Tendinitis happens in a lot of places. I got myself a dandy case last Nov/Dec. as a result of improper technique during my upright lessons (my thumbs are sort of double-jointed and my "fretting" hand thumb was bending backwards behind the neck, giving me a case of "tennis elbow"). Playing electric wasn't enough to bring on tendinitis, but once I had it, it certainly aggrevated it to the point that I had to practice for New year's Eve gig with my bass flat on a table and fretting over the top of the neck instead of reaching from underneath. I finally had a cortisone shot to shut down the inflammation.

It's all good now; I do stretching exercises before and during playing, I wear one of those tennis-elbow straps if I'm playing electric for a long stretch (i.e., during gigs), I'm careful about my hand position when practicing upright, I QUIT if it starts "zinging" there, and then I ice it down at bedtime. I also do muscle toning exercises in the form of small hand weights, lifting them very slowly to get the muscles and tendons stretched properly. All of this has helped a lot.

Which gives you no help for your fingers. Definitely iceing down anything inflammed is a big help, and unfortunately you do just have to quit playing for a while to let it heal (I had the cortisone shot about 10 days before I had to play and really played nothing during that time).

My upright teacher had the same thing happen to him quite some while back (he's primarily a cello player), but he ended up having to take a 6-month break from the bass to let everything recover.

That's my perspective.

;^)

The Doc gave me some Vioxx, and so far the pills are doing zilcho. I still wake up with stiff fingers, especially the left index finger. Funny, though: when I play they aren't stiff anymore! doc said to check back if the pills don't work, and I wonder what he will try next? Voodoo? Snake Oil? Anything except a SHOT! OUCH! I'm no baby, but why suffer even more!?

Shots don't bother me. I've learned to visualize all the muscle cells "parting like the Red Sea", so to speak, so it leaves a clear path for the needle to go in and I don't feel it. (Came in very handy when I was getting my tattoo!)

Plus, my doc mixed in Lydocaine (sp?) with the cortisone to numb everything up. It was really a non-event. Of course, it was near my elbow, not my fingers, so it was an easier place to receive an injection.

My mother has rheumatoid arthritis, and when she gets flareups in her knuckles the doc will give her a cortisone shot right in the knuckle. I guess it's pretty intense for a moment, but sometimes there isn't any other way to shut down the inflammation response.

It's heck being mortal, isn't it??

:^)

I will give it a rest for a week more. If my fingers are still sore, then I suppose a shot is necessary.

TATTOOS: I have THREE tattoos... and the needle never bothered me at all!