just manifesting itself when you play. Have you gone to doctors? It may be a medical problem with a medical solution.

Here's an idea - see if you can try a guitar with a very different fret height. I am working on the theory that you have been pressing too hard, too much for too many years. I am thinking of something with railroad tie frets, so high you don't ever need to press your finger to the fretboard to get a clear note. That may require some relearning of technique. It is easier to learn than to relearn. Or, possibly, the opposite might work, very low frets - it depends somewhat upon what you have been used to. This is not something I would spend money on, not without trying it first to see if it make a difference. If your pain shows up in a half hour of playing, you could visit a shop and play any high fret guitars they might have to see if that helps any. Try to avoid too much pressure and forget about playing your usual way for the moment. If that seems to help, then you can take it the next step. Guitars can be refretted, so if it works, you do not have to change instruments.

[three4rd]

Thanks for the replies. I may have inaccurately described the pain I experience. I highly doubt that it is any sort of joint (arthritic etc.) issue. The pain is directly at the callouses - from pressing against the strings. The fingers themselves do not hurt at all after playing. If I press a left hand nail into any of the callouses, it hurts. As soon as removing the pressure of the fingernail against callous, there is no pain. Same pain exists this morning, and haven't played since last night. Even if I take the pad of my left thumb and press (not even hard) against each callous - that also hurts (though not as much as using a fingernail).

I just find it hard to believe that the pain is not directly associated with the guitar, since I never experience it any other time. It seems to be totally induced by the finger pressing the strings against the frets. I'm also an organist (actually play a good bit more organ than I do the guitar) and never experience any pain whatsoever. Granted there is not the same sort of pressure against the fingertip when pressing an organ or piano key that there is against a guitar string, but still, I'd think that if some sort of physical or neurological issue was present, some level of pain would be experienced after hours of playing.

I probably just don't play (guitar) consistently enough. Over the years, I can go weeks without playing much at all, and then suddenly go at it for a few hours while composing or recording or preparing to play in public. So I can't say that, over the long run, I play every day. It's pretty sporadic. During my entire teaching career it was even more sporadic then it has been over the past 7 years since retiring from teaching. And, over the past few weeks as I've mentioned, I've been playing alot - every night - to get ready for the wedding I'm doing. Amount of pressure against the fingerboard is undoubtedly an issue, and I'm trying to be aware of this. All that said, however, I've still been playing for 52 years - so it's not quite the same as a beginner trying to work up some callouses. Then, on the other hand (starting to sound like Tevya in "Fiddler on the Roof") I suppose that laying off from playing from time to time could erode the callouses and then, upon getting back into playing more after a lull - could it be almost like 'starting over'? I don't know much about how long callouses last, etc.

[slide496]

I file my callouses to avoid that kind of issue, I think when they are too thick its too much for the fingertips - they've got something hard biting into them with the string...

[three4rd]

Interesting thought...that there can almost be too much callous present. I would not have anticipated that. Glad you brought it up.

[JerryM]

This sounds more like a nerve issue than callous issue to me, nerve endings in the fingertips can cause pain and severe. Perhaps using the liquid callous will help elevate it. A coating to protect them.

[richard1]

Sounds to me like your sporadic playing is not giving a chance for your fingertips to form decent callouses. What worked for me was rubbing alcohol. Rub it into the fingertips up 3x a day, it seems to help harden the callouses.

Interestingly, I find that the calloses might be there for several weeks, and then begin to soften, despite daily playing of 2 hours or so. The callouses soften but the pain is nowhere near as noticeable. It's like the hard callouses get you through it for a while but then something else happens, maybe the nerve endings learn to switch down the pain signals to the brainbox.

[Moocheng]

something I found is, cutting the finger nails too short can cause pain

[three4rd]

I do keep my fingernails short for playing the organ.

[three4rd]

Originally Posted by richard1

Sounds to me like your sporadic playing is not giving a chance for your fingertips to form decent callouses. What worked for me was rubbing alcohol. Rub it into the fingertips up 3x a day, it seems to help harden the callouses.

Interestingly, I find that the calloses might be there for several weeks, and then begin to soften, despite daily playing of 2 hours or so. The callouses soften but the pain is nowhere near as noticeable. It's like the hard callouses get you through it for a while but then something else happens, maybe the nerve endings learn to switch down the pain signals to the brainbox.

Thanks for this suggestion also about trying the rubbing alcohol.

[necrome]

Lower the action of your guitar and go one gauge lower for the strings. This has helped ease the pain tremendously for me

[gfspencer]

In my old age (71) I have gone to lighter strings. That helps some.