Cubital tunnel syndrome R elbow....can't play:(

[McGee]

Over the years, due to overuse of my right hand and arm, I had developed a wrist problem, tennis elbow, and a trigger finger on the little finger of my right hand. I went to an Occupational therapist, Orthopedic doctors, and Physical Therapists. I wore braces, got cortisone shots, and physical therapy which all gave me some relief but the symptoms never really went away. I oil paint and fly fish a lot but I also use a computer mouse for much of my working day. At some point I just decided to learn to use the mouse with my left hand which took a few days. I also learned how to cast the fly rod left handed which took a few weeks. Somewhere along the line the wrist problem and tennis elbow went away. Ironically the trigger finger went away when I started fingerpicking exclusively about three years ago. I never use the little finger but my feeling is that wiggling the other four while playing massages it somehow. Maybe there are other things in your life that contribute to the over use of your right arm that you could learn to do with your left to alleviate the problem allowing to play the guitar without symptoms.

[WWDIII]

I decided to learn to play at 59 (I'm currently 61). About two months after I started taking lessons I fished a bass tournament which is one of my long time hobbies. I noticed on Monday after my tournament my hand was numb. My monday night guitar lesson was very difficult.

To make a long story short, I lost quite a bit of use in my left hand. Had to have surgery on my hand for Carpel Tunnel and nerve tunnel surgery on my elbow.

Instead of taking lessons because I want to play which I do, its about big part of getting my hand back in shape.

I still do not have good use of my little finger and its not easy to play but have no intention of giving up.

It should have went to a Dr sooner and not waited as long as I did hoping it would go away.

The wrist surgery is not big deal, the Elbow surgery is a big deal or it has been for me.

[Doxy]

Thanks for all the stories and suggestions. Hearing other experiences really helps.

[Schwark]

A week ago I had both Carpal tunnel and Cubital tunnel release surgery on my left hand and elbow. What prompted this came on quickly. Before surgery I was playing on average 8 to 12 shows a month. A few months ago I started developing weakness and numbness in the little and pointing finger of my left hand. I could still play open chords but this made bar chord guitar structures difficult if not impossible to play, especially double bar-chords like D and Bb. I play acoustic and electric lead guitars in a couple of local groups.

Things came to ahead when I was playing for an event for one of our local race companies. By the end of the third set my hands could not play anything other than sloppy open chords.

My biggest problem was fading hand strength. I had it measured and the hand strength in my left hand was about half the hand strength of my right hand. Cardio and circulation problems were ruled our so this prompted me to go see a specialist and he said since two years ago I was diagnosed with mild carpal tunnel syndrome that had worsened and now I have additionally developed cubital tunnel syndrome. I made the decision to cancel all of the gigs I was scheduled for this month and get the surgery.

I get my stitches out today and will be asking the surgeon when I can return to guitar playing. IÂ’ve been playing guitar for over 50 years. I plan to give it an appropriate time to heal but I sure miss playing.

I will follow up with another post in a few weeks and let you know my thoughts about having the surgery and my progress. I am posting this because I know other guitar players are and have gone through this and wanted to share my experience, good or bad. If you are also going through this hang in there. If you end up needing surgery do you research. There are lots of options out there some more effective than others.

[gmel555]

6-7 years ago I developed the same pinky/ring finger symptoms nearly simultaneously in both hands and had the same diagnosis. I feel it most of the day (but not worse when playing). I started sleeping with soft/light elbow braces to help "train" me to sleep with arms straight. I also avoid hard armrests on chairs, really helps! My symptoms improved a bit and have remained stable. Neurologist did nerve conduction tests to quantify the extent and I've had it re-measured 2x. Test results are also stable so my "life-style" changes seem to help stave off the surgery...so far. Good Luck and I'd be very interested in hearing your follow-up if you pursue physical therapy.
PS: Schwark: best of luck with your recovery!

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by Schwark

A week ago I had both Carpal tunnel and Cubital tunnel release surgery on my left hand and elbow. What prompted this came on quickly. Before surgery I was playing on average 8 to 12 shows a month. A few months ago I started developing weakness and numbness in the little and pointing finger of my left hand. I could still play open chords but this made bar chord guitar structures difficult if not impossible to play, especially double bar-chords like D and Bb. I play acoustic and electric lead guitars in a couple of local groups.

Things came to ahead when I was playing for an event for one of our local race companies. By the end of the third set my hands could not play anything other than sloppy open chords.

My biggest problem was fading hand strength. I had it measured and the hand strength in my left hand was about half the hand strength of my right hand. Cardio and circulation problems were ruled our so this prompted me to go see a specialist and he said since two years ago I was diagnosed with mild carpal tunnel syndrome that had worsened and now I have additionally developed cubital tunnel syndrome. I made the decision to cancel all of the gigs I was scheduled for this month and get the surgery.

I get my stitches out today and will be asking the surgeon when I can return to guitar playing. IÂ’ve been playing guitar for over 50 years. I plan to give it an appropriate time to heal but I sure miss playing.

I will follow up with another post in a few weeks and let you know my thoughts about having the surgery and my progress. I am posting this because I know other guitar players are and have gone through this and wanted to share my experience, good or bad. If you are also going through this hang in there. If you end up needing surgery do you research. There are lots of options out there some more effective than others.

Hi Schwark!

Welcome to the AGF! I'm so sorry about your medical issues, but hope your surgery is 100% successful!

- Glenn

[Forest Dweller]

Yes I have that as well, though not as bad as you I think. My fingers tend to go asleep at night, not whilst playing but I did have to buy a smaller instrument and take regular breaks from playing. Take it easy, I am sure it will improve over time.
Robbie

[Gchord]

Sorry to hear about your issues. I have had cubital tunnel syndrome for years. I used to aggravate it by sleeping with my arm up, wrapped around the pillow. Have re-trained to sleep with arms straight by my side. And I generally avoid keeping my elbow bent past 90deg for more than a few seconds. It doesn't affect my guitar playing thank god.

When it was at its worst and my hands were tingling all day, I considered the release surgery. But it has eased over the years as I have focused on keeping my arms as straight as is reasonably possible in all situations! When I finish typing this I will no doubt straighten my arms for a while and do some clenches.

[llew]

You might want to consult a functional medicine doctor. I have had psoriasis (comes and goes) since I was in high school. Patches on my elbows and lower back mostly but about a year and a half ago my hands broke out with debilitating psoriasis to the point that I had to quit playing. It was crushing me not being able to play. I still tried to the extent that I could thru the pain and sometimes bleeding from the cracked hands. A chiropractor friend recommended this functional medicine doctor about 100 miles away and we started a protocol of supplements (all natural...no injectable big pharma drugs) from Standard Process. Initially I was dejected cause it seemed not to be working. We all want immediate gratification I suppose. But after about six months and avoiding gluten (to the extent I could?) and artificial sweeteners and taking the supplements my hands got better. Not saying they don't occasionally get some cracks (especially in the winter) but they are exponentially better than they were.
Thinking it might work for you too? Happy to share her contact info if you're interested? She's in GA but can meet with you via zoom.
Regardless I hope you feel better fast...

[Pender]

I'm sorry to hear that. I wish you the best.
I have to return to a shallower body as the OM/000 because of the same problem.
Playing the Lowden F was painful and now the Santa Cruz H is hard.
Am I crazy???

[Rick Jones]

Originally Posted by Doxy

I've been diagnosed with cubital tunnel syndrome from compression of the ulnar nerve in my elbow when it is bent. Have any of you out there experienced this? I've had an EMG which shows the nerve is being compressed and after only 5 minutes playing my ring and pinky fingers on my right hand are numb. I can't hold the phone for very long or even type on my phone or tablet with my elbow bent. I work in a rehab hospital so I decided to try rehab before surgery but the orthopedic surgeon wasn't too optimistic. this is very depressing. I haven't been able to play very much lately and I'm not supposed to play at all right now. I've had problems with tennis elbow in the other elbow (but physical therapy fixed that) and pain in my right shoulder for awhile (one reason I prefer smaller guitars) that the physical therapist said may be arthritic. I'm so sad . Any thoughts or stories to share?

So, so sorry to read this. But there is hope.

I have played guitar since can remember. There's old paper photos of me playing a nylon string recital at a school assembly in 1984. I was very active on this forum (and musically as a professional at the time) until about 2014, when following surgery to reattach my right pectoral muscle, I developed a radial nerve injury, I think whilst my arm was immobilised post-surgery, and could no longer hold anything in my right hand.

I all but gave up playing until after a bout two years of counselling and physical therapy, I was able to hold a flatpick again (although I doubt my fingerstyle will ever go back to what it was)... only to have the same thing happen on the other arm... and then lose control of my left hand.

Because I knew I had been able to recover a fair amount of ability in my right, I determined myself to learn to play again, and started doing lots of exercises and things to regain sensitivity in my hands, such as massaging them with various textures and hot/cold therapy. I decided that if anything at all had worked for anyone, anecdotally or otherwise, I would try it. I used a red 'Joove' light.

One thing that did work for me, though may be controversial, is a peptide called BPC-157. Read about it here: BPC-157

Before I used BPC-157 I had recurring tennis elbow threatening every time I played my guitars seated for longer than 20 mins. Since using it in 2018 it has NEVER come back.

I don't want to totally attribute it to the peptide, because I can't isolate it as the thing that fixed it. You see, as well as this I was simultaneously doing a lot of PT including extensor exercises where you open your fingers into the resistance of rubber bands, to counter all the closing of the hand we do in things like playing the guitar, using garden tools or even carrying bags. I was also rolling my forearms daily with a foam roller and sitting down at a table with a timer and a metronome for 3 x 45 minute stints of 'piano' type finger control exercises on the tabletop (raise each finger individually, then pairs, then odd pairs, then drum in 'waves' from little finger to index and back again and all combinations thereof.

But I got it back. I am gigging again and am fairly close to where I used to be playing-wise, and perhaps even do a few things better than before (some, such as Travis picking, perhaps not as well).

You will be able to do it, too, I am sure. If you are determined, nothing will stop you.

My thoughts and prayers are with you. Good luck.

[MCDEMO1]

I hope the OP, Doxy, gets some relief from all of the suggestions given here so far. I know I have learned a few helpful things to try out.

I'm 70 now. When I was 20 I fell hard on my left shoulder when my legs went out from under me while working in a dairy freezer. For a while I could cause a sensation like a string tightening from my shoulder all the way to my left hand just by rotating my hand 360 degrees with my arm fully extended.

The sensation went away and I never thought about it until about 10 years ago when I developed tennis elbow in that arm (at one point I thought it was a heart issue) and then five years ago the cubital tunnel symptoms - primarily the tingling and numbness in the left hand little and ring fingers. If I wear an elbow brace with a built in rounded rubber pad it seems to take care of the tennis elbow when it flares up, but I'm going to try sleeping with my arms fully extended and not bent.

Acupuncture every two weeks seems to help a bit, but does not totally dissipate the tingling and numbness. Luckily I do not have pain and can live with tingling and numbness.

The other thing I deal with is benign tremors in both hands which can make things like trying to keep salad on a fork interesting. I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes a few years ago and have lost the weight and control it without having to take meds, but diabetes can cause nerve damage if you do not catch it in time. I had a feeling something was not right long before my ex-primary care doctor who dismissed my concerns. Unfortunately I did not follow through with more self investigation and it took a few more years before I was diagnosed via blood tests.

So far the good thing for me is that the cubital tunnel and tremors do not effect my rudimentary playing of instruments, which I only do to relax and for my own enjoyment.

Best of luck to everyone dealing with health issues.

[jaymarsch]

What a bummer, Doxy! I wish you the best and hope that some rest and rehab will set things right.
Best,
Jayne