Wintertime Sore Fingers

[noelekal]

I'm annoyed.

It's painful to beat on the keyboard of this desktop, much less actually picking up an accordion.

Mrs. noelekal and I did big yard chores last Saturday preparing for a plunging thermometer here in Texas ... well plunging for our part of the world. Temperature remained in the low teensF to mid to high 20sF from Sunday morning until late morning today.

I loaded the back porch up with firewood, late Saturday afternoon anticipating hanging about indoors and getting in some meaningful accordion playing. So, Sunday morning church services were called off because of impending icing. I built a fire in the fireplace and prepared to be content for the next few days; only I wasn't because my fingers had cracked open and were sore. They've worsened since and remain sore.

Anyone else ever have fingers that crack at the top edges of the nail? These can resemble a knife cut. Worst offenders are the outer edges of both index fingers down to the corner of the nails and the inner edges of the thumbs down to the corner of the nails.

It's hopeless to play in this condition. Are there any tricks for quickly healing the cracks which are like open cuts? Any tricks to maintain the fingers so as to avoid this condition this time of year? Any way to cover the fingertips to gain some playing benefit?

My playing goes stale without regular attention.

I once never had this issue. What's up with that?!!!

 

[John M]

I'm annoyed.

It's painful to beat on the keyboard of this desktop, much less actually picking up an accordion.

Mrs. noelekal and I did big yard chores last Saturday preparing for a plunging thermometer here in Texas ... well plunging for our part of the world. Temperature remained in the low teensF to mid to high 20sF from Sunday morning until late morning today.

I loaded the back porch up with firewood, late Saturday afternoon anticipating hanging about indoors and getting in some meaningful accordion playing. So, Sunday morning church services were called off because of impending icing. I built a fire in the fireplace and prepared to be content for the next few days; only I wasn't because my fingers had cracked open and were sore. They've worsened since and remain sore.

Anyone else ever have fingers that crack at the top edges of the nail? These can resemble a knife cut. Worst offenders are the outer edges of both index fingers down to the corner of the nails and the inner edges of the thumbs down to the corner of the nails.

It's hopeless to play in this condition. Are there any tricks for quickly healing the cracks which are like open cuts? Any tricks to maintain the fingers so as to avoid this condition this time of year? Any way to cover the fingertips to gain some playing benefit?

My playing goes stale without regular attention.

I once never had this issue. What's up with that?!!!

Years ago, I had the problem of "chapped hands". What I would do, when I went to bed was put a very heavy coat of Vaseline on the chapped part -- sometimes my whole hand. Then I put on loose cloth gloves. When I woke up in the morning, my hands were as smooth as a baby's "back end".

 

[Tom]

Here in WI where it gets that cold pretty often, (0 F this morning) the associated dryness causes dry, cracking hands. My lovely wife recommends “New Skin Liquid Bandage” rubbed into the cracks right away. Then “Working Hands” cream on at night before bed. Good luck!

 

[96Bass]

Too bad you have to rely on fire wood as the Lone Star state has their own electric grid that is independent from the rest of the nation, which has proven unreliable with catastrophic results. Maybe invest in a generator and a large fuel tank?

 

[Ventura]

two words

udder balm

available at your friendly local ag store

 

[noelekal]

Too bad you have to rely on fire wood as the Lone Star state has their own electric grid that is independent from the rest of the nation, which has proven unreliable with catastrophic results. Maybe invest in a generator and a large fuel tank?

Oh, we have never had to rely on firewood. We have electricity. We just enjoy a fire in the fireplace during chilly weather.

I still prefer our independent grid. I won't get into the manipulative politics behind the ERCOT debacle of Snow-megeddon in February of 2021.

 

[noelekal]

I wonder if Udder Balm is same as Bag Balm. We have Bag Balm on hand. We also have Vaseline.

I appreciate the suggestions on stuff for smearing. I'm going to experimentally start smearing stuff, acquiring and will try the new stuff that Tom kindly suggests. I'm wearing gloves to bed tonight.

 

[Ventura]

the udder is the bag.. yep

 

[Tom]

Cool! We have a fire every night to heat the house above where we heat with propane, a nice, warm living area. I do have a generator though, since we lose power ~ once a year because of all the trees above the electric lines. Good luck Noel!

 

[Dingo40]

Any tricks to maintain the fingers so as to avoid this condition

What John M said but lanolin instead of Vaseline
Something like this:

baa ram ewe skin balm - Google Search

www.google.com.au

Or this:

Loading...

www.chemistwarehouse.com.au

 

[Ffingers]

Just one little addition from me - be mindful of the effects of washing your hands using anything with a petroleum detergent base.
Despite how the Palmolive adverts may have convinced you otherwise, these strong detergents are accumulatively damaging.