Arthritis and Playing Guitar

I started playing when I was 13 and now I am 66 and have arthritis in my fingers of both hands. I am finding it harder and harder to make some cords and to change from one cord to another. Like from G to C is really hard for me and takes so long to form the C cord that I get out of time. I guess I will have to give it up now and it really disturbs me. Anyone have any suggestions for my arthritis? I wish there was a magic cure.

take fish oil pills might help alleviate it some

Originally Posted by: Dnkrwktake fish oil pills might help alleviate it some

Thanks for the suggestion. Seems it is hereditary as my father had the same problem. I have been taking fish oil for over a year and it has only been getting worse. I wish it had helped but being hereditary I guess it won't make any difference. So unfortunately I am having to leave Guitar Tricks as of today. I have loved music for so long I am kinda depressed about the whole thing. Well I hope I can keep playing bass if it is possible and singing. Bye all it has been a sweet loving journey. See you all down the road.

Bill

Hi Bill,
Sorry to hear you're leaving GT - especially because I have the same problem of arthritic hands. And I'm the same age as you. Have you investigated different (and easier) voicings of the chords you usually play - often you can play simpler and nice-sounding alternatives. Mr Schlegel on GT is an expert on this sort of thing so maybe he could point you towards relevant lessons. Just that it seems a shame to give up, I know it's a day I dread myself.
Best wishes, Steve

I'm 60 and have pain every so often in the joint used to extend the pinky. I have a "stim" unit from a pain specialist and "juice" the area for an hour while at rest. It clears the pain. See a pain doctor or hand specialist to see if any such application could help you get a few more years out of those hands.

Are you taking disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) like methotrexate and hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil)? Or homeopathic pain management remedies? Seeing a homeopath could actually help a lot.

It's actually quite important to stay active and do what you love, in turn keeping you positive and happy. Obviously living in pain makes it very difficult to do either of those.

I hope that you find a pain management combination that works.

Originally Posted by: Peter_Hinweis...It's actually quite important to stay active...

A key point here. With arthritis, keeping active may keep arthritis at bay. Conversely, inactivity usually serves to make the joint issues worse...it certainly does nothing to improve the situation.

Search the web and study up on the issue. You might find info specific to musicians (there are musicians clinics in some major cities, e.g., Boston). Seek a doctor's/specialist's advice.

Best wishes.

Hello everyone - I'm also a 'lucky' arthritis sufferer and sometimes it's almost impossible to get things working. I find that for me I have to have a much longer warm up before my hands want to do anything fun. Sometimes I just can't make the guitar chords work and on that day I'll swap across to ukulele. Sometimes guitar seems to be okay.

I saw someone mention fish oil pills. I've also had some luck with 'green lipped muscle extract' but I don't know if you can get it where you are. I've also had luck with arnica and the topical creams if I rub it on my hands and really give them a massage before I start. You have to make sure it's not on your hands to get on your guitar though before you play...

Hope you can keep going mate, must really does help and guitar will keep those hands and fingers mobile.

Take care.

Oh my God, I’m 56 years old and I thought I was the only one with this problem although my playing isn’t being handled all that much with arthritis as it is with pains in my wrist from Carpal Tunnel or at least what I believe may be carpel tunnel, the problem is I don’t have health insurance so I really can’t afford to get the surgery to correct, I just play through the pain but I am finding it hard forming open “C” chords myself, and here to think I was alone with this problem

Natural Alkaline water, not the manufactured stuff. Drink a quart a day. If it is going to work, it will work withing a week. I am 51 and was starting to have joint issues and mild arthritic issues (also hereditary) while playing ice hockey.

I recommend that you buy 7 bottles of water (Trader Joe's sells naturally occurring alkaline drinking water from a well in Carlsbad), drink one every day for the next week and see if it helps. It can't hurt (though I'm no doctor).

I don’t have arthritis but have a similar problem with the C chord. My fretting index finger is fairly disabled due to punching a guy in the forehead when I was 16 years old. Oh the follies of youth! I can’t bend it fully or completely straighten it.

I’ve wanted to be a guitar player for most of my life and have given up in the past because of this. I’ve also tried to be happy playing the bass since I didn’t need to fret chords. Well, this past year is so I decided I’d give it my best effort now at 48 years old. I am doing what I can to work around my finger. If I have to switch to a C chord I will often hold the 5th string C barre which I can do with no problems. Not the same voicing but better than giving up.

No sage words of wisdom, just came in to add a voice of brotherhood.