 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: George
Date: 2003-02-13 02:26
My 15-year old son has developed a rather persistent (~2.5 weeks now) form of this problem. After playing about 6 years, he had recetnly been playing quite a bit, had just performed in the senior high school regional orchestra, and was preparing to audition for the all-state orchestra. He was also dealing with a viral upper respiratory infection during part of this time. 2 days before the all-state audition, the day after a 2-hour lesson in which he played very well, he discovered that he could not play at all. The air escaped into his nose and he could no longer generate enough pressure in his mouth to vibrate the reed and play.
This condition has been described in the ENT literature as stress velopharyngeal incompetence and is due to the effects of the physical stress of the high pressures generated in the oropharynx during playing. It has been described in a teenage trumpet player in whom the situation improved after rest from playing and soft palate exercises. Adult professional players have sometimes needed surgery for a similar condition (fortunately rare), but I am assuming this may be a somewhat different and more severe form of the problem.
We would be grateful for any experience and advice that anyone has with this condition. My son has already missed the all-state audition, a couple of weeks of high school band, and other ensemble and performance opportunities. After 2.5 weeks he still cannot play.
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2003-02-13 02:41
You might want to search both here and in the Klarinet Archives for palatal leak
and
palatial leak
(a common misspelling)
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Author: Simon
Date: 2003-02-13 03:18
George,
First of all I woulkd take him to an ENT surgeon and have your son checked out.
I had some what similar experience few months back. I was coming down with some sort of a bug and noticed that although I could play , I could only play for a lot shorter time than usual. Air did escape through my nose . Within a week or so once I recovered I was O.K.
Best of luck.
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Author: Sylvain
Date: 2003-02-13 03:34
It happens to me after a bad sore throat when my tonsils are badly swollen.
I asked a ENT specialist and a speech pathologist who told me that if the problem does not exist when I am not sick then there is little I can do except rest and wait for my sore throat to go and my soft palate to get back to its original shape and place.
If he is not sick anymore and it's already been 2.5 weeks then I would suggest going to see a specialist.
-S
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Author: Peter
Date: 2003-02-13 04:18
George,
Something similar has happened to me for years when I really overdo playing time. Luckily, it goes away after anywhere from a couple of hours' or a day's rest, and stays away if I just don't overdo playing all at one time.
That's one reason to keep practice sessions to a reasonable length of time, according to the student's capabilities. Too much of a good thing is never good.
I hope it works out that way for your son, as well, or that he can find a way to get rid of it altogether.
My sympathies to you both. Good luck.
Peter
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Author: Morrigan
Date: 2003-02-13 05:56
I once played bass clarinet at a music camp (a REALLY intense one) for a week, and going back to normal clarinet, I experienced this. I cut down playing - and as soon as the air began to escape through my nose, I would stop playing. Just put down the clarinet and walk away.
Within a month or so, the problem dissappeared. Still today I sometimes feel this coming on, so I stop before it happens. Prevention is better than a cure. Since I had my tonsils out last year, I have been in excellent health, maybe that's an option, I'm not sure.
Best of luck for your son! =]
________________________
Just Mr. Optimistic today.
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Author: Liquorice
Date: 2003-02-13 06:46
I had the same problem as a child. Once air started leaking out of my nose, I couldn't play. After taking a break I could play again. The problem disappeared after a few years, and now I can play as long as I like!
All the best for your son,
Liquorice
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Author: Frank
Date: 2003-02-13 18:31
Several years ago I was being treated for sleep apnea....the doctor offered me two alternatives...an operation to remove the flap of skin which causes the apnea, and a "CPAP" machine which basically blows air into your nose all night and keeps the passages open. Before I could answer, he out of the blue asked me if I played a "blowing" instrument...I answered yes, and he said forget the operation....the flap they remove is the one which lets you blow through your mouth without blowing through the nose. Ironically, a close friend of mine who is a pro player almost had he is career ended with the operation...after the operation, he could no longer blow a sax or clarinet without the air going out his nose ( i think flute was OK)...this was in the early days of sleep apnea understanding.......Anyway, it took almost a year of hard work for him to develop whatever muscles were needed to compensate for the change in his throat before he could play again. I assume doctors now know enough to ask, as mine did, but just in case......FYI
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Author: Hans
Date: 2003-02-13 20:08
Frank,
Thanks for that very enlightening story. The ENT surgeon I saw last year did NOT ask if I played a wind instrument. I backed out of the surgery at the last minute because my wife did not feel that it was worth while, but had been reconsidering it because the CPAP machine is such a pain.
Thanks again,
Hans
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Author: Frank
Date: 2003-02-13 20:25
Hans...CPAPs are a pain...but you get used to them, and feel so much better after a real night's sleep.... I don't know what I'd do with out mine.
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Author: Julia
Date: 2003-02-13 22:31
George,
I'm in college for music and education, and i too have had this problem, and still do. For me it is quite pervasive in that it has never completely gone away. It was however, greatly reduced when I changed my mouthpiece/reed set up to a freer-blowing one. Perhaps that is an option for your son. I am still looking for what is the source of the problem in my case...if anyone has any insights I would be glad to hear them. I'm in communication with a voice specialist, and at some point I may just go to an ENT and see if that might lead to some solutions.
When I asked about this on this board not quite a year ago, mark suggested the same search option--but it wasn't all that helpful...who knows, it might be for you. I do know that one common cause for this problem is the atrophying of the adenoids. If your son is in HS, this would be about the age (16-20ish) when this occurs. It is perfectly normal. What this has to do with the problem is that the soft palate can seal the oral cavity from the nasal cavity, but it normally comes up against the adenoids. If the adenoids are disappearing, then the soft palate has to go further to close off the nasal and oral cavities. To help this, he can do exerices such as saying "eee" and "ng" to feel the difference in how the velum moves.
Unfortunately, it is not this simple for me because I had my adenoids removed when I was very young...so I do not know what is the cause of this for me.
Hope this is helpful,
Julia
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Author: Heidi
Date: 2003-02-14 15:32
I too have experienced this, but only once. I can't remember if I was sick or not, however. Just randomly while I was practicing (and doing rather well for once, I might say) it felt like something suddenly yanked open a trapdoor in the back of my mouth and air would only travel through my nose. It was very odd. I told my teacher about it the next day, and he thought it was wierd too. I've never had a recurrance, but it certainly was strange. I've been trying to figure that out for years! Thanks!
Heidi
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