 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: MikeH
Date: 2007-06-08 21:54
I have been playing clarinet and saxophone off and on for 55 years and steadily for the past 25 years or so. I always liked a big sound on both clarinet and sax and used open mpc's-for example, Vandoren JB 5 on clarinet and comparable mpc's on sax-and was willing to put up with the physical stress to get the sound I wanted. Well the long and the short of it is that I have fairly severe deterioration in my temporo mandibular joints particularly on the right side. It sounds rediculous but it more or less sneaked up on me so that one day I woke with real severe pain on my right side that made eating solid food impossible for a day or two. I laid off for a month and have just started playing a little bit again but the right jaw joint is tender and alarmingly unstable. Right now I am depressed about the whole thing and am looking for any suggestions regarding courses of action that might be helpful. Any accounts of similar experiences would also be welcome even on no grounds other than misery loves company. Thanks
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Author: glin
Date: 2007-06-08 23:00
See your dentist.
Mine has me on an orthotic which is like a plastic retainer. It's step 1 for my bite being misaligned. I have less headaches, fatigue, and joint pains. A permanent fix is step 2, (which I'm not too crazy about) which is veneers and orthontic treatment.
Good luck,
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Author: musiciandave
Date: 2007-06-09 02:38
Ask your doctor about stretching exercizes before playing. Principal Saxophonist of the Marine (DC) Band Audrey Cupples had a really bad case of TMJ and does a few minutes of stretches/warmups before playing and told me that it helps her a lot.
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Author: bob49t
Date: 2007-06-09 13:41
Mike..............I strongly recommend that you visit your dentist, who will give advice regarding your apparent TMJ Dysfunction syndrome.
It may be as simple as giving stabilising exercises. (90% of my cases respond well to this). This may also involve appropriate suggestions to change your sleeping habits regarding say, the pillow you use. eg a pillow that supports neck and head, but when your jaw muscles relax during sleep, that no sideways forces are imposed on your lower jaw..... (surprising number of patients respond to this one). One of my more interesting TMJ cases was a business man who constantly used the office and mobile telephone handpieces jammed between lower jaw and shoulder, thus throwing his lower jaw out whilst talking.
However if it does turn out to be more severe or complicated, by seeing your dentist, he/she will have the opportunity to refer you directly to TMJ specialists.
We can't diagnose on the BBoard as each case has its own set of circumstances, and it may not be appropriate to follow suggestions by boarders from their own experiences.
I know no-one has given any advice yet, I'm just jumping in before they do !!
Always a good idea to do some stretching execises and neck mobility exercises before playing as one is likely to be fairly static for a while in a concert. Take professional advice on this too, to optimise your case.
Happy playing Mike.
BobT
BobT
Post Edited (2007-06-09 16:37)
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Author: skygardener
Date: 2007-06-10 15:36
the way you describe it, it doesn't sound like it's related to your playing. If you just woke up one day after playing regularly for 25 years and suddenly had pain then it's got to be something else. And if you didn't play for a month with no improvement then the playing might not be the cause- just my logic. Something to be happy about.
But yes the dentist is the one to see.
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Author: jane84
Date: 2007-06-11 10:05
"This may also involve appropriate suggestions to change your sleeping habits regarding say, the pillow you use. eg a pillow that supports neck and head, but when your jaw muscles relax during sleep, that no sideways forces are imposed on your lower jaw..... "
Could you please describe this kind of pillow closer?
Thanks.
-jane
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Author: bob49t
Date: 2007-06-11 12:02
Yes Jane,
A pillow which applies pressure in a sideways direction to a relaxed mandible is not good for TMJ sufferers and indeed can start a transient bout of TMJ.
So one which has firm head and neck support is best in this case. There are many orthopaedi
cally designed expanded pillows (to keep neck straight when lying on one's side) They are inexpensive and are shaped to support the neck. I'll see if I can find a link with a picture and post it later.
Bob T .......here we go........................
<http ://www.essentialaids.com/erol.html#2080X2104>
This is one of many similar. I have one that is shaped like this, but is simply honeycombed foam. Hope this helps.
The essence of these is that the head does not sink into the pillow. If it did, the pillow would then exert an active sideways force to displace the resting the mandible, thus potentially displacing or at least stressing the joint nearest the pillow. That clear ??? RT
BobT
Post Edited (2007-06-11 12:13)
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Author: MikeH
Date: 2007-06-11 23:51
Thanks for the helpful comments and suggestions. I appreciate it.
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Author: jane84
Date: 2007-06-12 16:52
Bob,
That's what I thought you meant, yes. Thank you. Clear indeed:)
-jane
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Author: C2thew
Date: 2007-06-12 18:21
Sounds like an infection? A periodontist might be of help to see if bacteria is attacking your gums. usually when bacteria attack, you won't feel a thing until they reach a nerve. do you have good brushing and eating habits?
Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. they are but improved means to an unimproved end, an end which was already but too easy to arrive as railroads lead to Boston to New York
-Walden; Henry Thoreau
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Author: Bartmann
Date: 2007-06-14 16:15
MikeH,
Many instrumentalists suffer from repetitive stress syndrome. Years ago when I got braces, it threw out my bite, so that the right side of my jaw clicked when I opened it a certain way. Playing the clarinet became impossible. So I stopped playing clarinet for about a year.
And I started learning the flute. It is much less stressful on the body and certainly the jaw. When I play the flute I never have jaw pain. However when I play the clarinet for long periods, I sometimes notice the beginnings of a slight pain in my jaw. Because I'm careful about playing clarinet for long periods (more accurately: because my embouchure dies after one hour of steady plyaing). I don't experience pain often.
Since I can spread music making over two instruments, I never really stress out the same body parts in exactly the same way.
Since your second instrument is also a single reed, your not giving your jaw a break. Because you play a second instrument, you know that making music is more important than playing an instrument in particular. So if you switch to another instrument, you can still keep making music without stressing the jaw.
Bartmann
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Author: marcia
Date: 2007-06-14 16:32
First-see your dentist. 8 months ago I had my braces removed, and when I started to be able to leave my retainers off for most of the day I developed some TMJ discomfort, complete with jaw clicking. When I told this to my orthodontist he made me a new upper retainer and the problem is subsiding.
And, did I mention? See your dentist!
Marcia
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