TubeNet

Aspirin is a great medicine, but it's hardly risk-free.

http://health.yahoo.com/other-other/asp ... 170a1.html

I take daily aspirin treatment, but use ibuprofen too as needed.

Two aspirin are so effective - just don't chase them with mixed drinks or even beer.

The way I've experienced it, a dent is as acoustically as likely to improve a sound as to make it worse; that's the joy of playing an analog instrument!

(Oh, and since I'm on rat poison, I don't look for any other opportunities to thin my blood)

Jaw pain? Is this normal?


I have experienced "chop pain"--as in the portion of the lips that actually vibrate.

I've also had muscle fatigue pain in the muscles that extend from the corners of the mouth that control lip tension.

What kind of jaw pain? And, is this common--does anyone else here experience jaw pain?

tubaphore wrote:

Dean wrote:Jaw pain? Is this normal?


I have experienced "chop pain"--as in the portion of the lips that actually vibrate.

I've also had muscle fatigue pain in the muscles that extend from the corners of the mouth that control lip tension.

What kind of jaw pain? And, is this common--does anyone else here experience jaw pain?

I would say no. I have never experienced any jaw pain and neither have any of my brass-playing friends. That seems like something tubashaman should probably get checked out, because it doesn't seem very normal.

That's my assessment too. I've not experience any pain in the jaw. To my memory, this is the first time I have heard anyone complain of jaw pain...

James, where exactly is the pain, and when/why does it manifest?

Jaw pain is likely the result of TENSION. Bad playing habits.
Likely, not definitively, without an exam.

James, that's certainly not normal. See your doctor, ask him/her to get you in with a Physical Therapist. A chirpractor would do, but that's your call.

There was a story on NPR "Weekend Edition Saturday" today, dealing with musician injuries and a PT in DC. Good story, esp since the PT is the daughter of Leon Fleischer, and the main client in the story is the daughter of a friend. No links up yet.

tetanus isn't all that common, and boosters last 10 years.

The wisdom teeth change the whole picture. As Click and Clack say, "you leave out the most important symptom!"

I most seriously doubt you have tetanus. The effects are not just in the mouth, but muscle spasms and contractions all over the body. You've maybe just been adjusting your chops so that your teeth don't hurt, and therefore have tensed your jaw muscles.

You gotta try to get them teeth removed.

well, if things don't work out, James, I got dibs on the 1291, OK?

I have had a couple bouts of something akin to this, and in my case it was a combination of my wisdom teeth, playing too much over a longer period of time (which is why it didn't go away after resting a day or two), and overall stress, which led to bad habits. Anti-inflammatories helped with the immediate symptoms, but long term the biggest help was a small embouchure change. You should consider reducing your playing time and saving the louder playing for when you really need it to see if the symptoms ease themselves any. When you get pain, stop playing - you wouldn't drive a car without any motor oil. Your body is giving you very clear negative feedback and you need to listen.

If you look at this solely from the "what changed" perspective, if you've had a mouthpiece or embouchure change in the past few months you could be experiencing cumulative effects from something not quite working right over the long term. That's simply speculation, but perhaps it's worth consideration.

Talk to your private teacher, talk to a doctor (mostly about how to handle the symptoms), and if you can find someone with which to take a few embouchure lessons (probably this summer since it's unlikely someone is close to your location for this kind of thing).

tofu wrote:Self diagnosis and especially diagnosis by the TNFJ is not the way to go.

What could possible yield better results than the TNFJ? See a medical doctor? Why?

'course, Gene doesn't own that horn. Who cares if it gets a dent or 6?

ah, to be young and innocent again.

tubashaman wrote:No really, what tuba is that Gene plays on. That isnt one of the arnold jacob yorks is it?

It's one of the CSO Yorks - couldn't tell you which one. But I can tell you that Gene definitely shows how that movement should be played.

tubashaman wrote:I had a mouthpiece change last christmas and got an F tuba in late february, which im using a helleberg 7B i havenet used in a while...possibly the changing rims is causing it since between my Baer 2006 and the 7B is a huge rim difference

My switching to F caused me some jaw pain and tension for a while. I never did figure it out and now it seems that it has disappeared by me merely acknowledging it. (anybody read "the inner game of music?" )

Your jaw pain *could* be a result of your wisdom teeth, but it also could be a result of tension.

Have you stepped on any rusty nails lately?

Jaw pain for me is the result of not positioning the tuba properly to fit my overbite. If I have to extend my lower jaw out all the time seal the bottom lip, it does sometimes get a bit crampy. That's when I know I need to adjust my position. Often, this is the result of a tight stage setting, or an unfamiliar chair.

It doesn't have to be tension, and it certainly doesn't have to be tetanus.

Rick "not too worried about tetanus" Denney