Hi all. It's been awhile since I've posted because it's been awhile since I've played. The radiation burns on my upper chest that was preventing me from playing has finally healed, only to be replaced by significant neuropathy in both of my hands. I had an MRI last night to find out if the neuropathy is (hopefully) toxicity caused by four months of chemotherapy, or, if the cancer has metastasized to my brain. Should know by early next week.

Anyway, anybody have any experience playing through neuropathy? It takes the form of numbness in my fingers. I really miss being able to play, and hate the thought of having to give up being a Stickist.

Jim

Jim, I don't, but I wanted to chime in anyway and say that it's good to hear that the burns have healed. I took a quick look online (I'm sure you already have) to see if there's anything that can be done at home to alleviate the symptoms, but most info is geared toward diabetic neuropathy, particularly in the feet.
One suggestion was taking frequent warm baths - I like that one. I'd also add Epsom salt.
Best of luck to you; if I can find anything good, I'll let you know!

I can say as a person who recovered from a traumatic brain injury, one of the key elements is to keep trying without pushing too hard. Even if you can't feel it in your fingers, maybe you feel it in your wrists? Just a few minutes a day, give it a shot and stop before you get frustrated. Even if you aren't tapping on the Stick, try tapping a tabletop. I cannot say what your end result will be, but then again, the doctors got my case completely wrong too. All you can do is try.

As an acupuncturist, I treat neuropathy fairly frequently… It is a difficult issue to treat, with varied success rates, depending on the health of the person, how long it has been going on and the cause… Do you have any lymphedema at all? if you want to PM me, I can give you some resources from an Oriental Medicine standpoint that might be useful to you. Best to you

I have no lymphedema. The cause of the neuropathy is yet to be determined. I am inclined to believe it is a side effect of chemotherapy neurotoxicity, specifically, Cisplatin and Etopaside. I am being treated for Small Cell Lung Cancer, which has a high rate of metastasis to the brain, which could also cause neuropathy. I had an MRI last night, so I should know by the first of the week what I am dealing with. The numbness affects my ability to control the strength at which I play. I can feel the strings, I just can't control the volume well, or hit "the mark", i.e., at the fret, well. It makes for very sloppy tone. Also affects my coordination and speed.

As I am about to receive Whole Brain Radiation, I am sure that this problem is going to get worse before it gets better. Good suggestions so far. Keep them coming.

Jim

Blessings and healing to you, my friend… You are in my chants and prayers...

Just an update. The MRI was negative for metastasis, so I am probably dealing with chemo related side effects. Therefore, it will probably be at least partially reversible. I played for an hour this afternoon. It was rough at first, but the longer I played, the more my muscle memory kicked in. I was never really able to feel the strings, but the tone was passable.

Jim

That sounds very positive! Thanks for reporting in.

I've got numbness in my hands. It hasn't been diagnosed by a doctor but repetitive motion on thick classical guitar strings is the cause in my opinion. It's probably karpel tunnel but might also have a bit of tendonitis thrown in. Some mornings when I wake up my whole hand has been asleep for hours. Not good for the cells living in one's hand. One thing recommended to me was to alternate hot and cold on the limb in question.

The other was wearing a brace at night so I can't crank the wrist over or crush it with my body. The hot/cold might help you. The brace might not.

The other thing I was told is that electro accupuncture has a good success rate with this kind of thing. I haven't done it for this yet because the problem has not bothered me since I QUIT PLAYING GUITAR for the most part.

I've switched to playing my Ztar lying flat where the duty of soloing/melody falls to the right hand instead. Both hands are below the heart. I read where instruments that have the hands above the heart have a greater incidence of karpel tunnel such as flute and violin.

My hands now are not having to twist to reach the low F on a guitar's normal playing position and the elbow is more extended unlike stick's left hand which can impede the flow of blood and pinch the nerve as well. I'm also programming chords and arpeggios to be played by one finger on one note for the left hand to remove it's most damaging duties.

I also want to be able to continue playing music until I'm dead. Then I'll just borrow Saraswati's vina after that. I don't know, maybe Kwan Yin can manifest another Ztar for me in the Western Paradise.

I also wanted to mention what I know about Chinese medicine and Ayurveda concerning neurological problems since you're going to have your nervous system attacked by radiation.

I noticed my body react just to X-rays and I was sick for awhile from just that. People who don't already have environmental sensitivities will just poo poo that mere x-rays can make you sick but if you're already sensitive to things like perfumes in lotions, shampoos, laundry soap on your pillow all night, incense, cigarettes and pollution then a "simple, little x-ray" can take you out for a week or two.

I'm absolutely sure I don't want my brain irradiated but when you're between a rock and a hard place I know those are the tough decisions that have to be made.

So, as far as Asian medicines go it's easiest to think in terms of Ayurveda because the Chinese 5 element system is a bit complex for the non-expert to get a handle on. According to Michael Tierra's book on Planetary Herbology, the two systems are functionally the same however.

When you're young you are in the "water" time of life. It manifests as runny nose, watery eyes, ear infections, nose and throat infections and being a little chubby. It's best to avoid things that exacerbate water like eating foods high in water content (if you're sick) like watermelon, cheese or foods from the oceans, lakes and streams aka fish. If your fat when you're older, you like a cool breeze.

When you're in the middle of life you are in the "fire" time of life. You're strong, you have extra energy but hot summers and garlic will make the fevers and inflammations that come be even worse so you have to take it easy if you're sick and stay cool and don't eat too much garlic and chilli peppers.

When you're old you are in the "air" time of life. Your hair falls out, you can't see as well, you start to forget things, you can't taste your food or hear conversation in a crowded room. You don't run as fast as you used to and your metabolism slows down.

An "Air" sickness means you have to avoid too much caffeine in coffee, or tea, and avoid the damage to your nervous system that drugs do and you can't let yourself get cold. A draft could be the difference between living and dying.

You should eat foods that replenish the other elements like watermelon, fish and cheese for water, plus garlic and peppers for fire. Sweet potatoes and yams replenish chi also so bake or boil some and slap real butter on them, not margarine.

Keep yourself warm no matter how much your family complains that your room is too hot. My grandmother was like that and she lived to be more than 100. She also used an electric blanket which may have helped her nerves continue to function at better than normal efficiency. The flow of electricity near her nerves kept them open and the current flowing.

In Ayurveda they usually prescribe hot oil massage because if your skin is dry, and the nerves in the deeper tissues are dry, then the electricity can't flow. Just think of how erratic electricity flows when you've got static electricity from the tv on your arm hair or when your hair is dry and has static. You don't want a situation like that in your nerves or in your brain. Think epileptic seizures.

The only other thing I've seen is that marijuana protects the brain from cancer. When Terrence McKenna got brain cancer, he asked if marijuana could be the cause (since he smoked a lot of it) and they said clinical evidence shows that marijuana protects the brain from cancer so that couldn't be the reason.

When getting accupuncture, that's a metal treatment and if they burn moxa on the ends of the needles too that adds fire so that would be good also. Laser "accupuncture" if it could be called that, would probably not be effective in your case.

The other thing about accupuncture is that it causes pain and makes your brain produce more of the chemicals which inhibit pain. The other good thing about accupuncture is that it tricks your brain into thinking that your nerves are being damaged in the location where they've injected the needles and so your body sends it's soldiers to repair the damage in a more localized area.

This is a good argument for medical tattoos. You might want to get a big tattoo right on your wrist if that's where you're having the problem and you're willing to go that far.

The good news is that radiation sickness and Neuralgia can be gotten through with a little effort and intelligence.