Artist with Chronic Wrist Tendonitis and desperate to get better

by Danie Marais
(Bloemfontein South Africa)

Dear Joshua, I am a full time artist, and do rather huge paintings because of the special technique i use.

Luckily I don't carry the canvasses around at all - I have someone to do those odd jobs.

Still, I have had tendonitis for the past 4 years, but had to undergo a LOT of medical examinations in order to find that out! as you said, none of the many doctors actually knew what the matter was.

I found out myself. But now, as painting is my sole means of income, I cannot really just stop doing just that. I do try to rest as much as I can, and I don't use my wrist as such but rather use the whole arm. I do wear supports sometimes, and especially when I sleep in order not to be able to flick the wrist.

However, the pain does not get less at all, and it does worry me since I cannot afford to not paint at all. My wife and I are planning to try and see whether we can make me rest for a whole 3 months in the coming year. Would that be good? Do you suggest acupuncture or not? And how about exercise of some sort?

Desperately seeking your help.

kind regards, Danie



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Joshua Answers:

Hello Danie.

That's great you make a living with what you create. Rock on!

3 months of rest? I don't recommend it. You'll feel better, then you'll start painting again, and it will come back, probably pretty quickly.

Maybe you'll be an exception, but why risk 3 months of non-productivity to find out?

Acupuncture for chronic wrist tendonitis? Sure, it's worth a shot. I've had great results with acupuncture for some things, not so great with other things.

Exercise? You bet. Mostly, get your body moving in new and different ways, something other than the exact same pattern you usually use. (You probably have a broad pattern of movement, but some specific things like how you hold the brush, how you support the wrist, etc, are very specific and repetitive).


I'm about to start work on 'The Wrist Tendonitis Treatment That Works' DVD, so that's not available to you right now.

My first and immediate suggestion to lower the pain levels of your Wrist Tendonitis and to begin to make the structures healthy again, is to learn How To Reduce Inflammation.

Ice Dip with a 5 gallon bucket or something ALL DAY LONG. You can do this while you paint, while watching tv, while in the kitchen, etc.

Just do this A LOT for 7 days like your career depends on it. It probably doesn't, but it might just be good motivation.


More questions, more answers.




Joshua Tucker, B.A., C.M.T.
The Tendonitis Expert
www.TendonitisExpert.com