remedies ;

[300win]

Both of my hands/fingers are getting worse due to arthritis. Needless to say, I'm slower on picking than I used to be. Ain't too spry anymore as they say where I come from. Anyway, any suggestions on making my hands/fingers/and arms stronger so I can get back to being supple like I used to be ? Many thanks for any info.

[katygrasslady]

Have you tried a hot wax bath? Feels really good.

http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoar...nts-arthritic/

[GRW3]

Check out a book called "Wheatbelly". Some people have inflammation issues brought on by wheat consumption. Wheat problems are not limited to celiac disease.

[Bertram Henze]

Keep moving. Mild exercise can slow down the process considerably.

[stevejay]

Check out a book called "Wheatbelly". Some people have inflammation issues brought on by wheat consumption. Wheat problems are not limited to celiac disease.

It does reduce weight and takes away bread cravings. I think it is about lowering sugar and carbohydrate intake that also gives some of the perceived or real benefits of eliminating wheat. I'm about a month in and feel pretty good. Poor bakers, wheat as the enemy, but I still think sugar is a big factor. I will say my cheese intake increased, not sure about that.

Anyway if you feel better, everything is better, and probably playing as well.

The herco hybrid thumbpick/flatpick might work to relax your hand on a bad pick day.

[avaldes]

Sorry to hear. One thing I did when I went through a course of physical therapy for hand issues was contrast baths, which you can do at home. Have a bowl of warm and a bowl of cool water. Put the hands in each for a minute alternating. It supposedly reduces inflammation on the cool and stimulates blood flow on the warm.

[300win]

Thanks for the input. But I have to say I was hoping to see a miracle cure. I think since I've been disabled in 2006 I have lost much of my strength. I was a carpenter and when I worked I had good strength in my arms ,hands and fingers. Nothing like swinging a hammer all day long driving nails as exercise. Since then although I had a touch of arthritis it has progressed in intensity. I was in a Bluegrass band beginning in 2008 and I begin to notice it getting more difficult to play the fast ones like 'Rawhide' etc., so I had to quit the band a couple years ago. Sure do miss the ability I had. Now all I can pick is moderate tempo fiddle tunes etc.

[Ivan Kelsall]

300 - I'm 68 now & a few years back realised that i'd lost quite a bit of muscle tone in my upper arms,which is perfectly natural. I bought myself a pair of dumbells & began to use them,doing simple upward 'curls' with just light weights. Over a period of months,i could use all the weights that came with them & now i'm up to 15Lbs on each. My upper arm strength is back to what it used to be 10/15 years ago. I don't suffer from arthritis,at least not yet anyway,but i do suffer from Tendonitis in both hands & it can be painful at times,it also makes your hands fell stiff & unresponsive. I had an op.for Trigger Finger on my left hand some years ago & one of the things i was advised to do by my Physio.,was to get a facecloth & soak both it & my hands in water as hot as i could stand,then,take the facecloth & wring it out as hard as possible. It does help.The tension & then relaxation of the tendons in my hands works wonders for me . I do this every morning along with my weights,& i'm usually fit for the day - unless i drop a weight on my foot of course - best wishes,
Ivan

[300win]

300 - I'm 68 now & a few years back realised that i'd lost quite a bit of muscle tone in my upper arms,which is perfectly natural. I bought myself a pair of dumbells & began to use them,doing simple upward 'curls' with just light weights. Over a period of months,i could use all the weights that came with them & now i'm up to 15Lbs on each. My upper arm strength is back to what it used to be 10/15 years ago. I don't suffer from arthritis,at least not yet anyway,but i do suffer from Tendonitis in both hands & it can be painful at times,it also makes your hands fell stiff & unresponsive. I had an op.for Trigger Finger on my left hand some years ago & one of the things i was advised to do by my Physio.,was to get a facecloth & soak both it & my hands in water as hot as i could stand,then,take the facecloth & wring it out as hard as possible. It does help.The tension & then relaxation of the tendons in my hands works wonders for me . I do this every morning along with my weights,& i'm usually fit for the day - unless i drop a weight on my foot of course - best wishes,
Ivan

Thanks. I'll try this.

[MikeF]

I'm 67 with arthritis in both knees; I was about ready to swap some new parts in when I started taking glucosamine/chondroitin regularly. I have seen a significant improvement...bottom line, I've put off the transplants.

This article contains news about a promising study related to hand arthritis.

http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/...ersial-319090/

Good luck-

Mike

[JeffD]

Depends on what kind of arthritis I guess. I have been told that there is nothing, really, that can be done about mine. I took some solace in the explanation that the pain was not indicative of doing more damage, and so pain management (through Advil etc.,) was not an inappropriate response, and further that not using the joints would not slow down the progression, so there was no point in stopping.

That may be the case for you. I don't know.

[Randi Gormley]

I normally run a vitamin D deficiency during the winter and when I looked up the symptoms of the problem, weak muscles was one. So you might want to take vitamin D if you're not already taking a multi-vitamin. For my osteo-arthritis, though, my doctor prescribed an OTC anti-inflammatory like Advil when it flared up. he had no suggestions to keep it from deteriorating but rest. fwiw

[catmandu2]

If you're willing to make the effort, yoga, and dietary modifications can be most efficacious

[Dan Hulse]

Change the things you can.
http://nutritionfacts.org/index.php?s=arthritis

[Beanzy]

Sounds like osteo-arthritis and it gets worse from impacts.
So if you still do stuff like carpentry and operating vibrating machines I'd stop that straight off.
I did the brush cutter yeaterday and my index finger was really painful afterwards when practicing in the evening.
It's fine today, so there's a correlation between the activity and the flaring up for me.

Things I've noticed are that my bowlback is easier even though it is a narrow neck.
This is because the pressure required is considerably lower. So even with a more cramped playing position it's not as bad.
This seems to be due to the lower string tension meaning I need to press less.
It's mostly fretting the F/F# on the E string and the A#/B on the A strings that aggrivate mine.

I use a 10% ibuprofin gel if it gets really painful for a long while and that takes the edge off it.

Using something like LaBella 770L , D'Addario J62 similar may help. Obviously it'll take a bit of the volume out of the mandolin but you may be able to play it more for longer.

[sidewinder]

Lots of good suggestions on this thread, but really a physical therapist would be a great resource. A good PT can help you a lot with exercises and diet help. Another thing is look at your set up on your mandolin and your arm angles. If you have been playing a long time you probably like that higher action, but you won't lose much by playing with it a little. Try adjusting your strap as well if you stand and play. Look at the angle of the mandolin when you play and try some adjustments. If you play a flat fretboard, then try a slight radius fretboard. Don't give up whatever you do, you can beat it, just may have to adjust a little and talk to a doc. They study this stuff just like we study picking. However if one tells you to quit....then it's the wrong doctor.

[300win]

Again thanks everybody for all the info. I do have osteo-arthritus. Also taking massive amount of vitamin D. Have been playing now for some time with a lowered action on a radius fretboard. I am going to try some o these things ya'll have mentioned to see if it will help. I think most of it is due to not being able to work anymore and also less strength and ageing I the big factors. Naw, I ain't qoing to quit picking. Odd thing about it is when I pick banjo I don't have as much pain, 5 strings vs. 8, less arm action needed ?, who knows. Mandolin has always been my main instrument, the others being banjo and guitar. I'll keep playing something as long as I can hold on to it.

[katygrasslady]

Consider experimenting with restrictive diets. Allergies run in my family. Allergies cause inflammation, maybe in your nose, maybe in your joints. In my early 50's, my arthritis was so bad I was on daily Vioxx for a few years. Then my 2 friends who raise dairy goats both encouraged me to give up all cow dairy, and replace with goat milk and cheese. Many of their regular customers buy goat milk to prevent arthritis. I am a skeptic, but in 2 weeks the change was remarkable. My nasal congestion is now only a rare occasion. My career as a researcher made me experiment on myself. One slice of cheese and my nose is plugged in an hour and the next day I hurt all over, and back to taking pills. I also agree that a low glycemic diet, low in sugar and white flour could be very helpful. Insulin stimulated by sugar causes systemic inflammation.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0811105347.htm
Only you can decide. Is absence of pain worth a try?
I have had one knee replacement, but am now hiking everyday in mtns for 1-2 hours. My hands and feet don't hurt anymore. Unless I eat what other people eat.