Trumpet player Face Injury help needed

[Sessionaire]

Greetings
I have a question re an injury....
I experienced an overuse injury? happened suddenly... when playing high Cs etc
sharp sensation, then pain, both sides of my face at the "end of the moustache ' area ie in dimples area...stopped playing ... 10 years later still not playing still have the pain which is frustrating, debilitating etc.. Have searched 'the world" via google etc etc for answers, spent heaps and heaps on analgesics, medical consults, ultrasounds, MRI scans etc. nothing shows up. Spoken with a number of trumpet professors etc..I have not found anyone in the medical world who has a clue. has anyone else heard of this, any clues , ideas. It seems lots of folks damage lips, get bruising , even split lips, seems they all rehabilitate... not me... any thoughts.... the pain is ongoing...
thanks for your time..
enjoy your playing
best wishes
stay away from the virus

[GeorgeB]

@sessionaire

You didn't say how old you are. I am 85 and the closest I came to your situation was due to overplaying at a tough concert. The next day during my morning practice I blew a few notes and then after that nothing but dead air. A doctor, who plays in our band, said the embouchure muscles had collapsed. I was told to put ice packs on the chops several times a day and not play for at least 2 weeks. It took another 2 weeks after that for my playing to get back to where it was.

You case sounds like a muscle tear. Louis Armstrong had that happen to him and had to have surgery. I believe it was a year before he could play again.

There are a couple of doctor members here who may have some insight into your problem and the knowledge of how to treat it.

10 years not playing. What a bummer.

Good luck.

George

[ROWUK]

Our central nervous system is a very fickle thing. It can remember things that we did decades before and can "store" "rewards" for things that we have done. There are many schools of thought on how to deal with these hard wired reactions. Some recommend seeing a shrink, others start yoga class or Alexander Technique lessons. Others (like myself) find a Feldenkrais or a Cranio Sacral therapist. This method actually deals with helping us get a new inner organisation. The therapy is very gentle and everyone that I know that has taken it seriously has reaped large benefits.

In your case, you did the right thing first: checked for physical damage. Now I would recommend going to https://www.davemonette.com (no, I am not trying to sell a mouthpiece or trumpet - and he will not either). Click around the site and see if anything rings. If yes, then click on "Contact" and write a short description of your situation. Then either call or wait for an answer. You can also google Moshe Feldenkrais if you want to know more about some of the background

I am convinced that this is a very good way to get over this. There are no painful massages or physical rehab punishment. Normally, we notice "improvement" right away but many times, we need more time to get out heads around what is going on. Dave is very in tune with brass players. He is very to the point about the way things work in his world. You can write if you have more questions, I will be on the road this week on a business trip so I will not be monitoring 24/7.

[Dr GO]

@sessionaire said in Trumpet player Face Injury help needed:

Greetings
I have a question re an injury....
I experienced an overuse injury? happened suddenly...

The fact that the injury happened suddenly precludes this from being an overuse injury. I believe it is more neurological in origin as suggested in Rowuk's comments and would go with his advice at this point.

[Sessionaire]

Dear all
thanks so much for taking the time to reply... to answer a couple questions/clarify
... started playing late teens mostly twice a sunday in church plus other occasional gigs, rehearsed usually several times per week (ie whenever i could make the time , as trumpeters we just love to play)
I was 58 when "incident occurred" . had played a lot in the sunday morning service and in afternoon was rehearsing some high fanfares for christmas carols event.. eg Cs above the staff...lips were feeling a bit tired and then just had the feeling both sides, end of lip/dimples area.. pain etc

last few months the pain has nose dived.. I am popping analgesics like lollies ( yes I know that is not a good thing medically) and also need to use xylocaine topically to get relief...
talking now is a painful proposition.. ego gone, social life non existent
had to cross over to the dark side.. ie start to learn to play guitar...

thanks again for any thoughts
best wishes from down under

(2 trumpets, 2 Flugels and trombone in storage)

[barliman2001]

@sessionaire I believe strongly in energetic work and Ortho-Bionomy. This kind of gentle massage has proved itself time and time again, the latest incidence being my recent eye trouble. I had a total ablation of the retina, resulting in 100% blindness in my right eye. When diagnosed, several doctors told me the retina was not only lifted off, but in shreds, and that even extensive restoration surgery would only result in that eye being able to distinguish light and dark. I had the surgery done - two operations, one of 4 hours, the other of 6 hours duration, both very painful, because you cannot do them under full anesthesia - and when I had left hospital, my wife (a fully qualified ortho-bionomy therapist beside being an opera singer www.reginaschoerg.art) began a set of treatments. Only yesterday, I saw my ophthalmologist again, and the exam showed that the ablated and torn retina is now whole again and fitting in its proper place, resulting in a sight power of 40%, and rising. The ophthalmologist was flabbergasted - "I know of no case of such a thing happening" and has asked me to allow a group of students to see me. So now I am the wonder of the age, due to a relatively new treatment. Why not try it yourself?

[GeorgeB]

@barliman2001

Wow, that is really something.

Sessionaire, you have been given some great advice. I agree with others here, You should be giving that treatment serious thought.
George