Lower Lip Pain

[falado]

Hi, I’m having pain right of center on my lower lip. I had a sore in the area in June after doing a series of brass quintet, concert band, and rock band gigs. This involved lots of playing of rehearsals and gigs in a short amount of time. I laid off a few days when I was able and let the scab heal.

I’m in my second year of being a grad trumpet performance major. I’m also bout to turn 70. I have been playing constantly the last couple of weeks, jazz band lead, jazz band combo, wind ensemble, and lessons. I’m playing Bb and C trumpets and flugelhorn. The pain has come back, no bleeding or scab as of yet this time, no bump, like last time, on the lip. It’s just a sore spot and that’s how it starts. I’m able to play, but can be quite uncomfortable at times. I’ve talked to my professor about this, but no conclusion yet.

Have any of you experienced this? What did you do and results? I’m sure some of you will say see a doctor, but what kind, dermatologist, ENT, or another?

Thanks, Dave
_________________
FA LA DO (Ab: V/ii) MUCS, USN (Ret.)
Stomvi VR (Reeves) with VR II Bell
Bach 239 25A C, Blueprinted
Bach 37, Early Elkhart, Blueprinted
Kanstul Flugel
Getzen 4 valve Pic.
Yamaha D/Eb
Besson Cornet

[JayKosta]

'see a doc' is the right answer. You probably have good medical insurance coverage - check with your insurer and find-out about co-pays for your GP, and specialists. Your insurance might even have a 'call our nurse to discuss your problem' service - that could help to identify the proper specialist.

For 'general lip health' I use drugstore L-lysine supplement daily, and plain 'chapstick-style' before bed.

For right-now, ease off on playing if possible to prevent it getting worse.
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Most Important Note ? - the next one !
KNOW (see) what the next note is BEFORE you have to play it.
PLAY the next note 'on time' and 'in rhythm'.
Oh ya, watch the conductor - they set what is 'on time'.

[Doug Elliott]

There are various aspects of your playing mechanics, including how you form your embouchure, how you set your mouthpiece, how and when you inhale, jaw position, tongue position, and other things, that affect overall mouthpiece pressure, distribution, and pressure in specific places that could be causing the pain and maybe the reason why you had the sore spot problem in the first place, not just playing a lot.

I would have to see what you're doing. And maybe if you have some tooth structure under that spot that could be a contributing factor.

[Robert P]

Just want to say that it's great you're going for a trumpet degree at 70! What's your previous background musically or otherwise?
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Getzen Eterna Severinsen
King Silver Flair
Besson 1000
Bundy
Chinese C

Getzen Eterna Bb/A piccolo
Chinese Rotary Bb/A piccolo

Chinese Flugel

[TrumpetMD]

Sorry to hear this. You did a ton of playing, and developed an painful open wound, that seemed to have healed. You are now again doing a ton of playing, and the consequences are returning. All of this could simply be the result of overplaying.

However, you are 70, and old enough to think about medical issues. Since you asked, if you think something medical is going on, you might want to start with your primary care doctor. He/she is probably in the best situation to evaluate this, and narrow it down to something dermatologic vs surgical vs dental, and recommend a referral to dermatology, ENT, plastics, or OMFS, depending what he/she thinks may be going on.

Mike
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Bach Stradivarius 43* Trumpet (1974), Bach 6C Mouthpiece.
Bach Stradivarius 184 Cornet (1988), Yamaha 13E4 Mouthpiece
Olds L-12 Flugelhorn (1969), Yamaha 13F4 Mouthpiece.
Plus a few other Bach, Getzen, Olds, Carol, HN White, and Besson horns.

[falado]

Hi and thanks for the replies. I will say I went from having ing not played lead for quite some time to suddenly playing in the F and G territory. I did G and beyond years ago. I was trying to gear up to it, but maybe went too fast.

My background: 2 years of college early 70’s then went on the road, R&B top 40 show band, about 2 years. 1977 went militarily band when disco dried up the show band hotel work where I’m from. Did military bands 1977 - 1999. Played lead in a few groups including the US Navy Showband. Retired in 1999. Got a masters in Music Ed, 2003, and retired from teaching last year. I had thoracic surgery a couple of years back for an aneurysm. The surgery led me to paralyzed vocal cord, recovered now, and some other minor surgery. Developed an acoustic neuroma, tinnitus, hearing loss left ear. The tumor is benign and had radiation for it last year. Other than that I’m doing fine. I decided to go for the masters in trumpet performance as a means of rehabilitation from the surgeries and to get better. I have a regular gig with a horn band, but getting back to fundamentals and improving my playing. Wheeew sorry it was so long.

I saw my dermatologist about 2 weeks ago, she thought nothing of it. Going to see my ENT soon.
_________________
FA LA DO (Ab: V/ii) MUCS, USN (Ret.)
Stomvi VR (Reeves) with VR II Bell
Bach 239 25A C, Blueprinted
Bach 37, Early Elkhart, Blueprinted
Kanstul Flugel
Getzen 4 valve Pic.
Yamaha D/Eb
Besson Cornet