Re: Lip Sores?



<quote>
Date: Wed, 13 Aug 2003 11:47:46 -0600
From: "Steve/n0tu" <n0tu@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Lip Sores?

The QUESTION: Is it common amongst you 'old blues dawgs' <meant here as
complement> to get sores on the INSIDE of your lips from blowin' too much
harp? Geez, did I over do it on my harpin' ?! Or is this maybe some kind of
chem-reaction to the brass(or other metals)?

Seriously they look like little tiny blisters in both corners of my mouth
(inside and out) from where the reed plates rubbed on the same part of the
lips (while TBing) by constantly repeating several riffs for hours on end!
How do you avoid these little unpleasantries or can you? (Oh yes, I'm a
beginner!) Suggestions?

"Sore Lips" ...and BTW doc it only hurts when I laugh or play harp!! (darn!)
~ SteveG
</quote>

Hi there Steve,
Bummer dude.
I am most definitely not an 'old blues dawg'.
I have some opinions which may be helpful.  If you play rough harps it may take
a few months to condition (harden up) your lips.  The stock marine band can be
really guilty of this.  I've met a number of harmonica players who swear by
stock harmonicas that are rough as guts - when I've given them a nice smooth
instrument they've given it back saying they can't keep track of where they are
on the instrument because the sharp edges aren't there and the tone isn't right.
They just harden up and thats that. So there you go.

I have sensitive lips and after eight years still haven't managed to "condition"
my lips to anything - a rough harp will always cause me trouble.  Stock HM MBs
tear me up regardless.  Instead I'm fussy about making sure the mouthpiece and
front of the covers are smooth and have no sharp edges.  I do this myself.
Shofu Brownies and my rotary tool are invaluble for this.

Yes I get sores inside my lips.  Mouth ulcers and cold sores are a real pain.
I find that if I'm tired and fatigued and haven't been eating properly this
happens more regularly.  If I don't clean my teeth the acidic saliva makes me
more prone to sore lips and burns the corners of my mouth.  And playing a dirty
harmonica can cause a number of problems including sore throat and infections
around my mouth.  Worst case they can keep reinfecting you with bronchitus.
So a dirty harp is an unhealthy harp.

Some of the things that I have found help avoid these problems:
Brush your teeth before playing.  Keep a small toothbrush with your harps for
when you go out. If you can afford a regular supply of mouthwash this is the
best to use before playing - it also benefits wet players by drying the mouth
up.
Clean and sanitise your harmonicas regularly.  The more you play them, the more
you should clean them.
Preferably carefully disassemble them, clean out all the muck off and out of
them after a solid soak in warm water.  Use some cleaning agent to kill the bugs
and after drying out, reassemble.  With wood combs I use a slightly damp
toothbrush to scrub out the muck.

I bought a small 50ml spray mister (it came with lens cleaner in it which I
emptied out) and keep a small supply of isopropal alcohol around at all times.
Because I work on other people's instruments I'm very aware of cleanliness and
keeping instruments sanitised before and after I work on them.

If I start getting sores around my mouth I can usually put it down to one
harmonica that I've recently started playing again and know to give it a damn
good wash and finish with a spray of isopropal alcohol - let it evaporate then
wipe off the residue that tastes worse that a bad batch of moonshine.

The problems heal up pretty quickly after that.
G.





This archive was generated by a fusion of Pipermail 0.09 (Mailman edition) and MHonArc 2.6.8.