Arthritic thumb.

GAD

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I may be overworked, but I've read the title of this thread as "Arithmetic Thumb" too many times not to comment on it.

Carry on.
 

Punkybub

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I've been battling hand pain for the last few years - never terrible pain, but definitely hurt my playing enjoyment and ability. I've got a couple of ideas for anyone looking for hand pain relief, both of which have worked for me.

Chinese hand exercise balls (Baoding Balls) have done wonders for my hands. They come in different sizes, some solid and some have tines inside that chime as you use the balls. I prefer solid ones - chrome, marble, stone, etc. - partially because of the weight and partially because they're silent in case you use them while watching tv or in public. They're not expensive and I've gathered a few different sizes and use them all randomly.

The idea is to roll a pair around in one hand - clockwise, counter-clockwise, over each other, etc. It hurts at first but if you keep at it, soon it's easier and seems to increase the range of motion in my fingers noticeably. Great for reading, tv, waiting rooms etc. They're always handy around here and for me, very effective in keeping my little sausage fingers moving.

The other thing I've used has helped not only my hands but all the joints in my body, along with depression relief, prostate issues gone, energy and stamina and focus all very much improved. It's fresh/frozen cannabis buds (flowers). If it's NOT dried or heated, it doesn't get you high (harvest then *immediately* freeze it) - instead it's energizing and has virtually cured me of my beginning arthritis in my hands, knees, and hips.

Hard to believe - I know. I started using it for the energy, and the other benefits took me by surprise. It's helped other friends in this way but of course ymmv. I've researched why it's so different from dried/smoked cannabis and have found likely reasons but I won't bore you with the deets, as the kids say, unless you're interested.

Disclaimer: I'm not advocating anyone break the law or do anything they feel is bad, nor do I want to offend anyone in bringing this subject up. :)



I love acoustic guitars!
 

killdeer43

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Disclaimer: I'm not advocating anyone break the law or do anything they feel is bad, nor do I want to offend anyone in bringing this subject up. :)
I'm not sure what the moderators will think but I see no reason why cannabis can't be part of the conversation. It's a different strokes remedy that works for you and there's no reason you can't share.

Cheers,
Joe
 

fronobulax

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I'm not sure what the moderators will think but I see no reason why cannabis can't be part of the conversation. It's a different strokes remedy that works for you and there's no reason you can't share.

Cheers,
Joe

At this moment I have more curiosity about medical marijuana than I have concerns about discussing it here. What does amuse me is that while going through new posts since my last visit I have seen appendectomies, ligament damage, arthritis and almost nothing about guitars. The ties that bind are not just guitars ;-)
 

gilded

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Frono, you say Appendectomies? I missed that one! I wonder what the demographics for these threads are? 57 to 75?

I'd opine more about this subject but it hurts too much to type :)
 

bluesypicky

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What does amuse me is that while going through new posts since my last visit I have seen appendectomies, ligament damage, arthritis and almost nothing about guitars. The ties that bind are not just guitars ;-)

Ah ah ah!!!!
Funny you should bring this up: A week or so ago as I was browsing through these "medical" threads, I was about to post a suggestion to you guys (the mods) to create a sub forum titled "Aches & Pains"!

I refrained, thinking this might come across as smart @$$ing the board, and y'all know I ain't like dat. :listening_headphone
 

GAD

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Guildadelphia

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Let's see......I'm 59 (will turn 60 in June). Had an emergency appendectomy about 10 years ago and had complications from the surgery (got an infection) so it was back to the hospital for a week of IV Antibiotics. During the appendix surgery they found I had a couple (actually 3) hernias so a few months after fully recovering from that I had outpatient surgery to fix the hernias. The scary one was a couple of years ago my vision started getting dark and blurry all of a sudden and I couldn't speak. Off to the hospital I went. Turned out I had a mini-stroke or TIA. That was definitely a warning from above to get my act together. Started exercising again and eating better (cut down on the sodium and junk). Ultimately lost 18 lbs and doing much better these days.
Unfortunately the mini stroke hasn't helped my guitar playing which was pretty rudimentary to begin with; plus I also have arthritis in my hands. All in all I'd have to say with getting back into shape and eating better I can't complain. To quote Bob Dylan and the Byrds "Ah, but I was so much older then I'm younger than that now".
 

adorshki

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Ah ah ah!!!!
Funny you should bring this up: A week or so ago as I was browsing through these "medical" threads, I was about to post a suggestion to you guys (the mods) to create a sub forum titled "Aches & Pains"!

I refrained, thinking this might come across as smart @$$ing the board, and y'all know I ain't like dat. :listening_headphone

I am.
I think we oughta institute a subforum called Aches & Pains.
The one restriction oughta be that nobody has any vested interests in any of the nostrums they might recommend.
And I'll be first to admit that I have been astounded by some of the medical uses discovered for what used to be one of my favorite recreational substances.
Apparently it's even been used to slow the growth of cancer cells and the prevention of epileptic seizures.
 

Cougar

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....It's fresh/frozen cannabis buds (flowers).... (harvest then *immediately* freeze it)....

So you eat it? In what form? I'm all for legal weed, but I'm rather skeptical that it's quite the wonder drug you describe.
 

adorshki

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So you eat it? In what form? I'm all for legal weed, but I'm rather skeptical that it's quite the wonder drug you describe.

Here's the thing about "uncooked":
"It is a widespread myth that THC must be heated to "activate" it.
However, heating a cannabis food/drink preparation actually makes it more potent. What actually happens is that additional THC is formed from the chemical breakdown of inactive carboxylic acid THC derivatives present in the cannabis. The carboxylic acid derivatives are inactive themselves, but when heated they readily lose their carboxylate group as carbon dioxide, and active THC is formed. In some instances, heating can actually double the active THC content of the original starting plant material [Iversen, 2000]."
More important medically is that there are a lot more cannabinoids than just THC.
The primary focus of medical research is on cannabidiols which are non-psychoactive.
I figured the whole "Medical thing" was just a subtefuge to get it legalized until I was blown away in the last year by a couple of programs ina series called "Weediquette" on a new channel "Viceland", detailing use of cannbidiols in the suppression of leukemia, and a National Geographic Channel detailing treatment of epilepsy.
For the parents of an epileptic child, use of CBDs was a last resort and turned out to be the ONLY thing that worked and it worked consistently.
The kid has a life again, I literally cried.
Here's a couple of links:
Patent application for use in Graft vs Host Disease:
https://www.google.com/patents/EP2991733A1?cl=en
Potential use in cancer treatment:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/25/marijuana-cancer_n_4158865.html
Vice Channel; see episode "Stoned Kids" and don't let the title fool you.
National Geographic on the research:
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2015/06/marijuana-science-drug-research-legality/
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2015/06/marijuana/medical-video
 

Punkybub

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So glad to see interest in the plant and it's possible uses. I was primarily a vino-phile until 13 years ago when I moved back to sunny CA and began growing. I never liked cannabis much before that - it just made me nervous - but growing different strains showed me how wide ranging the effects could be from one type to another.

" "Here's the thing about "uncooked":
"...What actually happens is that additional THC is formed from the chemical breakdown of inactive carboxylic acid THC derivatives present in the cannabis. The carboxylic acid derivatives are inactive themselves, but when heated they readily lose their carboxylate group as carbon dioxide, and active THC is formed..." "

This is close, but I don't believe any additional THC is created by heating cannabis. The cannabinoids in fresh weed are in an acidic state - THC-A, CBD-A, etc. - and heating or drying these causes them to de-carboxylate as adorshki posted, changing into delta-9-THC (psychoactive).

The other thing is that fresh cannabis has always been thought to be inactive because it doesn't get you high. You can eat it without getting high, but that doesn't mean it's inactive - it's just not psycho-active.

We've got cannabinoid receptors in our brain, lungs, kidneys, lymph system, cartilage - and there's evidence of more types of receptors we've not yet identified. When you eat fresh/frozen cannabis, you don't feel high, but those acidic cannabinoids affect the receptors in other parts of our body. For me (and most others I know who've tried it) the first thing you notice is an increase in energy and a brightening of spirit. The help with other issues - arthritis, prostate, and pancreas I believe - come into play after using it over time. I've been hypoglycemic most of my life and this is another thing that I no longer have trouble with after using cannabis fresh/frozen for a while.

Eating cannabis that's been dried/heated *will* get you very high - for a long time. In fact our liver turns delta-9 THC into delta-11 THC, which is more sedating and potent than delta-9 THC. Good for sleep but too much and you're a very unhappy camper for a very long time... :-(

I have a friend in his 70s who was looking at a knee replacement. He tried some daily cannabis smoothies for just under two weeks and he was walking without his cane, and with much less pain. He couldn't continue due to his wife's objections, but for him help came that quickly.

I know - wayyyy too good to believe. Snake oil. Delusional. That's what I'd think had I not experienced this first hand, but I swear to Guild it's true. YMMV of course, and I think some of us have weaker cannabinoid systems that might see more benefit than others who's systems might be in better shape.

I'm in N. California and have family in the S.F. area. If other LTG members might want to try some, I have enough to share in a limited way. I offer this as a gift only - no money or trade involved whatsoever, in-person, and only with a valid CA medical cannabis recommendation. PM me for deets if you might want to try it. I grow mostly organically, never any toxic chemicals used, lightly fertilized and grown with love.

I hope this doesn't cross any LTG lines or cause trouble with anyone. I appreciate the open minds here on this subject, and I will try hard to keep from rambling on...dang....too late :).


I love acoustic guitars!
 

Punkybub

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Prunes are the ties that un-bind.

Aches and Pains? Oh my - an excellent idea.


I love acoustic guitars!
 
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