Arthritis of finger knuckles
I have arthritis in my hands, in the middle knuckles of the four fingers (but not in the thumbs). This causes me some pain when I play the piano, although I try not to focus on it. I have tried a number of remedies, none of which are a panacea, but some do offer a little relief. In order of greatest benefit, these are:
Dipping hands in a bowl of warm water for at least a minute, Voltarol cream rubbed into hands several times a day, rechargeable hand warmer, hand massager and heater (e.g. iReliev), Glucosamine Sulphate (difficult to know whether it has an effect).
I note that arthritis has been the subject of several posts, which I have read with interest. I wonder if anyone has arthritis of the finger knuckles and if they have found something else that offers good relief.
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I broke my wrist last year and had to have a metal plate inserted to hold the bones together. Itās now 9 months later and my thumb is still not the same - plus the hand gets stiff after playing and still aches at night. I can finally do an octave again (my hands are small anywayā¦). I will try the heat for my thumb. Thanks for the ideas. I tried Voltarol but doesnāt seem to help me.
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Judith Thanks, Judith. I do hope things will improve for you.
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A symmetrical arthritis of PIP joints of both hands, especially if there is prolonged morning stiffness and/or involvement of MCP joints, raises suspicion for rheumatoid arthritis. If your doctor has ruled that out, great! (Sometimes it's worth rechecking the blood tests.)
It sounds like you've done all of the standard stuff. It may help to consult with an occupational therapist who is well-versed in hand arthritis. You may need a referral from your primary care doctor for that. (I'm a retired doc and have made many such referrals, often with good results.)
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Richard Thank you, Richard.
It is osteoarthritis for me, only in my finger PIP joints..I will investigate your suggestion of occupational therapy with my general practitioner.
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I rely on Voltaren Max āarthritisā ā12 hourā, available in Europe and probably UK. At 2.3% diclofenac, it is twice the strength of the original preparation. I apply it in a very targeted fashion, not rubbed in. A larger, longer, thicker strand delivers a proportionally larger dose. After several days of consistent use, it works! It is a legitimate pharmaceutical. In the USA, only the āoriginalā lower dose is available, and it has only become available without prescription in the last year or two.
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Michael Thanks, Michael. Itās called Voltarol 2.32% in the UK. I use the half-strength product already. I suppose if I put it on more frequently, it will have the same effect.
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Michael from London It has become mission critical for me. Yes, I agree twice frequent use of the regular product (or perhaps thicker application) should do the trick. The 2.32% is not available in the US, so I scour the web for oversees suppliers who will ship it (usually less scrupulous individuals from Eastern Europe), at excellent prices. My prior sources have vanished, so Iām out of luck until I can find a new supplier (or until I travel to Europe).
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Michael I'm going to look for this. Since I originally posted I've developed trigger finger in my pinky on my right hand and my middle finger of my left hand. I've been taking P5P pills which some people swear online is a miracle drug. It hasn't solved my issue so far but you're supposed to take it for six months. I've taken a break from piano to give my hands some rest.
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Steve Mendoza , Iāve had several trigger fingers through the years ( while I was on my 50 year time out from piano) and an orthopedic hand specialistās injection of a cortisone product generally cured it within a day or two. The longer you wait to have it treated, the more painful it becomes and the harder it is to fix. I would encourage you to get treated by a professional rather than mess with an online recommendation of dubious effectiveness.
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Kathryn K Thanks, I will find a specialist. I had been delaying that as a last resort, but the trigger fingers are impacting my quality of life. Many thanks for your reply.
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Kathryn K Hi Kathryn, I visited a hand specialist as I now have trigger finger (middle finger) in both hands. I stopped playing the piano back in March. The Specialist injected cortisone in both of my hands on separate occasions. Unfortunately the injections made no difference. The Specialist recommends arthroscopic surgery as a last resort. He says surgery is 99% effective. I was a phone call away from doing this last week but his assistant told me he could not do both hands in the same surgery. I didnāt want to go under anesthesia twice so I didnāt do it. Instead I went back to a chiropractor I had seen several years ago for general body flexibility. She has been deep massaging my arms with essential oils. Weāve had two sessions so far and Iām going to continue, with the hopes my body will heal itself. Iām going to slowly start practicing again and resume the stretching exercises I always did before practicing. Thankfully I have enough mobility in my fingers to still play even though I cannot close my fingers to make a tight fist. I will post an update as time goes on.
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Steve Mendoza I am scheduled for knee replacement surgery in June 2025. In addition to thumb arthritis, my right knee is so painful it makes walking difficult and exercise impossible. I saw ads for a patch, called thesignalpatch. It is not a hot/cold patch, but some technology that interrupts the pain signal. I am happy to say that despite my skepticism, it has helped me extremely well. It is not a cure, of course, but it relieves the pain to the extent that I can now take my dog for walks. They have a mini-patch, which pickle ball players like, but it is not advertised on the website where I purchased the larger one. I'm trying to find it, as I have hopes that it will offer some respite from the OA in my thumbs. I also listen/follow anti-aging researchers, and have just begun taking Rejuvant, and am waiting for Timeline's Mitopure gel caps. The latter is the first supplement that has been reported to help sufferers of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. It works on the mitochondria, which creates ATP or the source of our energy. CFS means my "gas tank" is empty. They are also supposed to make you younger over time, but I just want to feel better. I'm not counting on miracles.
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Steve Mendoza Iām so sorry the injection didnāt work for you. Although the injection worked on some of my fingers, I also had a finger that wasnāt cured by the injection and I had the surgery. My surgeon only used a nerve block, not a general anesthesia. I was conscious and talking through the entire procedure. The hand was bandaged, and there was some pain afterwards, but it passed in a few days. Therapy was offered, and I attended two sessions, but I felt I didnāt really need it so I stopped. The fingers are all back to normal and I can play without any problems.
I wish you the best and hope you find a solution that works for you.
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Iāve been back to the gym lately and find that my hand strength is part of my issue when playing the piano. If I skip going to the gym, I find that my hands hurt more than if I go to the gym. Also, Iāve been following an anti-inflammatory diet, that has made a big difference in my hand pain. Usually within the first hour of practice my hands tend to be less painful and within the second hour Iām pain-free. I believe, in my case itās a matter of me moving as much as possible
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I started playing piano at age around 70. Arthritis progressed gradually -both thumbs, RH fingers. I feel extremely lucky to have a Taubman Technique teacher. Working with her means I am still playing at age 80. This technique does not require finger strength! With proper hand and arm positions , I can use my fingers without pain, 95% of the time. I do take 100mg of Celebrex daily, (but it is not just for my hands.) I notice, especially with my thumbs, which are very arthritic and deformed, that proper technique is essential. I think it is worth exploring this technique if you are willing to basically start over, and have patience and persistence. Taubman teachers are rare, but many will give online lessons. Robert Durso and Edna Golandsky are Taubman trained teachers on Tonebase.
