The subtleties of hand care will not help you much if you continue to hurt your body each time you perform and while doing your daily tasks.  (If you have a serious chronic problem, see a doctor.) Have your posture evaluated. You must learn to play without stress. I'm not a doctor, but I have helped hundreds of guitarists who are in physical trouble from damage-producing finger, hand, wrist, arm, neck and back movements. If you make an appointment,  I will be happy to evaluate your physical interface with the instrument. You should be able to enjoy playing the guitar for many hours without feeling pain.  Drugs which reduce inflammation and pain may cause other health problems through reduced resistance to disease. The best solution for the problem is to stop it at the source.  If you are playing a lot and the inflamation and pain gets bad, stop playing for a few days. Give your hands a rest.  A great musician must not sabotage himself thorugh destructive habits. A guitarist is a musical athlete who should be in great physical condition.

1. Relax the hands before playing (and keep them relaxed while playing). Soak them in warm-hot water for 3-5 minutes before playing to loosen up the muscles. If you have a big enough sink, emerse the entire arm, or soak in a bath tub. Washing dishes is a great thing to do before practicing.

2. At the end of the session, soak in cold water to reduce inflammation. Immediately at the beginning of a break during your gig, go to the restroom and run cold water on your hands. In cold climates, wear gloves to the gigs to warm the hands and loosen them. They also protect hands while loading equipment. Don't wear gloves after the gig. The hands should not be warmed after performing.

3. Do not use liniments which numb the pain but don't  reduce inflammation. You need to be aware of the pain so you know the condition of your hands and arms. You can seriously hurt yourself by playing with your hands numb.

After personally testing almost every topical treatment known, I have concluded that the ARNICA MONTANA 1X Homeopathic Ointment from HYLAND'S (Standard Homeopathic Co. Los Angeles, CA. 90061) is the best hand treatment available. Better health food stores carry this brand. The herb arnica is known to stimulate circulation and encourage healing. Great for sore muscles and aching joints.

Some folks claim to get relief from muscle strain through soaking the hands in an Epsom salt solution.

My massage therapist recently suggested this remedy for inflammation: stir a teaspoon of Certo Premium Liquid Fruit Pectin into a glass of 100% Grape Juice and drink it on an empty stomach.  I've tried this,  it works slowly and needs to be ingested every day for about 2 weeks. The Pectin is for sale in the baking section of grocery stores.

The spice "Turmeric" is available in capsules from

health food stores.  It's excellent at reducing

inflammation!  It's usually used to season Indian food.

The liquid from Nature's Plus: "Glucosamine

Chondroitin MSM"  can help to increase

agility in older players.  "Chops in a bottle! "

4. Get regular massages by a Certified Massage Therapist, on the shoulders, neck and arms. (It's not good to massage the hands if they are inflamed.) 

5. Avoid caffiene, sugar, alchohol, drugs, marijuana,

and energy drinks before and during gigs.  It increases stress, making you unpredictably sensitive or numb resulting in bad choices, bad time, and increased chance of injury.

6. You use your hands all day when not playing the guitar. There are ways to open doors, lift glasses, hold eating utensils and pens, steer a car, and tie shoes that cause less stress on the hands. Save your thumbs for making music.

7. When typing, the chair should be high enough so that the elbows are higher than the wrists.

8. Stop hurting your hands while playing the guitar.  Relax and keep your wrists straight. Relax your face. Tense facial expressions do not improve the music but cause tension in the neck and shoulders.

9. Stop hurting your hands while NOT playing the guitar.   Don't use your hands in place of tools.  There are pliers, screw drivers,  letter and box openers, and all sorts of things that can save damage to your hands.

10. Get a hand truck and work gloves so you don't hurt your hands while moving equipment.  Always put gloves on when moving equipment to and from the gig.

11. Be carefull when shaking hands.  Just grab the finger tips so some macho man doesn't crush your hand before you walk onstage.

12. Learn to hold things without using pressure between the thumb and the other fingers. Squeezing the thumb and fore finger together causes tension in the whole arm.  

13.  In general, as you go through life, try to do your daily tasks causing as little wear on your hands, ears, eyes and body as possible.

14. Check the website of the Mayo clinic regarding carpal tunnel syndrome.  They suggest practicing

15-20 minutes at a time separated by rest periods.