Re: Lip Sores?

["Stephen Shaw" <moorcot@xxxxxxx>]

>G. wrote:
>
> > 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.
>
  Jason wrote:

>Yes.  Contact with the harp aside, any use of muscles, including lip
>muscles, produce some toxins that are an after effect of that use.
>
>If you are well rested, drink lots of water and eat right, the body flushes
>out those toxins and ill effects are not noticed.  As you get too little
>rest, and especially if you drink more caffine, or eat sweets, salt, etc, 
>to
>make it through the day job or gigs, or if you are run down due to partying
>too much those toxins really start compounding.
>
>That's when sores start - they are like pimples on the inside of the mouth 
>-
>caused by the release of those toxins.
>
>I can see my problems starting when my lips get puffy.  I know at that 
>point
>that I better start flushing out - drinking water, taking a sauna-like
>shower and getting more sleep.
>
>Jason


Confession time.  I don't get enough sleep, and some would have it that I 
drink a teeny-weeny bit more alcohol than is good for me.  But I do keep my 
harps reasonably hygienically-clean, and on the whole I avoid sore mouth/lip 
troubles of the types that could affect my playing.  As I wrote in my post 
last week, avoiding getting sunburned lips is crucial for me.  For years I 
didn't even connect that this was one of my problems.  It just feels like 
dry, sore, puffy lips and it's easy to blame it on something else.  I use an 
unflavoured lip-block outdoors, Factor 25, for 8 months of the year.  I also 
use a lip cream called "Cymex" frequently but very sparingly when I'm 
playing, or when I feel dry lips coming on.  If you can't get this stuff I'm 
sure you will be able to get something similar.  It is a white, unscented 
cream that comes in a tiny tube.  It contains a mild antiseptic called 
Centrimide as well as paraffin, etc.  It is purportedly for cold sores and 
cracked lips.  My wife thinks I'm a softie - but I play the harp a lot and 
generally avoid lip or mouth trouble.

Steve Shaw.

Want more than the blues?  Try Irish!
http://mysite.freeserve.com/trad_irish_harmonica

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