Klarinet Archive - Posting 000844.txt from 1999/03

From: "John J. O'Neill" <avodah@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] Emphysema
Date: Mon, 15 Mar 1999 00:10:11 -0500

Right now I am fighting a bad case of bronchitis. After a couple weeks of
antibiotics, the doctor finally x-rayed my lungs. He found them to be
relatively clear, but did notice an area where I could have the beginnings
of emphysema. He asked me if I smoked, and I said that I didn't. (I have
never smoked, but I have worked in environments where there was more
cigarette, cigar, and pipe smoke than air.) I then told the doctor that I
play clarinet, and he immediately responded: "Say nor more, I learn
something new every day." The reason why I am bringing this to the
attention of the list is because of what I found in a medical book about
emphysema. Among other things, the book attributed emphysema to smoking,
exposure to air pollution, and PLAYING A WIND INSTRUMENT. I assume that
playing a wind instrument can have something to do with overinflating the
alveoli in the lungs, but is this bad in itself? Can a person play a wind
instrument and not damage the alveoli? Can a person overinflate the alveoli
without developing emphysema? I wonder how many members of the list who
have never smoked have had the same symptoms on their x-rays. Heredity is
also a possibility in acquiring emphysema, but I think that it is rare.
Anyhow, if this is not too far from the subject of clarinet playing, I
would like to hear from members of the list. TIA.

JON

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