Ask HN: What are you doing to manage pain in the tips of your fingers?

2 points by thinkingtoilet 2y ago ↗ HN

I've been coding for a job for close to two decades now and on top of that my true passion is playing guitar so my finger tips get used a lot. The last 6 months I've started to notice that I am getting pains from typing and playing. I have tried to adjust by working on my technique for both typing and guitar. I have a nice Kinesis keyboard that allows for button presses that do not hit the bottom of the keyboard and really focusing on that has helped.

However, it's not enough. It's starting to effect my ability to play guitar pain free. Are there products that you can wear on your fingers that add some padding? I have thought of buying finger picks to use almost like fake nails so my finger tips aren't hitting the keys at all. For those of you that have experienced this, what have you done that has helped?

3 comments

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elmerfud 2y ago ↗

Have you talked to a doctor about this? This seems like an odd condition, usually with repetitive use the fingers will strengthen and skin will thicken to cause you less sensitivity.

I'm not a doctor but there are a number of medical conditions that can present symptoms like this. Could be something as common as carpal tunnel but it could also be lack of blood flow, infections, arthritis setting in or other odd things. I would definitely speak to a doctor if you haven't and even if you have maybe a few different doctors.

lusus_naturae 2y ago ↗

Would you consider using BCI for typing: https://github.com/xiangzhang1015/Brain_typing

Maybe you could come up with a solution for guitar playing as well. I think it will require a reasonably capable EEG device (lab-grade better) and playing different chords of the guitar. You may need an EEG headset that is electromechanically stabilized and use some algo to filter out muscle movement (not that easy, but also not that hard).

For an immediate solution: skin-fitting cotton gloves with some kind of lubricant?

h2odragon 2y ago ↗

for $reasons i occasionally lose fingernails. when that happens, wrapping a bandaid around my fingertip so that it pokes out beyond the finger and is a pad for touching things with helps. they dont last long and im apt to set them on fire lighting a pipe but its better than nothing.