does anyone else's fingers hurt?

dakine2009 · Mar 22, 2008

i have a tenor applause ukulele and a wound C string...
idk if it's just me but my fingers hurt and are beginning to peel.
i got this ukulele right before christmas and i've been playing it a lot figuring that my fingers will get used to them, but they aren't...
any suggestions to what i can do?

degracia · Mar 22, 2008

You get used to it. Once I first started playing on the acoustic guitar, my fingers peeled. But you get used to it.

Hey man, it shows how hard you work.

bof · Mar 22, 2008

Best therapy is to play it regularly every day. But it seems strange to me that your fingers still hurt after 3 month playing. What strings do you use? There are some very cheap strings usually coming on low budget ukuleles that have sharp edges, (seen them in the musicshop!). You should probably switch them out for smoother strings like Aquilas. They're very soft and I don't think your fingers will hurt with Aquilas on the Ukulele.

Ukulele_Junkie · Mar 22, 2008

my fingers are dry rite now and they are hurting, hope they are gonna be good to go for tomorrow's open mic. just drench em in lotion

k0konutz · Mar 22, 2008

Well now your back's gonna hurt 'cause you just pulled landscaping duty.

When I first started playing, my fingertips were hurting and getting callus and eventually peeled off, and since then, there's no pain and there's also no gross hard calluses. You can feel the surface is a bit harder, but not as "scaly" as they used to be before the peeling occured. Maybe use a moisturizer for your fingertips when you're not playing. Just be sure not to get any of that gunk on your strings.

grappler · Mar 22, 2008

Listen to this

Well with that, its normal. If your not use to the fingers being pressed against it dont worry because you'll get use to it and by the time you know it, you don't even notice it.
My fingers have callus and it's ugly but it helps.
My recent problem is that every time I've spoken up my left hand (ring finger and little finger) have been constanly numb and getting sharp Pins and needles. from the time i wake up, eat, shower, work and sleep.. CONSTANLY 24/7 and it gets really annoying because when i play the uke, with some cords when i play it hurts way too much so i stop and take a break. but it still continues so havent been playing that often because im scared.
went to the doctor and its a common problem with musicians. Musicians tend have this problem due to the fact that they use the fingers too much and too hard and it creates strain. The nerves in my fingers and numb because theres lack of blood flow and its having spaz attacks hence pin and needles.

He refered me to a rheumatologist and a neurologist/
there might be a chance where i cannot play. its upsetting. Im pissed off.

experimentjon · Mar 22, 2008

Yup, mine peeled after about three weeks of playing. But it's all good now. The tips are decently hard, and I can't feel much through them, but I guess it's better for playing. I remember when it constantly hurt to play. But I just kept pushing through and played more (knowing that my ultimate goal was to play on metal guitar strings.) It's just good practice, and when the peeling stops, it'll be all better. Good luck.

Guting · Mar 22, 2008

if your fingers dont hurt, you aint normal.

back when I was going all out, id have mad callouses (sp) on every finger (except the thumb). By then there was no feeling.

Kind of like lifting weights, guys who lift choke with no gloves know all about it.

Fred Miu · Mar 22, 2008

Guting said:
if your fingers dont hurt, you aint normal.

back when I was going all out, id have mad callouses (sp) on every finger (except the thumb). By then there was no feeling.

Kind of like lifting weights, guys who lift choke with no gloves know all about it.

i second this.

btw guting, you missed out on some fun stuff brah.

Dino · Mar 22, 2008

Your fingers will toughen up. Everyone's fingers get sore. I just cant figure out how steel guitar players fingers survive the steel strings. Ouch!

michaelphipps · Mar 22, 2008

grappler said:
...
My recent problem is that every time I've spoken up my left hand (ring finger and little finger) have been constanly numb and getting sharp Pins and needles. from the time i wake up, eat, shower, work and sleep.. CONSTANLY 24/7 and it gets really annoying because when i play the uke, with some cords when i play it hurts way too much so i stop and take a break. but it still continues so havent been playing that often because im scared....

It sounds a bit like carpal tunnel. The nerves to your hand all run down a little tube. If this tube becomes inflammed, it squishes against the nerves, and that is what causes the sensations you are talking about.

There is surgery where they just cut the little tube that the nerves run down. The nerves aren't pressed, and you get all your feeling back.

I hope it is just a simple problem.

DISCLAIMER: I'm not a doctor. My wife is a med student, and I'm just guessing. I haven't asked her about it.

UkuLeLesReggAe · Mar 22, 2008

My fingers haven't ever hurt, but recently my thumbs are peeling like they are really sunburt.

Im thinking its from working assuming i have to hold very very cold metal for a while and my skin sticks to the metal :S

other than that, my hands haven't hurt from ukulele yet.

Jimmy · Mar 22, 2008

I've played the violin for 5 or 6 years now, and the dreaded slit-your-throat E string is pretty thin and often makes marks in your finger. The nylon aquila baritone strings feel nice and soft in comparison. Oddly enough though, my right hand index and ring hurt often when I play bass. That's why I do slap-bass a lot.

Callus is a good thing, no?

grappler · Mar 22, 2008

well yes and no... callus could be use to your advantage...
personally i think they help.

4strings707 · Mar 22, 2008

whatever you do, don't stop playing. cuz your fingers will heal and get soft and then you'll go thru that soreness again. Thats what happened to me with the guitar.

redsedge · Mar 23, 2008

quote My recent problem is that every time I've spoken up my left hand (ring finger and little finger) have been constanly numb and getting sharp Pins and needles. from the time i wake up, eat, shower, work and sleep.. CONSTANLY 24/7 quote

I have carpal tunnel syndrome and agree that this sounds like it. I was scheduled for surgery then went for a reflexology session. I mentioned it to the reflexologist and after that session, the swelling went down and the pins and needles stopped. Now I have to be careful with it, not doing a lot of lifting etc etc but it's a lot better than having one arm out of action for weeks. The reflexologist said that basically if the body can relax properly, it tends to heal by itself. Anyway, it might be worth a go! Best of luck.

My problem is that since playing the uke (2 months) I keep getting electric shocks and it hurts. Anyone know how to reduce static electricity? It's awful - the dog doesn't want me to stroke him anymore.

grappler · Mar 23, 2008

My fingers aren't swelling but pins and needles.
I'm getting it checked out soon and should get a refferal from my GP.
Thanks for that, I'm scared.

redsedge · Mar 23, 2008

Should've said - it's the wrist that gets swollen - that's where the carpal tunnel is, so all the nerves get squashed, leading to pins and needles in the fingers. My GP put me on strong pain killers which didn't really help as I didn't get any early warning pain and completely crippled myself for a while by trying to turn off a cold water tap which was stuck. It was such a relief not to have surgery and to find a way of managing the condition myself - the reflexology. I had my last session about 2 years ago and am ready for another now. Not bad!

seth · Mar 23, 2008

if its the fingers, then it's all good, but if its the wrist, i'd slow down. i used to have wrist problems, it wasn't a good feeling.

nikolo727 · Mar 24, 2008

ya my fingers hurt every once and a while. i try to play as much as i can but sometimes i go a day or even two days without playing!

my left index finger is really hard and my middle finger is kinda hard but they are gettin there.

ya just keep playing everyday it will get better.

if they keep peeling and stuff just soak them in lotion.

try not to use it regularly because it will get rid of the hard tips on your fingers though.

that would just make your fingers hurt more!

eek

does anyone else's fingers hurt?

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