Vocalist.org archive


From:  Peter Louis van Dijk <plvdijk@i...>
Peter Louis van Dijk <plvdijk@i...>
Date:  Thu Dec 28, 2000  10:22 am
Subject:  Re: [vocalist-temporary] Reflux-again.


Thank you, Karen, for that list of symptoms. My own experience was:
1) Constant phlem, inspite of claratine (come to think of it, phlegm is also
supposed to be a sign of nodules.)
2) Waking up with the voice of Boris Gudinov
3) Long warm ups
4) Inability to "float" those top notes (and that used to be my trade-mark!)
5) Speaking voice quite low. (I have just given myself 2 days total voice
rest, much to the delight of my family. Amazing what can be communicated
using hands and feet.)
The final straw was teaching students and watching them improve and sing top
C's at 8.00 in the morning, in spite of having sinus problems!The Cape has
the highest pollen-count in South Africa, and the poor students coming from
the Eastern Cape, which is a lot dryer, first have to adapt singing through
all the gunge!

I had been to ENT's before, and they just treated me for allergies and never
picked up on the reflux, even though I swallowed this ghastly white stuff
and was scanned standing on my head : ). My teacher (of two years) thought
it was because I
was teaching so much and not really getting enough time to work on my own
voice. (It doesn't help if one has to sing everything for the students on
tape and during the lessons because they cannot read music!)He also had
never heard me in my PRIME! This ENT takes singing lessons with a colleague
of mine and is passionate about the voice from a singer's
perspective. He has also given me a mixture of Chinese herbs to counter the
effect of drying vocal mucosa which comes from Menopause (now there's food
for thought!!)

The medication I have been put onto is fiendishly expensive. I am just
wondering if there is anything cheaper on the market to suggest to my
students at College of Music, who come mainly from previously disadvantaged
backgrounds.I have one who has a constant little cough and definitely a
reduced range. Student health has checked her sinuses, and they seem
all right, so that does leave us with reflux.

Another thing, for the doctors in our midst. If the medication does not
work, I was told there is a small operation that helps. Now what might that
be, indeed?. Any experiences on that one?

What about a symptom sorter for Sinus and for reflux. It sure could save
some time and one would be able to refer students to the right people. Also,
I am sure there is a level at which we teachers could help with suggestions,
which might just be enough to help. Anyone tried putting a box-bed on
bricks??

Regards
Susi
Cape Town


----------
>From: Karen <kjensen@c...>
>From: Karen <kjensen@c...>
>To: vocalist-temporary@egroups.com
>Subject: Re: [vocalist-temporary] Reflux-again.
>Date: Thu, Dec 28, 2000, 12:19 AM
>

> Dr. John Messmer writes:
>>Reflux tends to cause reddening and swelling. This might lead to poor
>>technique to compensate, but to my knowledge reflux per se does not cause
>>nodules.
>>
> John is right, reflux can present as faulty technique and it can be a truly
> elusive problem to try to diagnose. Student and teacher alike are
> struggling to make sense of what is happening, and trying everything! A
> student of mind recently was diagnosed with reflux, and it was a HUGE
> relief to know what was causing the persistent vocal symptoms of 1) slight
> breathiness and elevated pitch in her speaking voice which seemed like she
> had been oversinging and pushing when she did sing 2) long long warm-up
> necessary to get the voice going 3) no ability to start from a "small
> place" in her voice or sing a "fil" (slender thread) of sound. The ENT
> noticed that her arytenoids were swollen and red and this prevents the
> cords from coming together cleanly. My dear student is now a much much
> happier camper, now that we know what was wrong and has some medication.
> It all makes sense.
> Best,
> Karen Jensen
>
>
>
>
>

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