Focal Dystonia or RSI (repetitive strain injury)

Hello.

so ever since late August/september 2024 I’ve had a sluggish ring finger. The first two months where the worst and it hasn’t been as bad since howether it still effects my guitar playing and has caused me a lot of stress and brought me to quit my job

I am torn between wether it’s more likely I have RSI (repetitive strain injury) of musicians Focal Dystonia

for about a year I have been practising on guitar licks that involve speed (always been my weak point of a guitar player of over 20 years) I would play past the point of my hands aching from playing to much without a rest. Sometimes I would sit and watch a movie while practising fast licks. When I went on holiday for a month I started using a grip tool that you squeeze and can adjust the tension. It is built for guitarit’s. The tension was high and I would impulsively squeeze it in my pocket. Sometimes without realising. Just a habit with no particular target. Played with it as one would play with a fidget spinner. I noticed a couple times there was a very mild painless sluggishness in my ring finger and didn’t really think anything of it. Don’t think it stuck around. A few weeks Later. I can’t recall the day/days leading into it that my ring finger became very sluggish and had involuntary movements when trying to use it. Such as hitting the wrong string, slipping off the fretboard and not as bad as I’ve seen videos of other musicians but my finger would curl in a bit when I played certain motions on the guitar. chords are usually not affected and it’s mainly single note lines where I would get sluggish fingers.

as I said the first 2 months where the worst and haven’t been as bad since this is before I even read about focal dystonia. if I play in Certain positions it makes it worse. Certain guitars make it worse. Playing bass that allows my fingers to stretch further actually relieve symptoms. i have times in the day where it is worse and times in the day it is better and this is randomised. There was a point a few weeks ago that my symptoms went away by about 98%. It came back again after about 3 days. I played on a friends guitar once where Ithe strings where high from the fretboard and where heavy guage strings and after a few minutes of playing is gui my finger became more weak and sluggish than it had been in weeks. This lasted a couple of days

certain exercises. Putting my hand in warm water for 5 minutes helps with symptom. Playing guitar and warming up helps but after a while of playing it gets worse again or even if I go do something else for half n hour my finger might start being sluggish again.

if I havent played guitar for a few days my Fingers don’t have mild spasms but if I do play guitar a lot I might get the occasional spasm for a few day. Only when my ring finger has been used with a lot of motion. If I’m playing and my finger becomes slugGish on a phrase and I stop to meditate for 10 seconds I can then usually play that phrase again which is weird.

I went to get an ultra sound done on my hand and four arm and there was no signs of wear or damage whatsoever. It was then when I was pondering on the idea that I could have developed focal Dystonia. I went to a chiropractor and she says she thinks it’s RSI despite the ultra sound not showing any damage. But im Not sure myself. I also want to point out. Alcohol is single handily the best option of relieving symptoms (I read this is common with Dystonia)

i Quit my job and haven’t worked in a couple of Months now Out of fear of making the problem worse. After a days work (driving 95 percent of the time and the other 5 percent is picking up heavy chairs and scooters) my hand would be at its worse. As I was gripping and picking up heavy sofas.

there are many things telling me I have RSI and many things telling me I have focal Dystonia.

from what you have read what would your predictions conclude?