At the end of the spring semester, I knew something was wrong. While playing vocal juries, I began to experience numbness in the pads of fingers 1 through 3 in my right hand. There had been no noticeable warning of the problem. It just came on suddenly while playing a Brahms lied. I did not experience pain. I did not lose dexterity. But still, something wasn't right.
That's the first thing that must happen when dealing with an injury -- you simply must admit to yourself that there is a problem. This can also be one of the most challenging steps to recovery. Many pianists will attempt to write off their problems as simple fatigue. Let me be very clear.....there is a difference between an ache and acute pain. Pain is not a sign that the hands are merely fatigued. Pain and numbness are not normal and should be addressed.
Summer break was fast approaching for me, so I knew I had some time to rest and recover...and seek medical treatment if necessary. I immediately cancelled all of my upcoming engagements for the summer and began to turn to remedies that had provided relief for my hands in the past. I rested and took a significant break from practicing. I visited a massage therapist and experimented with both warm water soaks and icing to hopefully reduce any inflammation.
Although the numbness was not getting worse, it wasn't improving either. In order to make sure there was ample time to recover over the summer, I began consulting medical professionals fairly soon after arriving at my parents' home in eastern Arkansas. My first visit was to an orthopedic surgeon. I knew the doctor was the son of one of my former piano professors from graduate school and would be aware of the demands that pianists put on their hands. I was rather disappointed with this consultation. It consisted of a 5 minute conversation about my symptoms and a quick tap on my wrist with his fingertips. He immediately proclaimed that I had carpal tunnel syndrome and that an injection would provide relief. I explained that I was more interested in recovery rather than a short-term fix to my problem....so an injection was not really the route I wanted to go. He then prescribed a regiment of the oral steroid Prednisone. If the steroids did not solve the problem, he would begin to prepare me for surgery.
Since I didn't have a good feeling about the prospect of surgery and was not sure that it was the appropriate course of action, I sought a second opinion. After speaking with colleagues in the Memphis area, I learned that several had experienced good results while being treated at the Mississippi Upper Cervical Clinic in Southaven, Mississippi. I have received chiropractic care to deal with injuries incurred during an accident last summer and have seen its benefits, so I decided that it would be worthwhile to at least consult with Dr. Qualls.
Dr. Qualls' examination was very detailed. It was his opinion that the numbness I was experiencing was the result of a series of compressed nerves in my neck. While it would not be a quick solution, he was confident that the problem could be corrected without the need for surgery. I decided to continue with the chiropractic care throughout the summer. I was hopeful that I would fully recover since I was experiencing consistent, incremental improvement.
Now I am 3 months out from the initial onset of the hand issue. I continue to experience numbness occasionally, but it is not a daily occurrence. I am simply being cautious in my playing, making sure that I have ample time to stretch, warm up, and rest during each rehearsal period. I am continuing to receive chiropractic care now that I am back in west Texas and am confident that I will return to full health in the near future.
So what lessons have I learned from this experience? We know our bodies better than anyone else does -- and that often includes our doctors. It is important that we trust our instincts. Surgery seemed to be an overly aggressive response to me since there was no pain and no guarantee that I would be able to continue functioning after the procedure. There were simply too many uncertainties involved when other less-invasive treatments were still available to me. When it all comes down to it, we know which decision is right for our circumstances and our body. Combine your personal instincts with advice from medical professionals and prayer to find your road to recovery.
