No Pain For Licorice

talldwarf
talldwarf
Founding Member

Posted: Dec 19, 07 4:57pm

Having had an on-again, off-again relationship with clarinets since age 8 and an unwanted relationship with temporomandibular joint (TMJ) syndrome since I was 21, is it recommended I, a. drop the idea of resuming clarinet playing, b. find a cure or treatment I can get to resume playing? or c. hack it to death with a kitchen knife.

I’m hoping others here might have been in this same place, or maybe there are some insanely good physical therapists or doctors in the TBD community that can tell me how I can get to play clarinet pain-free…or at least can offer good advice....even if that advice is "a." at least nobody @TBD will hear my primal scream of frustration. ;-)

Thanks,

David

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3 Comments // 3 Members
Milt T
Milt T
Founding Member

Posted: Dec 19, 07 5:25pm

Having had an on-again, off-again relationship with clarinets since age 8 and an unwanted relationship with temporomandi...

Isn't the area you describe part of the jaw system? Maybe a good reconstructive dentist would be the one to seek.

As far as playing without pain, do you play well enough so that everyone around you who has to listen would feel no pain?

talldwarf
talldwarf
Founding Member

Posted: Dec 20, 07 6:58am

Isn't the area you describe part of the jaw system? Maybe a good reconstructive dentist would be the one to seek.

As...

LOL, that depends on who is listening. I tend to be experimental, which for me means fooling around with dissonance. it also means working out melodies from anything from Beatles or Doors to heavy metal riffs. My wife finds it very interesting, while my 18 yo son begs me to stop.

a reconstructive dentist? as in jaw surgery? maybe I should take up theremin...?!

DL

RobinMillerMD
RobinMillerMD
Founding Member

Posted: Dec 20, 07 7:39am

Having had an on-again, off-again relationship with clarinets since age 8 and an unwanted relationship with temporomandi...

A dentist can help and there are some physical therapists that work with people with TMJ. You might want to look into that. I have had a couple of patients who were able to become pain free! They also may be able to help you find ways to play your clarinet without inflaming your TMJ.