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Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP)

Author: JRC
Date: 2014-03-14 17:59

I had UPPP surgery done in the past. It is basically removing excessive tissue (soft palate and uvula) around the throat to open up airways. These tissues are the vibrating elements for making noise when one snores. Sleep apnea is often caused by these excessive tissues and snoring.

What is the connection to oboe playing? Well... I did not know of its affects to oboe playing until recently. I have a chamber music session with bunch of string players regularly. One day, we decided to do some early Hayden string quartets and I played the 1st violin part... about 4 hours. Oboe part was full of notes, and I was blowing notes nearly all the time for the entire time. Then it happened. Apparently the muscles that controlled the soft palate to block the airways to the nose while I play oboe became too tired and could not maintain blocking the air ways to nose entirely. So the air started to leak into nose and the soft palate tissues started vibrating... snoring...!! But enough air was going to the reed for me to continue playing the oboe. I was snoring and playing oboe at the same time. The snoring sound and my oboe sound together started make a harmony... I was double stopping...!!! Everyone in the room stopped playing and looked at me. They exclaimed "You are double stopping with oboe!!"

My throat muscles felt weak and sore for the rest of the day. I was OK the next day. I thought someone might be interested in this unique phenomena.

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