 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: LaurieBell
Date: 2014-12-21 16:32
Does anyone else get numbness in their fingers when they play clarinet? If so how do you deal with it?
Twenty years ago my doctor said I had carpal tunnel syndrome but it quit bothering me so I didn’t give it much thought. This past year though, I’ve started having neck pain when I sleep and I wake up with numb hands. The numbness typically goes away in about 30 minutes and doesn’t come back during the day and some nights I have no problem at all. (I suspect a pinched nerve in my neck.)
In the last few weeks or so, my fingers have been going numb when I practice clarinet. I’m able to “shake it out” or give it a rest, and then continue for about an hour. I’ve also tried playing with a wrist brace (since it is primarily the left hand, which makes sense because I play with that wrist a little bent) but that is awkward and doesn’t help much.
I’ll get this check out at my physical next month, but I thought I’d ask if any of you have had this problem and if so, did you find a way of dealing with it without surgery?
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Author: MusicalChemist
Date: 2014-12-21 16:41
Similar problem for me with cracking joints all over thats are painless and I'm only 18(!) guess thats what happens if you substitute sport for music and chemistry. Anyway, my doc had sent off blood for calcium and vitamin D levels as calcium sodium and potassium ions are all responsible for nerve impulses and muscle contraction etc. vitamin d is vital for absorbing calcium. No way it would be a lack of Na or K as they are in almost all foods. Hopefully the cure is as simple as extra minerals and vitamins as opposed to surgery.
BLM
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2014-12-21 17:02
A flexed-back wrist is not good, but everything depends on the shape of your hands and the length of your fingers. Try laying your left index finger more upward. This is easy to try but difficult to maintain, since you automatically go back to what you're used to.
If it's just pressure on the nerve when you sleep, try sleeping on your back or on your other side.
If it's carpal tunnel syndrome, it's not something you can just "play through." There's simple surgery to free the entrapped nerve.
Finally, check your blood sugar for diabetes. It produces diabetic neuropathy which affects sensation, first in the feet and then at the fingertips.
Ken Shaw
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Author: BobD
Date: 2014-12-21 18:18
IMO you should see a doctor re this since repetition could cause nerve damage. There are wrist support "gloves" that might help.
Bob Draznik
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Author: kdk
Date: 2014-12-21 18:56
It's important to get a current diagnosis, which, if neck pain is also involved, may require a neurologist and an EMG. In order to decide on treatment, you need to know if nerve impingement is involved and where the pinch is - in your wrist (carpal tunnel) or farther up, e.g. cervical spine, elbow, etc.
I doubt if a hand surgeon would even consider carpal tunnel surgery before you've had that kind of work-up. But it's also possible, depending on the location of the problem, to try more conservative approached first - physical therapy to reduce inflammation around the nerve or steroid injections also to reduce inflammation and swelling that can put pressure on a nerve.
I don't think, honestly, that I'd wait for the check-up in a month. If you can get started sooner tracking this down, you will have that much less discomfort.
Karl
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Author: WhitePlainsDave
Date: 2014-12-21 19:14
By no means do I wish to do anything but support the above recommendations for allowing medical professionals to examine/test/diagnose/treat your issues.
That said, Stephen Fox has some wonderful products for clarinet players with various ailments that make clarinet playing more challenging if not impossible for them, short of using some of his devices. He also makes custom stuff if necessary.
http://www.sfoxclarinets.com/Accessories.html#clar acc
Please do not contact him as an alternative for medical treatment, only as a supplement.
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2014-12-21 22:36
See a Sports Physician who can accurately diagnose what's going on.
I view Chiropractors are occasionally helpful, but more often than not, hacks.
Pinched nerve in your neck, or a return of the Carpal Tunnel - and that certainly could be the case.
http://www.SkypeClarinetLessons.com
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Author: BartHx
Date: 2014-12-22 00:27
It is almost certain, if you wait for your physical, that your GP will refer you to a neurologist. Since they often have a long wait time for appointments, why not make an appointment now and be ahead of the game. You can always cancel later if you need to. Depending on your health coverage, you may want to find out who your GP refers to so that you do not end up with crossed purposes. Definitely get the problem evaluated by an expert with the proper diagnostic tools.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2014-12-22 02:53
Merely holding a clarinet or any other instrument is completely unnatural for us as we're designed to grasp and grip onto things from our evolutionary past as we're still merely primates. So this is why we have problems through playing instruments as how many other primates play musical instruments adopting an unnatural grip and posture?
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: MSK
Date: 2014-12-22 04:09
I'm a physical therapist by profession and a clarinetist by hobby. Numbness is usually a neurologic problem that is better diagnosed by a neurologist or neurosurgeon than a GP. Also many of the possible causes for your symptoms are more effectively treated sooner than later. I agree with BartHx above. Contact your GP now for the initial exam and to get that referral sooner rather than later. Why prolong the situation...
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Author: LaurieBell
Date: 2014-12-23 04:34
Thanks Karl - I called to schedule an appointment with my GP and the earliest I could get was Jan 6. They wouldn't give me a referral without first seeing me.
I got the idea last night to try sleeping in my recliner. That helped a lot with my neck pain, though I kept waking during the night because I wasn't used to the sleeping position. But each time I woke I noticed my hands were not numb, just slightly tingly. Eventually I rolled to sleep on my side, my natural sleeping position, and when I finally got up my hands were a little more tingly but not as bad as they were. I'm a little hopeful at this.
I also checked out the suggestion to review Stephen Fox's products for clarinet players. How interesting. That may be my next step if change in sleeping position and wrist gloves don't help.
Thanks for the great advice.
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Author: TomS
Date: 2014-12-23 22:40
For heaven's sake, get a TOTALLY COMPLETE check-up with blood-work!!!! My wife griped at me for years to go (I felt fine) ... turns out I'm profoundly diabetic, type 2. Tingle in the toes and fingers. Now, it's well under control ... but some damage is done, I am sure.
Tom
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