Ok, this is really pointless to anyone other than me but I feel the eed to share anyway. Last year, my freshman year of college, I was a music major. I was living my dream of the last 10 years of my life and was loving every moment of it, until this time last year.
I started having a problem with my hand cramping up when I played. Long story short, after seeing three or four doctors and receiving a number of diagnoses (is that a word?) that proved false one doctor found the cause of the problem, and the bad news that came with it.
I had (and probably still have) a nerve disorder called Focal Dystonia. It’s rare to the point of being near nonexistent outside of the circle of musicians. It’s so rare and so little studied hat the medical community still doesn’t even fully understand it or its causes…to the point that it is diagnosed by simply outruling anything else.
Anyway, Doc thinks focal dystonia, tests prove to be consistent with this, delivers his prognosis. If I want to retain full use of my hand I would have to stop playing, probably for good. If I ever could be able to play I could count on never improving. So I did the only thing I oculd do, left school, went to another, took on a new major at a new school and picked up a job as a system’s admin to pay my way through. I put my clarinet down, and it sat there collecting dust for the last year, never to be played again I was afraid.
Well, two weeks ago I was asked to play in the pit for “Fiddler on the Roof”…the show I have always wanted to either act in or play for. I couldn’t turn it down, but I took it on with the understanding from the director I might not be able to fulfil the duties required of me (we are talking a VERY demanding book here) and would take care of obtining my own stand-in should the need arise.
I am thrilled to say right now that opening night for the show is tomorrow night, I just got back from my 6th rehearsal and my hand is feeling well enough to even type this. So much for never being able to play again
Great news. I can’t imagine having to give up something that you love so much to do. I’m hoping the long break will allow you to complete the contract (at minimum). Good Luck.
Hey Meros, look into things like the Alexander technique or Rolfing. I haven’t personally used them (I’m just a dabbler in music) but I hear really good things about them.
Here’s an articlethat talks about musician’s injuries and some remedies.
I have had friends develop severe tendonitis and were told by the docs to give up playing for good. I feel your pain as that is my absolute worst musical fear. That and accidently slamming and locking my hand in the car door.
I don’t know what the Alexander technique is but Rolfing is a very invasive form of massage. IE, very deep tissue. I don’t know if your problem is joint, tendon, or muscle related but I don’t think Rolfing does much for joints. Is there an equivalent of a chiropractor for joints other than the back, or do chiropractors do other joints also? If so, and your problem is joint related, that may also be an option.
Also, if you continue playing without taking care of it, it may make your problem significantly worse. I would look into ways to alleviate the problem before going out and doing a lot of performances.
BTW, congrats on the gig. I hope you enjoy it as much as I think I would.
All I know from what the doc told me was that it is basically a muscle problem. The mechanics aren’t fullyunderstood and there is really only one person researching it, and he’s at the University of Milan, Italy. Luckily I work with one of his former students so may, at some point, become a part of his research. As things stand now I am being VERY careful…I know about the deep tissue massage and it tends to help somewhat provided I massage the right place, which is different every time it hits me. Heat packs at night after rehearsals have been doing some good too it seems.
