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I got back to playing some 4 years ago. I play with satisfaction about 2 hrs/day.

It seems now that some fingers are developing arthritis; it’s initial, probably not even noticeable if you don’t know it. It has hit now 3 fingers, 2 pinkies and left index finger. For some reason only the left pinky hurts when playing (or typing). Sometimes it hurts a lot sometimes less; it happens when the finger is engaged but does not seem to be related to specific finger movement.

Here’s my questions, asking for advice to people with similar condition:

- Does finger arthritis always hurt when playing?

- Does playing make it better? Or worst? Or no effect in your experience?

- Is there a therapy? Shall I just rest?

- What kind of doctor you believe could be useful in this situation? Or is it even worth seeing a doctor in this case?

Thanks,

M.

Some arthritis is painful whilst others have little. I have arthritic fingers (so did my mother) and am pretty much pain-free, as she was. But heavy piano playing doesn't help, nor an unacceptably heavy digital keyboard. Mind you, playing piano keeps things flexible and I find it beneficial since I play a lightweight slab piano which works great for me.
I wouldn't play more than an hour, but you'll obviously know when to stop.
Good luck.

Marklings, I do think you should get a medical opinion, if nothing else to confirm that the problem is in the joints and not some of the other structures in the hand (like tendons). There are also a lot of kinds of arthritis. Osteoarthritis is the most common, but you will want to make sure it’s not a different kind of arthritis, as the medical recommendations about different kinds of arthritis are quite different. I’d start with you primary doctor. Rheumatologists and orthopedists are the specialists who see the most arthritis.

I try giving up wheat for a couple of weeks. Hard to do but worth trying.

A mixture of ground cumin, nutmeg and coriander is known for its easing pain of osteoarthritis.
You could try a half teaspoon/day and see if it works for you.
Additionally you can add ground rose hip which is also know for its positive effect on Arthritis and curcuma and black pepper (both anti-inflammatory).

Don't expect it to work immediately like pain killers, just give it one or two weeks to show an effect.

Please se my answers above. But consult your MD first.

Echo the sentiment to have your doctor evaluate your hands, to distinguish between arthritis or a tendonopathy. If the former, whether the problem is a rheumatoid disorder or plain garden variety wear-and-tear osteoarthritis, keeping your joints moving is important to prevent them from becoming stiff, although you obviously don't want to overdo it. If the problem is tendon or muscle overuse, then some rest or reduction in activity can help with recovery.

Primary care can usually manage hand arthritis, although in the less likely case of rheumatoid arthritis, they tend to defer to a rheumatologists, who likewise usually don't have much more to offer for osteoarthritis. Usually a surgeon will only get involved if the symptoms are severe enough to warrant injections, or in very rare and severe cases, actual surgery. Occupational therapists also tend to direct most of their focus to problems with the hands.

Not knowing anything about your medical history (and please don't share it here!), it wouldn't hurt to try some topical voltaren (generic name is diclofenac). No matter the underlying cause, this medication can help with the symptoms and there's hardly any contra-indications.

See qualified medical personnel first.

I developed serious finger, hand, wrist and forearm pain from playing the piano a few hours per day. Golandsky and Taubman instructors helped sort out my piano technique. My body was tense 24/7 so they taught me how to identify and ameliorate that tension, particularly whist sitting, while using the laptop, and while using the mobile phone... I also improved my diet significantly, reducing sugar intake. I never took any medicines.

It took over a year, but the pain slowly disappeared. There are other injured piano specialists besides the Golandsky & Taubman but those are the people I bumped into.

As others have said it is most important to get a medical diagnosis about what exactly the problem is. If it is indeed a form of arthritis, it is good to keep the fingers moving *but* it is essential to reduce the amount of force that your joints are exposed to. Unknown even to many medical specialists, piano playing is not necessarily a 'light' motor action, but forces can be very high depending on your technique but also on the action. I have osteoarthritis and things improved a lot since I switched to a different action. Damage done does not recover though.

Each of us who has arthritis will have different degrees of it in different parts of the body, so I won't offer any pseudo-medical advice here. I have arthritis in my right thumb, but in my case it doesn't often affect my playing except on rare occasions when I get a little but small jolt of discomfort.

It has been said by some to those pianists who experience arthritis in the hand that continued playing will actually help rather than aggravate the condition. I don't have any medical authority to back this up, but one source is someone trained in physical therapy.

Take this for what it's worth, remembering that each of us may have different degrees of arthritis which may respond differently to extended playing. If it is debilitating or seriously affects playing, consult a medical authority.

Regards,

I have osteoarthritis in my right hand, 3rd, 4th and pinky are the worst. It was initially wrongly diagnosed by a doctor who I was told was a specialist in hands. Well
He did not even x-ray it. He poked at it and when I said that hurt, he said you have tendinitis. Well tendentious needs rest so I went for 3 Months just playing with my left hand and seeing a PT. On the recommendation of a nurse I know I saw another specialist who did take x rays . He said you have arthritis and playing the piano is the best thing you can do for it. I returned to playing with both hands usually two hours a day . I do not have pain from it but
my hands will not do some of the things they did a few years ago. I actually do notice some pain and stiffness if I am away and cannot play for a week. In my case, playing actually makes My hands feel better. It may be different for others.

I developed osteoarthritis in my left and right hand pinkies many years ago but kept playing for years without any pain. Now, at this age, they are starting to be painful; it comes and go. Also arthritis started showing in the middle finger of my left hand with, what they call, a Myxoid pseudocyst or digital mucous cyst, etc. I had it drained and I can see the joint inflammation getting bigger as well as pain. My point is that, after reading many articles, I decided to try tea tree oil directly on the joints - to do so I put some oil drops into the pads of band-aids and wrapped these around the ill joints. I can attest that this has alleviated the pain to a large extent - being able to play the piano again. Hope this helps

jvtechmusic...will run out to try this today. how long do you keep it on?

Got some CBD oil which is good for pain relief.