Photo/Illutration Guitarist Shiki Nagashima’s middle finger is stuck in a curled position as a result of dystonia, a disease that prevents voluntary body movements. (Provided by Shiki Nagashima)

Professional guitarist Shiki Nagashima developed symptoms of dystonia in his right hand sometime around 2001.

“It felt like there was a little bird fluttering in my right hand,” said Nagashima, 61, who is based in Tokyo.

On closer look, he found his middle finger had curled into his palm and could not be uncurled.

Dystonia prevents patients from voluntarily moving parts of their body even when there is nothing wrong with the muscles or bones.

The disease led Kentaro Kobuchi of “Kobukuro” (a popular singing duo) to suspend his activities for a while.

“Some musicians have given up playing because of dystonia,” Nagashima said. “Many others must be suffering like I did." 

Little is known about what causes such illnesses, nor does the public show much understanding regarding them.

Nagashima visited an osteopathic clinic and a hospital and tried out various therapies, only to find he was still unable to perform as he wanted.

He began treatments in earnest in 2017 after a guitar manufacturer referred him to Naotaka Sakai, a Tokyo-based orthopedist. 

Nagashima said he played the guitar in front of the doctor as he underwent treatment--which included Chinese herbal medicine, an antianxiety drug and rehabilitation--until he was able to move his finger again.

It is common for performing artists, who need to delicately keep their bodies tuned up, to develop symptoms that could be described as occupational diseases, such as tenosynovitis, muscular pain and joint pain.

Many patients, however, avoid the hospital as it would mean taking days off from practicing. Daily practice is indispensable in the world of performing arts.

Some patients, therefore, hesitate to see a doctor or receive treatment for fear of how it could impact their performances, officials said.

Musicians could also see their careers compromised by some diseases whose symptoms may appear only mild to an outside observer.

A group of doctors and dentists are establishing a Japanese Performing Arts Medicine Association (JPAMA) in July to provide treatment to instrumentalists, singers and dancers with physical or mental health problems who can no longer perform or dance how they want.

"It would be fantastic if the JPAMA could give performing artists the opportunity to receive proper treatment,” Nagashima said. 

The JPAMA’s target clientele includes instrumentalists, singers, vocalists, as well as ballet performers and other dancers.

There are medical associations in Western countries that meet the therapeutic needs of musicians.

Sakai, one of the JPAMA’s initiators, and others who have been providing treatment to musicians have proposed setting up the JPAMA as the Japanese version.

The association will organize medical practitioners from various specialty fields, including orthopedists, dentists, neurologists, a psychiatrist and an ophthalmologist.

They will work together to support musicians, diagnose their diseases, provide treatment to them and conduct preventive research.

Amateur musicians and dancers will also be eligible for the JPAMA’s treatment, the officials said.

Some 50 medical specialists from across Japan are expected to join the JPAMA, whose website will provide information on available medical institutions.

JPAMA organizers are hoping to offer appropriate therapies tailored to the needs of individual patients so they can remain active as performing artists.

The organizers raised the association’s activity funds on a crowdfunding platform through April 22 under the project title, “Toward establishing specialized medical care tailored to the needs of artists: Setting up the JPAMA,” with the goal of raising 3 million yen ($23,900).

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