Pain Management

[jnar]

Hello all! First time poster here. I'm looking for a little advice in the field of pain, specifically in the wrist

I was involved in a car accident where I got hit by a car on my bike and I had to get surgery done on my wrist to correct a malunioned  bone. Now, it's not so much the playing of the piano that wreaks havoc, but writing - be it anything thing pen/pencil to paper - It's horrible and pretty terrifying.

My question is to anybody who's had the misfortune of dealing with pain, how do you deal with it and manage to still practice/perform on the piano? Medication? Exercise and/or physical therapy? Tell me your stories, please!

[keyboardclass]

Does the end joint of your index finger break inwards when you write?

[jnar]

No, sir. When I write, my wrist locks up in a sense and I have to let it "breathe" for a second before continuing. Sometimes I need to wait in upwards to half an hour if I've been writing extensively, which is a huuge pain in the butt as i'm in college at the moment.

Please, tell me what you know!

[jimbo320]

The same thing happens to me, well sort of. I had to get my wrist re-broken to correct the wrong way it was healing after an original break. Now the tendon that runs from my wrist to my thumb locks up on the wrong side of my radius during sleep. When I get up it really hurts to snap it back in place. Until I do it's like my wrist is stuck straight and painful. My PT says it has to do with alignment of the tendon and might need surgery to correct it...

[keyboardclass]

You need to get to a performing arts clinic.  Whereabouts are you?  All I can think of remotely is  https://www.tabmantables.com/cowling.html The entire 'Cowling System' seems to be here in a book - https://www.make-music-better.com/hand-strengthening-exercises-Cowling-System-1.html

[ionian_tinnear]

You need to get to a performing arts clinic.

Is there such a thing?  I've heard rumours, but they seem to be in Oz if they really exist.  I'm west coast U.S. and have had to play in pain for 20+ years since the doctors here don't consider what we do all that important.

[keyboardclass]

In the US you have this group: https://www.sciandmed.com/mppa/ .  A bit of research should turn up some help.  In the UK there's BAPAM and ISSTIP.  In Germany these people: https://www.immm.hmtm-hannover.de/en/

[ionian_tinnear]

Thanks,  I'll see if they can recommend someone who can try to help me.

[jnar]

You need to get to a performing arts clinic.  Whereabouts are you?  All I can think of remotely is  https://www.tabmantables.com/cowling.html The entire 'Cowling System' seems to be here in a book - https://www.make-music-better.com/hand-strengthening-exercises-Cowling-System-1.html

Thank you and in fact, I already have. Some hospitals have wings specialized in the performing arts. I ended up actually being sent out to Mayo Clinic up in Minnesota, U.S.A. The leading wrist surgeon there, who actually developed the initial surgery for the Scaphoid itself was the one who treated me!  I feel really blessed

Anyhow, jimbo said

The same thing happens to me, well sort of. I had to get my wrist re-broken to correct the wrong way it was healing after an original break. Now the tendon that runs from my wrist to my thumb locks up on the wrong side of my radius during sleep. When I get up it really hurts to snap it back in place. Until I do it's like my wrist is stuck straight and painful. My PT says it has to do with alignment of the tendon and might need surgery to correct it...

Freaky.. I had the same procedure done on my Scaphoid bone. I'm curious, did you have to go through physical therapy? Also, what kind of music is it that you practice the most? I'm infatuated with Franz Liszt so I have to restrain my practice sessions from over-taxing my wrist.

[alan22]

Thank you and in fact, I already have. Some hospitals have wings specialized in the performing arts. I ended up actually being sent out to Mayo Clinic up in Minnesota, U.S.A. The leading wrist surgeon there, who actually developed the initial surgery for the Scaphoid itself was the one who treated me!  I feel really blessed

Anyhow, jimbo said

Freaky.. I had the same procedure done on my Scaphoid bone. I'm curious, did you have to go through physical therapy? Also, what kind of music is it that you practice the most? I'm infatuated with Franz Liszt so I have to restrain my practice sessions from over-taxing my wrist.

here is a very famous surgeon named Johnson some of my friend was his patients............ they are quite ok he is very famous in minisota.........

[indianajo]

It sounds as if you have an uncorrected injury. I will leave that issue to the physicians.
 My wrist pain is more general, and only in one. It started when I was eleven, mowing lawns, when I held my wrist at 90 deg to the mower handle. (I stopped doing that). The wrist pain disappeared when the testosterone started about age 13.  Now that I am 61 and the hormone levels are back down wrist pain is much more noticeable.   I especially have trouble if I have recently tried to do a push up, or torqued engine bolts.  
The pleasure of playing the piano helps damp out the pain, but often afterwards I take an anti-inflammatory drug, either ibuprofen or naproxen. I have been prescribed a Cox-2 inhibitor for arthritis in my knee, meloxicam, but I find naproxen works a lot better, and ibuprofen is pretty good. Ibuprofen use has been correlated in a medical study with lower dementia in old people, so I lean towards taking that if it is enough. All NSAID drugs have an effect on stomach ulcers, so be sure you don't have much of that. I have a small ulcer but seem to tolerate moderate NSAID use without excessive bleeding.
I also ride an exercycle thirty minutes a day, keeping my heart rate about 150 bpm.  This seems to give me as much natural endomorphin as I used to get by jogging in my Army boots, but requires less nasty weather and knee pain.