Re: [Harp-L] harmonica for the lung-challenged?

[Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>]

In recent years a number of physicians have investigated the use of the harmonica for respiratory therapy. Two of them, have developed diatonic harmonicas (obht manufactured by Seydel) especially for that purpose.

John Schaman, MD, has developed a chord harmonica that contains two four-hole courses, playing a total of four chords. Rather than trouble the patient with the challenge of playing single notes, he designed a harmonica that can play chord progressions in rhythmic patterns, with a few different models that contain different combinations of chords. You can find out more at his website, http://harmonicamd.com
  
 
Dana Keller, PhD, has developed the Pulmonica, a spiral-tuned Low D harmonica that plays only harmonious combinations of notes, again alleviating the challenge of playing single notes. He also considers the low-pitched vibrations of the Pulmonica to be beneficial to the respiratory system. You can read more about it at http://www.pulmonica.com

Winslow
 
Winslow Yerxa
President, SPAH, the Society for the Preservation and Advancement of the Harmonica
Producer, the Harmonica Collective
Author, Harmonica For Dummies, ISBN 978-0-470-33729-5
            Harmonica Basics For Dummies, ASIN B005KIYPFS
            Blues Harmonica For Dummies, ISBN 978-1-1182-5269-7
Resident Expert, bluesharmonica.com
Instructor, Jazzschool Community Music School


________________________________
From: JON KIP <jon@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx 
Sent: Friday, December 12, 2014 3:48 PM
Subject: [Harp-L] harmonica for the lung-challenged?


I have a friend with one lung gone and the other partially gone. Cancer. I wonder if anyone here has heard of ill-effects of a little harmonica playing in that condition as a potential method of increasing lung strength and having some fun.

She's going to ask her doctors, but it's hard to tell what the Medical Mainstream would say, one way or another.

In her 80's, she deals with the condition in an extraordinary manner, to say the least, and is open to playing a bit of harmonica, she says. She's into music enough to know that Bob Dillon is not the very best harmonica player in the world, and appreciates Toots' playing.

I can't imagine anything untoward happening, but I'm not a doctor. I'll let them chime in, of course, but any thoughts on the subject would be appreciated... answer off list, no sense cluttering up the place.

People who deal with this kind of physical situation with grace, not letting it get them down, are an inspiration to those of us to whom a hangnail is The End Of The World,  and I'd like to help out.

thanks
jk