Klarinet Archive - Posting 000268.txt from 1996/01

From: "Roderick L. Prior" <prior@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: throat pain
Date: Sun, 14 Jan 1996 20:28:28 -0500

Rich, I suspect that you are partly correct in suspecting that your
problem with throat pain is stress. I'll bet that your pain is a learned
muscle stress problem, akin to writer's cramp. For reasons that I can't
explain very well, you've learned to overtighten your throat muscles in
playing. Because they're so tight, they don't get enough blood supply.
Lactic acid builds up, causing pain.

The secret to fixing this problem is in unlearning those maladaptive
behaviors. I don't have any specific exercises to suggest. I would
suggest to possible sources of help.

1. A competent speech therapist. The sort of things which a speech
therapist must teach are similar to the things which you must unlearn/learn.

2. In some cities, clinics for the health problems of musicians have
sprun up. I'm quite sure that there's one at the Massachusetts General
Hospital in Boston. Since I don't know know where you are, I can't be
any more geographically helpful. If you e-mail me directly, I might be
able to help more.

Rod Prior,M.D.
Internist and Occupational Medicine Physician, and Clarinetist.

On Sun, 14 Jan 1996 RichSwingn@-----.COM wrote:

> Help!!!
> I have played the clarinet for 11 years. In high school, I became quite
> proficient and sat second chair in the Illinois All-State Band, one year.
> But enough backround.
> For the past 3 years or so, whenever I try to play, I experience severe pain
> in my throat which enables me to play at all. I've seen doctors, and none of
> them can find anything physically wrong with me. None of the teachers I've
> had seem to know either. I miss being able to play, and the sight of my
> clarinet (and sax) collecting dust grieves me to no end.
> I think part if the problem is stress, and that I can't stop my throat
> from tightening up. If this is the case, does anyone have any suggestions on
> how I can help relax my throat muscles so I can once again play?
> Any thoughts are appreciated.
> Please e-mail me at: RichSwingn@-----.Com
>