'Pins and Needles' in Wrist

February 11, 2004 at 09:20 AM · Pins and needles in the wrist means nervous irritation.It might due to an overuse of flexion-extension or of rotation of the wrist . you should try to play with a more solid wrist slightly tilted towards the thumb. Aspirin may release the pain for a while but it is not advisable for a long term.You have to reevaluate your bow technic and stop exercice as soon as pain appears. Cheers

February 11, 2004 at 09:51 AM · I have this problem in my left shoulder blade and arm; aspirin won't help a bit, because it is a pain reliever and not anti-inflammatory. You could try some Advil or Motrin (also known as ibuprofin, an anti-inflammatory drug). In order for these drugs to work properly you need to take them regularly for a few days. You may have a pinched nerve, but it is likely an overuse injury that won't be easily diagnosed with any particular medical test. Still, you could consult an orthopedist or neurologist, who may order an EMG, which will test your nerve conduction and indicate if there is a nerve problem. Before you take that route, I would recommend stretching, taking ibuprofin regularly for a couple of weeks (800 mg a day at most), applying ice two or three times a day, and, MOST importantly, cut down on your practicing for 2-3 weeks before resuming your normal schedule.

February 11, 2004 at 10:15 AM · be very carefull with this. It's a warning. I have "pins and needles" in my left hand for the last 4 years. I believe it came from repetition on an exercise machine. Anything repetitive can cause carpel tunnel syndrome or repetitive injury. Once it's full blown, you live with it.

February 11, 2004 at 04:39 PM · This could be very serious since the symptom suggests that the nerves in your wrist may be affected. From what I understand, nerves have only a limited caspacity to heal so damage, once done, cannot be easily reversed. I don't mean to alarm you too much but it's important that you consult with your teacher to reevaluate your bow technique--position of your wrist, tension, warm up exercises, etc.

Yuo probably also should consult a doctor and/or a physical therapist.

How old are you and how long have you had the problem?

February 11, 2004 at 08:24 PM · sounds like nerve damage to me as well, i'd figure out how you're causing it and stop at once, and go to a physical therapist of some kind. there are a lot of preventive exercises that can forstall carpal tunnel and the like.

February 12, 2004 at 01:44 AM · I'm no expert, but it sounds like over-use. Maybe you need to practice in smaller chunks, like a half-hour here, a half-hour there, at least until things heal up a bit.

February 12, 2004 at 02:43 AM · Greetings,

yes you need to give this some serious thought.

Alain has alread mentioned one dangerous movement for the wrist (dropping the hand straight down too far- raising the wrist is health...). But the two most potentially injurious are abduction and adduction. Adduction is where if your right palm is facing you the hand moves slaterally to the left so the litlte finger drops towards your elbow. The palm of the hand does not change plane. the reverse, abduction, is where the thumb swings towards your elbow. In the late 19th early 20th C thes emovements were actually an integral part of the (?) German school of bowing and many a promising career was destroyed by such playing. It is not common these days but it surprising the number of peopl who believe that the thumb should from a straight line with the forearm which is classic adduction and very damaging to the wrist in the long reun as well as limiting technique.

As well as the above suggestions I recommend you consult eithger a Feldenkreis or Alexander teacher as quickly a spossibl. In the meantime, if it starts-stop-

Cheers,

Buri

February 12, 2004 at 07:24 AM · Please Noel don't try diagnosis over the web,it is dangerous.Certainly don't start shoving down painkillers or anti.inflamatry drugs as apart from merely masking symtoms can lead to addiction with other side effects.Go and see your doctor and first check out that it is not a serious problem.-once you have satisfied yourself on that score you can consider which therapy or technique change is appropriate.

February 12, 2004 at 11:46 AM · Noel, I would suggest the Alexander Technique as your best option. I am probably biased, being a qualified teacher. However, I "got into it" as a result of playing injuries which finished my career as a violinist, but which I realise retrospectively, could have been prevented had I had access to the AT at the time. The problems you describe are almost certainly caused by the way you use yourself, both when playing and, on a general basis. There is a lot of crap purporting to be the Alexander Tecnique, but a good teacher should be able to help you with both of these problems including getting your violin out and helping you work out the best way of playing i.e. with good use. People are right to say that you shouldn't try a diagnosis over the web or start taking painkillers/anti-inflammatories as they don't deal with the cause of the problem. The Alexander Technique does………and has other benefits besides. See www.paat.org.uk for further details. If you are in the UK, then these are the people to contact as they teach the AT as it is meant to be taught i.e. on the basis of anatomy and physiology rather than some airy fairy idea. Feldenkreis isn't the same as the AT. Hope that helps.

February 12, 2004 at 08:50 PM · sounds to me like you need to stop using your hand as a pin cushion...

February 12, 2004 at 09:55 PM · i know this has little to do with the conversation, but doesn't the phrase "pins and needles" seem a little redundant. unless of course pins feel different than needles..

February 12, 2004 at 11:54 PM · Greetings,

Alison , glad to hear you are an Alexander teacher. Did you make it to the ATA conference in Oxford last year? Have you ever met Vivienne Mackie?

Anywa, of course FEldenkreis is different in process but from what I have seen disuceed on good forums for ATA the objective of effective use of primary control is also central but it is more normal to approach this through the injured part ratehr than vice versa. This has worked well for a lot of musicians who were getting good results from Alexander bur\t needed more. There is no reason the two appraoches should not complement each otehr, although I am a die hard Alexander chap myself,]Cheers,

Buri

February 13, 2004 at 11:33 PM · Thank you all for your responses! I've had this problem off and on for over a year, yet it only appears after a heavy week of practicing. I have seen a doctor about it, but was told is wasn't serious. However, I do have an appointment with my doctor in a couple weeks, so I'll get it checked out. How do they determine if it is nerve damage, and how would it be treated?

Owen- yes, it is redundant, but isn't it an idiom or at least a common expression? I guess "prickly feeling" would have worked! ;-)

February 14, 2004 at 03:50 AM · i was just being a wise-arse, but i would look for a good physical therapist, look around. i'd imagine a sports therapist could help you. I went through a lot of thse things whe i broke my left wrist.

February 16, 2004 at 03:35 PM · Hi Steve. Yes, I got into the AT because of all the problems I had with playing and of all the things I tried, it was the only thing that made any sense at all - and indeed is the only thing that continues to make any sense - so I never looked back. The AT has enabled me to do all sorts of things I didn't think I could do or indeed, couldn't do before. I didn't make it to the conference and therefore did'nt meet V. Mackie, but I've heard of her. I take it she was/is your teacher? Yes, you are right, there is no reason why the AT and F'kreis shouldn't be combined as long as you use the AT to do F'kries. It can't work the other way round as use is a total thing, not partial i.e. you cannot use one part of you in isolation therefore if you've got a problem with your hand say, chances are it's to do with your habituat misuse on a general basis. As I said, there is a lot of dross purporting to be the AT, but it is based on how our system (our entire physiology) works. Since our physiology only works one way, therefore there is only one way............ But anyway, I won't go into all that........ You obviously got into the AT quite a lot though and I would guess, have read about it. You can read more at www.paat.org.uk. 'fraid we don't have anyone in Japan though............ however, a v. good book (only a fiver) - Towards perfect posture - written by Brian Door - who founded PAAT and trained all of us.......... Cheers. A