Drumming Injury Advice needed!

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drummingrocks13

Junior Member
Today while I was working on rudiments on my practice pad, I experienced something slightly worrying. I felt something, that wasn't quite a pop but almost as if something slipped, in the area right around the joint at the bottom of my thumb, and then felt a sharp pain centered in that spot but radiating somewhat into the side of my wrist. After that I waited and tried to play again but immediately felt more pain so I stopped. I then iced the area for around 15 minutes. For a few hours it was a little achey, and it has felt only slightly fatigued. Now, around 6 hours later, it feels almost normal again. Anyone else experience something similar/know what it is/have advice for treatment and prevention? I practice at least an hour and a half or more most days to keep up my chops, so figuring out what to do sooner rather than later would be best... Thanks!
 
I experience something like that too. I think it is a stress injury caused by whipping my wrist around too much. I take a 10 minute break every hour and sometimes change instruments to change my motion. I find that sleeping with a wrist brace helps, possibly because of the compression.
 
Hmmm I think you should get a proper diagnosis from a health professional FIRST( ? Physio )

Advice on such matters can be a dime a dozen from "untrained" people but a proper diagnosis and treatment plan should be your first step, maybee ask the health person how you can apply treatment plan to drum playing.

Obce you have a CLEAR idea of whats wrong maybee ask others here for drum set up advice....

good luck !!
 
I don't get hurt while drumming but I do while working out /work. When it happens , I just take it easy and use the pain as an indicator : really sore, rest

Medium sore , go easy and get done motion going

Light pain, just go easy.

That is what pain is for:)
 
I don't think many people want to dole out marginal medical advice here. Could be the early warning signs of something that could become an issue if left unchecked/untreated. Who knows? I've never had any hand issues, so I can't help you, sir.
 
drummingrocks13 said:
Today while I was working on rudiments on my practice pad, I experienced something slightly worrying. I felt something, that wasn't quite a pop but almost as if something slipped, in the area right around the joint at the bottom of my thumb, and then felt a sharp pain centered in that spot but radiating somewhat into the side of my wrist. After that I waited and tried to play again but immediately felt more pain so I stopped. I then iced the area for around 15 minutes. For a few hours it was a little achey, and it has felt only slightly fatigued. Now, around 6 hours later, it feels almost normal again. Anyone else experience something similar/know what it is/have advice for treatment and prevention? I practice at least an hour and a half or more most days to keep up my chops, so figuring out what to do sooner rather than later would be best... Thanks!
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I had the exact same thing - scared the crap out of me. Then I went to see a chiro/sports specialist in NYC (Dr. Williams & Dr. Okin) who work with drummers (Dr. Okin knows Steve Gadd). It's basically your radial nerve and it comes from the punishing movements we do. I got it on my right as well and I hit very hard, even in my morning rudiment workouts on my DTX.

You can see a chiro for adjustments and checks for scar tissue in your right forearm.

In the meantime, starting now, here's some exercises you can do in the morning and before you play and before sleep:

1) Stand up straight, keep you arms at your side and straight as well. Keep your right had straight (don't bend fingers) and move your hand inward - your fingers should be touching your upper thigh (your hand and arm are now foming an "L".

2) Turn you head to the left side - 20 times slowly, going as far as you can without causing yourslef pain. The movement looks kinda like those guys in "Night at the Roxbury" :)

3) Then hold your arm up, open hand and move it back and forth slowly (like flapping one wing) to stretch your pectoral muscles - 20 X

I do this exercise every day as maintenance and it works for me.
 
wombat said:
Hmmm I think you should get a proper diagnosis from a health professional FIRST( ? Physio )

Advice on such matters can be a dime a dozen from "untrained" people but a proper diagnosis and treatment plan should be your first step, maybee ask the health person how you can apply treatment plan to drum playing.

Obce you have a CLEAR idea of whats wrong maybee ask others here for drum set up advice....

good luck !!
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This^.Even medical professionals won't advise you over the internet.That will result, in many cases,in losing their license to practice medicine.I realize some forum members are just trying to help,but ONLY a medical professional,can diagnose and treat a problem like that.They need to personally examine the injury site,to determine the course of treatment if any.

Don't cheap out when it comes to your health,or your ability to play the instrument.It may be nothing of consequence,or the beginings of a larger problem.Either way,you need to know.Get thee to a doctor....period.:)

Steve B
 
Obviously your condition is caused by a brain tumor. You will need to get a brainectomy.

This happened to me a couple years ago and after the brainectomy my internet forum comments vastly improved.

And you know you can trust my advice because, after all, this is an internet forum and I have over 500 comments on it.
 
New Tricks said:
I'll also give you the same answer that I got when I went to a doctors forum and asked about my drums. :)
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Dude,both you and Jim (below) hit at least a stand up double on those posts.Straight off the shoulder,and on point.:)

In fact,there sould be a stickey thread ,advising drummers to avoid the asking medical advice,on an internet drumming forum.It simply comes down to what you seek,just isn't here.It's the same as asking a plumber to do a valve job..........on your car.:)

Steve B
 
tamadrm said:
In fact,there sould be a stickey thread ,advising drummers to avoid the asking medical advice,on an internet drumming forum
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Could, but from now on might I humbly suggest that the stock answer just be "Brain tumor"? It would certainly get the point across with the added benefit of building an inside joke.
 
Midnite Zephyr said:
Hey Jim, I was wondering...what is wrong with my head?
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Tinea fungus. I can tell from your avatar. This is one of those rare instances when it's not a brain tumor. Good thing you came to this forum for a proper diagnosis!
 
HHHHHMMMMM.The OP,hasn't posted here since two days ago,but still signs on.We weren't meaning to disparage you in any way,but we were trying to get out point across,I guess at your expense.

If you want to talk all that's drumming,or something else out there in the off topic lounge,then we're all ears,but the subject of treating medical conditions,dosen't belong on a drum forum,period.

Steve B
 
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I recently had tendonitis in my right wrist and every time I would play pain would start in the area that my wrist was inflamed. I read online all about ice and rest and Nsaids and wrist braces to try to help it, and this relieved the pain when I wasn't drumming. I'd be able to go the whole day with no pain but still if I tried playing pain would return. I stopped playing for 3 weeks but still their was inflammation and it still hurt when I tried playing. Then I got serious about my technique and put a mirror in front of me and played til my hands hurt and noticed 3 things wrong with what I was doing. They included buzz roll technique, posture, and the height of the drum. I have adjusted all 3 of those and have been able to play pain free even with inflammation in my wrist.

It's all in the technique!
 
I'm glad this worked out for you,but taking medical advice over the internet ,is hit or miss at best,and in some cases,dangerous.The initial problem could/should have been diagnosed by a medical professional,to be certain that there hasn't been damage,or the start of a larger problem.You should read all the posts in this thread.

It's pretty plain to see that if you wanted drumming advice,you wouldn't seek it on a medical professionals forum,or drumming advice on a plumbers forum.The advice you recieve on other places,is designed to that you can't sue anybody,if something goes wrong.

No medical advice on drum forums.It's not the place for it.Drummers are NOT qualified to give medical advise to another drummer,that may worsen their condition.A medical degree,a license to practice medicine and a physical examination is needed.

When you go to your doctors office,is he a drum forum member,or is he an actual M.D.with a license to practice medicine.......,and which would you want examining you......truthfully?

Steve B
 
I get what you are all saying as far as it is hard to expect medical advice from a drum forum. However my line of thinking wasn't that I'd be getting the kind of advice that a doctor would give, but rather to see if anyone had had a similar problem and anything simple that they had done that had helped.
 
also just an update, (and i do have a doctor's appoinment scheduled) yesterday morning my thumb was numb when I woke up. It is still numb. Other areas of my wrist have been showing little bits of pain as well, despite the fact that I haven't played at all since the initial injury. I don't expect advice at this point just thought I'd update. Hopefully the doctor will be helpful!
 
drummingrocks13 said:
... my line of thinking wasn't that I'd be getting the kind of advice that a doctor would give, but rather to see if anyone had had a similar problem and anything simple that they had done that had helped.
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See, that's the problem. Symptom X might be caused by A but it might also be caused by B, C, D or E, or some combination. So maybe someone here suffered from A but you suffer from D. What helped them isn't going to help you. It might even make you worse. If you go to a medical professional they will do a differential diagnosis, something the vast number of forum members are not trained to do.

For example, it's literally possible that someone could get wrist or hand pain from a brain tumor. I had a student a few years back who had a brain tumor (I'm not making this up). Fortunately it was operable and he wound up OK but he had some very odd symptoms like suddenly smelling lilacs when no flowers were around. Please understand that I am in no way implying that you have a brain tumor. I am simply not qualified to say anything definitive about your injury. The best you're going to get here is conjecture.
 
drummingrocks13 said:
also just an update, (and i do have a doctor's appoinment scheduled) yesterday morning my thumb was numb when I woke up. It is still numb. Other areas of my wrist have been showing little bits of pain as well, despite the fact that I haven't played at all since the initial injury. I don't expect advice at this point just thought I'd update. Hopefully the doctor will be helpful!
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I do hope that you'll feel better soon,and your problen will be relativly simple to treat,but Jims post is spot on.Any number of things can cause the same symptoms in many different patients.Just watch a few episodes of House MD,and that will become glaringly obvious.

Numbness in the extrenities can also be caused by chemical imbalance problems as well,caused by conditions like diabetes.Going to a medical professional is the only way to go.Pain is the bodies way of telling you something's wrong.Always heed that warning.

Steve B
 
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