Working Out and Healing From an Infection

[Bill Troiano]

My question is, for those of you who work out, can this be harmful to the healing process when you have a cold, or some sort of infection? I got into working out in a gym back in May. I never did it before, but after a brief heart scare, a cardiologist urged me to get in shape. Not that I was in bad shape, but I got addicted to the gym. I dropped 20+ lbs. and my body shape is changing. I try and go 4 days a week, with the bulk of it being weight training and some cardio too. I've tried (and basically have) kept going even with this illness. Sometimes, I don't want to go, but I force myself. The doctor said I can still work out. He does. It just seems strange to me that this illness should linger for so long, especially when I am in the best shape since I was in HS. I've been on 3 courses of antibiotics throughout this process, so maybe this thing is not bacterial in nature.

The other concern is that my tubas may be reinfecting me, although I don' think it ever happened before. With the snow and cold, I've turned off my outdoor water supply. So, I did pour white vinegar down the leadpipe on both horns. I cut a plastic sheet from packaging that accessories or a video game or something of that nature would come in. I curved it and put it into the 1st valve casing, leaving it open where the leadpipe would enter the 1st valve. This allowed me to pour vinegar down the leadpipe without it continuing through the rest of the tubas. Then I let it sit for a few minutes and cleaned out the leadpipe with a snake. Then, I flushed it with water from the kitchen sink. Very little water or vinegar made it through the rest of the instruments. I also cleaned my mouthpiece.

So, even if one can reinfect themself from playing their tuba, I would think that a process like what I did, would sterilize the horn. I can't imagine that anything from beyond the 1st valve could infect you.

In summary, can working out prevent you from healing from a virus or infection? It's been discussed on this board about sterilizing your instrument. Did my process sterilzie my instrument? Thanks! Hope to see some of you in DC!

[Rev Rob]

I gathered from your post about TUSABTEC that you are suffering from a sinus infection. These can be very hard to clear up. See an ear, nose and throat specialist if you have not done so already. Your workouts and your tuba playing should not interfere with the healing process. Your efforts to clean the lead pipe should also aid in producing a clean sound - no pun intended. You are taking care of yourself through your work out schedule. Be careful of things like using gym towels, water bottles - especially the plastic ones, go stainless steel. Hopefully spring with fresh air and sunshine can make a difference. Be careful in your use of antibiotics that another infection does not pop up somewhere else because the antibiotic treatment killed the good bacteria and left the nasty one to proliferate. Hope you get well soon.

[tofu]

Congratulations on improving your fitness level. I've been seriously working out for the last 35 years (running, swimming, cycling and weight lifting) and the advice that I've always heard over the years is that it's okay to keep working out for anything above the neck. There have been some studies that indicate that mild workouts help and others that say while you may feel better after a workout you ultimately end up taking longer to being completely cured. I can attest to how hard it is to not workout when you really get into it.

Now for some bad news.

Gyms are some the most germ ladened places on earth and the chances of picking a bug up there are high. No matter how hard you try it is difficult not to touch something and then rub your eye, face, nose , mouth or ear especially when you are perspiring heavily and wiping the sweat away from an eye for example. You also have people who sneeze and don't cover their face and add in the fact that a lot of healthclubs to lower their heating bills this time of year, cut down on the percentage of fresh air in their HVAC systems - so a higher percentage of the air in the club is constantly recycled dirty air. Studies have shown that people who frequent gyms have more illnesses than those who don't. Ironic down side of getting fit.

[fairweathertuba]

The gym, as is the hospital, is full of germs, they are great places to get sick. This is what I would do; I would stay away from the gym even while healthy. You aren't doing yourself any favors by forcing yourself to go while sick, rather you are probably hindering the body's ability to heal itself

Walking, jogging, some sort of outdoor sport, and a little bit of calisthenics and weight training at home, and an active lifestyle, doing these things will get you into shape for the long haul and you will have a regular life to boot. Also don't forget the basics of eating right and getting plenty of sleep. I'm an ex gym rat so my opinion is a little strong on this subject.

[AHynds]

I just got through a particularly bad sinus infection, and if this is what you have, you might consider trying what I did to cure it.

Basically, I started using something that I had longed ruled out: over-the-counter sinus medicine. I got one of those double packs of daytime/nighttime sinus medicine from walmart and started using them every day. On top of that (and more importantly), I used my sinus wash (neti pot) every day at least once, and sometimes multiple times. With a little bit of patience, it'll eventually go away.

I'm still draining some, but for the last week and a half it's all been clear and fast moving drainage, as opposed to the nose stoppers I had to deal with 2 weeks ago.

Now, as far as exercise goes, I'm not the one to ask...

[Bill Troiano]

Thanks for the advice, guys! I'm better, but not totally. No working out while in DC at the Army Band Conference. I hit the gym today for the first time in a week. I'm just hoping it's a lingering thing and it will pass. Life goes on!

[bisontuba]

Bill-
The best way to sterilize a horn(s) AND mouthpiece(s) is by pouring a bottle of Hydrogen Peroxide into the horn--then flush out with water--won't hurt the horn, and will kill germs. Also, quite cheap. Good luck.
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