freezing cold hands due to nerves – tips?

[carl-swanson]

Samantha- The fact is that both adrenaline and beta blockers cause the vessels in the extremities to constrict, causing cold hands. So, many people who take beta blockers for medical conditions also take alpha blockers, which counteract that one unwanted side effect of beta blockers. I take both a beta blocker and an alpha blocker when I perform, and my hands are toasty warm and nimble when I play.

[samantha-t]

Very interesting Carl and Patricia – my hands are absurdly cold much of the time, sometimes to the point of stiffness. The winter is especially bad (and this winter is a real stinker). It feels like there’s a cold wind blowing on them! May be worth investigating medically. And certainly the adrenaline rush – and beta blockers used to counter it – would then exacerbate such problems. I’ll look into all your suggestions – many thanks.

[Charles]

Samantha, I too have deal with what I call ice block hands.
My fingers and hands get so cold that it’s physically painful to close my hands.
I’ve found that keeping my body core warm helps. I wear a (knit) cap when I practice and often times do a physical warm up that includes jumping jacks , running in place, a few push ups and squats. It’s a mini work out to get the body temp up, and the heart moving blood around. It also helps me with nerves.

[michael-steadman]

Hi Samantha, I have the same problem. I boil hot water and fill a metal thermos which I take with me to almost every gig. (I started doing this for holiday orchestra concerts in cold churches, or for cold outdoor gigs.) I really hate playing with cold hands and this has worked great – I feel much more relaxed and I sound better. Filling the thermos with hot water is one of the last things I do before I leave the house, it stays hot/warm for a good 90 minutes. I have also used a metal water bottle but you have to be careful with this because it can be way too hot at first and burn you. I usually bungee-cord the bottle and hang it from my harp cart as I wheel into the gig. If there’s catering at the event I sometimes ask for a refill. =) Good luck!

[mia-strayer]

Some of these ideas might work for hands and some might work for your feet and some might work for the whole body
I actually been diagnosed with Renard syndrome
It affects it all my extremities hands feet ears and nose
My feet are the most affected by this
But… I were really thick socks to keep them warm and they’r still ice cubes
If you have tiny feet like I do you could probably triple three pairs of socks and it would equal up to one thick pair of socks
The best thing you might want to do is take a long extremelyHOT Jacuzzi bath that very same day you are about to play for a concert and it will help open up the circulation take 3 to 6 baby aspirin and that will help keep it open then after that put lotion on your entire body and that will help keep your skin moist and it will help keep the blood flowing throughout your body
If your hands are still ice cubes what you can do is take a regular water bottle and get hot water in it and hold onto the outside of the water bottle it will keep your hands nice and toasty

I hope these ideas are helpful

[patricia-jaeger]

I was given a muff by the hostess at an event where I played harp. It is white rabbit fur, or fake, I don’t really know, and lined inside with some grey rayon or silk. Now at many events, with a little packet of hand warmer (sold at outdoor clothing shops) inside, I can keep the muff near at hand, or on my lap. Between harp pieces I can re-warm my hands inside the muff, as needed. Those who sew could make their own muff, in black to be more invisible if your skirt is black, or any color or material. When a sermon at church goes on rather long, a harp player can silently warm hands the whole time!

[samantha-t]

More interesting suggestions – I must write them all down and so some codifying!
Seems like this isn’t an uncommon problem. Thanks everyone!

[Elizabeth Volpé Bligh]

Are you holding your breath when you play? If this is the case, then your extremities are being starved of oxygen. Remember to keep breathing deeply as you play, practising deep breaths at the beginnings of phrases. If you are very conscious about it, and breathe deeply whenever you feel tightness, you would be amazed how it releases tension.

[kreig-kitts]

Elizabeth has a point. Breathing is important, and people often don’t do it if they’re experiencing stress. They often hold their breathe instead. While practicing a demanding passage, experiment with consciously blowing air out throughout the phrase, as if your harp is a wind instrument and needs air to play. Years ago, my viola teacher made me do that, and my hands opened up and relaxed more almost immediately.

[samantha-t]

Interesting point about the breathing – I’m a classically trained singer so theoretically I know how to do that properly. But I hadn’t thought to observe what happens to my breathing when I’m playing the harp! Must do so. Thanks!

Sorry about the delay in response – I’m glad the emails alerts are back.

[mia-strayer]

I too have ice cubes it manly effects my feet & sometimes my hands
I started having the problems after surgery to cut my heal chords at 12 years old
BTW my feet stopped growing after the surgery now I’m a size 2&1/2 in kids shoos
I think the dr. messed up all my nerves in my feet cause I have NO feeling in them & yes it does effect my pedaling on the harp
Sense than I’ve had NO blood flow to my feet & there always ice cubes
I take 3 baby aspirin a day & wear thick socks but… My feet are still ice cubes

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