 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: LaurieBell
Date: 2015-02-05 14:09
Last December I reported that my fingers started going numb. I finally got in to see several doctors and took an EMG test that records the electrical activity of muscles. The test confirmed I have "Moderate" carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), and the doctor recommends surgery to release the pressure on the nerves.
My background with CTS . . . I played clarinet in the Army Bands for 9 years and never had it. After that I quit clarinet for 30+ years but played Recorder and mandolin and autoharp - all with no problem. In my 30s I did a lot of bicycle riding, often riding 50+ miles a day and that is when I noticed a problem, probably due to bending my hands on the handlebars. I quit riding about 5 years later and didn't notice the problem any more. I do a lot of computer typing at work, but haven't noticed any problems until this last year when I started playing clarinet again.
I've talked to several nurse friends who all say the surgery is a common procedure, and I've talked to two other friends who had the surgery years ago and all is ok. But I haven't talked to any clarinet players yet to see what their experience was.
Has anyone had CTS to the point their fingers got number during playing? (Mine when numb right now in the time it took to type this.)
Did altering your playing schedule or technique help? (I only practice 60-90 minutes at a time and take a short break every 20 minutes. But rehearsing with the community band is a little more intense.)
Did anyone give up on the clarinet and switch to another instrument, say the trumpet?
If you had the CTS surgery:
1. How long before you could return to playing?
2. Did the surgery adversely affect your playing in anyway?
3. Did the surgery eliminate the numbness in your fingers?
4. Which hand did you have done first?
I'm going for a second opinion next week but odds are I need to have the surgery. I'm pretty nervous about the whole thing.
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Author: WhitePlainsDave
Date: 2015-02-05 19:39
I haven't had the surgery and am not technically a candidate, by your justifiable parameters, to reply to you on it.
Still more, in no way Laurie am I advocating against your sugically addressing this issue.
What I find interesting to know is whether you are considering going ahead with the procedure simply because the CTS manifests solely in clarinet playing?
To rephrase, is it affecting other parts of your life, including occupational ones. And when I say occupational I don't solely mean work, but in the "occupational therapy" sense of it affecting your driving of a vehicle, or flipping through a book, or turning a doorknob.
Have you considered acquiring, if you don't have one already, a foam pad for the edge of your computer keyboard between you and keyboard? Is your desk at the right height for typing?
Finally, have you considered, if you don't, wearning a neckstrap when playing clarinet? Your CTS may be exacerbated by the fact that your hands aren't merely moving their fingers up and down, but holding weight. Though I bear no affiliation with Stephen Fox, I have enormous respect for some of the devices he's created to handle the anthropomorphic issues with instrument play.
http://www.sfoxclarinets.com/Accessories.html
I wish you luck in finding good non-surgical remedies with minimal side effects, or barring that, a successful surgical outcome and minimal convelescence/pain.
Post Edited (2015-02-05 19:41)
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Author: Roxann
Date: 2015-02-05 20:38
I've had it done on both hands, most recently 6 weeks ago. I played within two weeks of surgery. My doc didn't want me playing in a position that would require a lot of bend in the wrist of the surgery hand for about a month, which meant slightly altering my position. I played with a brace for a month. You'll still have a little numbness for a week or so then it will go away. Neither surgeries were done arthroscopically. The first was done in a surgery clinic and cost me a few hundred dollars co-pay. After about 10 years I had the second one done in his office (a 20 minute visit) and it cost me $50. If the doc will do it in his office, I'd suggest that because it's so much less expensive. I have the same exact scar at each incision site. Unless you study the scar really closely you can't even begin to see it. I had the 2nd one done because I'd had so much success with the first. As soon as the numbness started in the 2nd hand (my non-dominant hand), I scheduled the surgery. I've been extremely pleased with the outcome of both of them and wouldn't hesitate to suggest having it done. My sister had hers done arthroscopically and was hanging window blinds in the afternoon after her surgery. Her scar is about 2" up her arm from where your carpal tunnel is and is minute. There's ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to be nervous about. Just find something to do for the first 2 weeks so you don't miss your clarinet too much. Yes, my hand was going numb while I played. I typically play an hour a day and an involved with 3 different bands at any one time so it did mean missing that for a couple of weeks. Good luck. And, truly, do not be nervous about it...you'll be relieved you've done it!
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Author: LaurieBell
Date: 2015-02-05 20:41
The pain and numbness started out just at night during my sleep. Then it got bad enough to wake me several times during the night. The it started taking up to 90 minutes for the numbness to go away in the morning, which made me fearful during my hour-long commute because my hands would go numb while on the steering wheel. But usually by mid day, the symptoms would go away, until I started practicing clarinet when I got home.
That was a few months ago. Now its to the point my hand stay "tingly" all of the time and I've lost muscle in my thumb joint, which is quite painful, so I suspect there is more going on besides carpal tunnel.
What I've tried so far is sleeping with wrist splints, which has improved the night-time numbness a lot, and of course using a keyboard tray at work (I've always used a keyboard tray). I also have a great ergonomic chair and am pretty sure my computer set-up is ergonomically correct.
My new symptoms may be a result of age (I'm 60), but I suspected my clarinet playing had something to do with it because I started again last year and that is when I started having symptoms.
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Author: Roxann
Date: 2015-02-05 20:52
OMG! Thank you for posting the link to fox clarinets. I'm having a lot of pain in my right wrist above my thumb and need to get ALL the weight of my clarinet off of it. The "neckstrap extension rod with ring mount" is perfect (I hope). I have 2 old ring-mounted music holders for marching band (from the 60's!) and am taking them to my local jeweler to see if he can solder a smaller ring onto one of them so I can attach my neck strap. I use a Ton Kooiman thumb rest and there's no way to attach a neck strap to it (maybe in a future design of his!). In regards to the carpal tunnel problem the original poster is having, carpal tunnel never goes away once you get it...it only gets worse. It's a piece-of-cake 20 minute snip-snip-clip-clip-stitch-stitch and you're on your way with no more pain. From someone who has had 2 of them done, don't waste your time trying to find an alternative or even a second opinion. Just get it done and get on with playing. Again, thanks for the great link.
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Author: MichaelW
Date: 2015-02-05 22:57
From your second posting I see that your CTS is more advanced than I first thought: Early symptoms frequently are related to manual work, bicycle riding etc. You are complaining about persistent "tinglyness" and beginning local muscle atrophy which is typical for an advanced stage of CTS. As Roxann writes routine treatment, be it in form of (mostly ambulant) conventional or of "key hole" surgery, is highly effective and low- risk. Untreated there'll be a risk of further progression.
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