Edema after cellulitis, injury advice

[rube_bloom_fan]

Hi everyone.

I recently had cellulitis (a cutaneous infection) on the back of my right hand from a tiny cat scratch.  My hand was swollen and painful for 4 days before I started antibiotics.  The antibiotics got rid of the pain, but now, 3 weeks later, I still have swelling in my pinky, ring and middle finger, as well as the back of my hand and wrist.  Depending on the amount of swelling, it is between painless and dull throbbing.  Piano playing makes it worse, with swelling augmenting with every minute I play, and it becomes uncomfortable after 45 minutes (stiffness from swelling, pain, fear of worsening the situation).  I keep my hand elevated as much as I can but there is a low yet manageable baseline swelling that won’t go away.  I have an extremely rare condition that makes me pre-disposed to swelling (idiopathic hypoalbuminemia), though up until now I have only ever had swelling in my legs.  So I have no idea if my problem here is related to my condition, if I am just dealing with possible (yet seemingly uncommon) post-cellulitis swelling, or if it is a mix of both.

I am of course seeing doctors, but the process is slow, as each specialist requires a waiting period of at least a few days.  After 2 ER trips, one meeting with an orthopedic doctor, and one generalist, I will see a vascular doctor where I will get an doppler ultrasonography in 4 days.  In the meantime I am lost, scared, sad... I am a professional violinist, so this doesn't effect that too much because it is my bow hand.  But a year ago I decided to convert my career towards early jazz piano after years of amateur piano playing, and this could be a major roadblock or even prevent me from playing piano, depending on whether it will last a month, a year or my entire life.

I don't expect to find a solution here, but I am curious if anyone has similar post-cellulitis stories or advice. I am curious if anyone knows how to avoid swelling while playing piano, or what mechanism could be aggravating the swelling (increased blood flow? improper breathing?).  I am curious if people have resources for musicians who are struggling with injury.  I am 35, and seeing my body fall apart in a way that is out of my control and in a way that prevents me doing what I love is pretty heavy psychologically.

@brogers70 posted a similar topic 10 years ago, and I was wondering how that developed:

https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php?topic=40981.msg454534#msg454534

Thank you all for this forum, where I have lurked occasionally for the last couple years!

[brogers70]

Wow, you found my old post on that. Indeed, I had edema and swelling in my right index finger after an episode of cellulitis. A surgeon friend of mine told me that it was not very uncommon for swelling after cellulitis to last many months. I cannot remember exactly, but I think it took about 6 months before the swelling went down enough for me to use my right hand at the piano. It was pretty depressing during that time. I'd keep looking at that finger, measuring it, and wondering whether I'd ever be able to play again, or play anything other than arrangements for the left hand alone. But in the end it got better and now it's not an issue at all. That finger will still swell up a bit, if I go on a long hike on a warm day with my hands at my side, but it doesn't last. I cannot say whether your problem is related to the hypoalbuminemia, but I think there is a decent chance it will resolve after some (too many to be pleasant) months.

My surgeon friend also got me a compression glove to try to reduce the swelling. It was kind of him, but I'm not sure whether it helped at all, or maybe even made it take longer to heal. So I can't make a recommendation on that. I did try to keep my hand elevated (on a desk or table) when possible, and did not sleep with my weight on that arm.

Good luck. It is pretty anxiety-provoking.

[rube_bloom_fan]

Thanks for responding so fast!

When you type "finger edema piano" in google, your post comes up.

Yes, I like you am constantly measuring the size of my hand and fingers. It is pretty obsessive, and I don't know how to stop focusing on it.  I keep my hands up every chance I get, sleep on my back with my hands on elevated on my stomach, have compression bandaged my fingers for parts of the day... hopefully the vein doctor will be able to give me good advice as well, and possibly tell my why piano playing aggravates the situation (more than anything else!).  I wish I had a surgeon (or any doctor) friend! Personally I haven't read anywhere on the internet that swelling can persist for a long time, I have actually read the opposite.  But one doctor I saw said swelling can persist.

I am happy for you that your problem resolved with time, and that gives me hope, though I have this complication that I mentioned which makes things uncertain... I guess unless I figure out how to calm my mind, the foreseeable future will be pretty anxiety-laden.

Thank you for your words!

[fftransform]

Well, busy yourself with some nice LH music.  Thoracic Outlet Syndrome on the right side for me atm, gonna be a month or two.

Doing the Corigliano myself, care to join? =P

[brogers70]

I started working on this when I had my RH edema, but it was too hard. Then four years later I hurt my RH stacking firewood, had to give that hand a couple of months off, and finally was able to learn it.

[rube_bloom_fan]

Thanks for the ideas.  I have been playing left hand stride and singing along.  Not the most exciting musically, but that's what I was learning (with right hand) up until now. 

And as for the chaconne... I play that on the violin