Posted: Wed Feb 10, 2010 2:52 pm Post subject: Recuperating from pneumonia. Any tips?
Yo peeps!
I'm getting over a pretty nasty case of pneumonia, and I'm wondering if any of you have dealt with this, can give me some idea of a timeline for full recovery, and in general if any of you have some tips for getting back to full strength?
It's been a few weeks since I've been back to school and work, and I've been playing more and more, and my endurance is coming back, but I'm noticing some things that are still lacking, such as a secure feeling in my chops, inability to keep compression for extended high range playing, lack of consistency, etc.
Any thing any one has to offer would be much appreciated. Thanks to all in advance!!
Disinfect the inside of your horn with rubbing alcohol regularly. Now that you got through the illness, the last thing you want is to get the pneumococcal microbes populate the horn and re-infect yourself.
Joined: 22 Oct 2008 Posts: 2434 Location: Maryland
Posted: Wed Feb 10, 2010 3:35 pm Post subject:
Glad to hear you are doing better. It sounds like none of your concerns are related to your post-pneumonia state, which is good. Talk to your doc, if you have any residual respiratory issues. Feel free to PM me, if you have a question about this.
The disinfection comments are good ones. If I was in your situation, I'd probably do it. However, to really disinfect, you have to CLEAN the horn first. The rubbing alcohol will not disinfect your horn, if there's a lot of "pizza" in it. So I'd do a typical several-hour warm-water-and-soap soak, then snake it out, and THEN use the rubbing alcohol.
Posted: Wed Feb 10, 2010 4:10 pm Post subject: recovery
Go to the website windsongpress.
Buy yourself a 5 liter respiratory bag..otherwise known as a breathing bag.
At the hardware store, buy a one inch wide overflow tube for a toilet.
Cut it about three inches long.
Do deep breathing exercise for about an hour a day with the bag and the tube.
Breathe slowly, deeply, sometimes holding in, sometimes holding out.
Do hundreds of deep breathes with the tube, and exhale while tonguing, ka-ing and hah-ing.
Your recovery will be far quicker and complete, and your playing will improve immensely.
Joined: 14 Jan 2005 Posts: 7771 Location: Des Moines, IA area
Posted: Wed Feb 10, 2010 4:26 pm Post subject:
I second the exercises mcgovnor posted. A couple years back I had influenza B, pneumonia and bronchitis all at once. I've never been so sick that all I could do was lie in bed for 3 days until that.
Did they have you breathing with a nebulizer? The good thing was the tamiflu conked the flu out quickly and the bronchial things went away fairly quickly but I had to do a lot of slow, full breathing to get the lungs back once they "emptied out". I also learned then that when most people say they have "the flu", most of them really don't. I was fortunate to be between sets.
Use the breathing apparatus, the added resistance will provide what you need to build things back more quickly. There's probably no rushing it, though. Take it easy, and good luck with the mend.
Glad to hear you are doing better. It sounds like none of your concerns are related to your post-pneumonia state, which is good. Talk to your doc, if you have any residual respiratory issues. Feel free to PM me, if you have a question about this.
The disinfection comments are good ones. If I was in your situation, I'd probably do it. However, to really disinfect, you have to CLEAN the horn first. The rubbing alcohol will not disinfect your horn, if there's a lot of "pizza" in it. So I'd do a typical several-hour warm-water-and-soap soak, then snake it out, and THEN use the rubbing alcohol.
Thanks for all the info!! I have already cleaned my horn quite thoroughly (put lotsa beer through it...that'll disinfect it, right? ), so I'm not too worried about reinfecting myself. I'm really thinking more about the physical rehabilitation aspect (e.g. breath bags, sit ups, etc.), but I do appreciate ANY suggestions.
Quote:
Re-infecting yourself with something u already have?
Through a trumpet?
I'm pretty sure that if you have environmental, viral, or certain bacterial pneumonias, you CAN reinfect yourself. It's not like a germ that you create antibodies to fight off, but an infectant that causes the pneumonia (which literally means inflammation of the lung tissue - both the bronchus and alveoli I believe).
If that needs correction or modification, please chime in. I'm studying to be a medical assistant, so I know a bit, but I'm no doctor, so if you know more than I, have at it!
Joined: 17 Dec 2007 Posts: 1668 Location: West Medford, MA
Posted: Wed Feb 10, 2010 8:28 pm Post subject:
Cross train. Put simply, when you're healthy enough, walk. When you are strong enough, contine with yoga to keep flexible and build abdominal strength -- it is quick to atrophy, but also quick to build back.
Keep the room you sleep in humidified. Look up on the web how to keep your lungs healthy by keeping them moist. But don't grow mold -- keep the equipment clean.
Look up info on the James Stamp threads here on TH. He rehabbed from a heart attack and taught brass players based on what he knew worked.
Good luck! _________________ kochaavim, csillaagkep, αστερρισμός, konnstelacji, connstellation... ...a.k.a. the 28A!
Other Conns: Victor 5A & 38A, New Wonder & 80A; 'stella 38A; 36A; 'quest 76A...
Joined: 22 Oct 2008 Posts: 2434 Location: Maryland
Posted: Thu Feb 11, 2010 4:48 am Post subject:
trptdork wrote:
Quote:
Re-infecting yourself with something u already have? Through a trumpet?
I'm pretty sure that if you have environmental, viral, or certain bacterial pneumonias, you CAN reinfect yourself....
There are 2 ways to answer this.
Many of the bacteria that cause community aquired pneumonia (CAP) are typical skin & oral flora. They're all over the place, and are not considered contageous. (There are other types of pneumonia that where this is not true. I'm just talking about the garden-variety community aquired pneumonia.)
However, the CAP may have been caused by a virulent strain of a common bacteria. So after erradication through antibiotics, it might be good to get rid of it elsewhere. Another example: the bacteria that causes strep throat (group A strep) is fairly contageous, and it is not uncommon to reinfect yourself or your family members.
All that being said, I'd clean out my horn after an upper or lower respiratory infection. There's probably not much evidence about the usefullness of this approach. But it can't hurt.
My advice is use a humidifier all winter, every winter. The kind that heat the water are safest because that purifies the steam. Set it on high and leave it on all the time.
Joined: 17 Dec 2007 Posts: 1668 Location: West Medford, MA
Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2010 7:30 am Post subject:
Dammit, Jim, I'm a trumpet player, not a doctor!
But at age 3 I had a respiratory infection due to SMOG. Not in LA, and not in the yet to be developed megatropolis of Dallas-Ft. Worth, and not in that east-coast tobaccopolis of Raleigh-Durham...
Yes, in New England, far from a city. Inversions happen. And I had to live in an humidified tent.
Play it safe with humidifiers, as they can harbor molds. But they don't HAVE to. But use them to your advantage, as dry lungs if too dry can be a troublesome thing. _________________ kochaavim, csillaagkep, αστερρισμός, konnstelacji, connstellation... ...a.k.a. the 28A!
Other Conns: Victor 5A & 38A, New Wonder & 80A; 'stella 38A; 36A; 'quest 76A...
You've probably done this already, but just in case -- chuck your toothbrush and get a new one.
I've had pneumonia, and what I found was that just the regular stuff, like eating better and getting more sleep, had more to do with getting back than any specific practice routine.
I'm getting over bronchitis right now, and am trying to d a little Breathing Gym every day, on top of what I just mentioned.. seems to be going ok.
Joined: 06 Jan 2010 Posts: 543 Location: Brooklyn, New York
Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2010 9:05 am Post subject:
i got pneumonia a couple years ago after a spell of the flu. all the advice here looks good, just make sure that if you need rest you are getting it. in other words, don't push it.
i could not take a deep breath without heavy coughing for about a week. i did it anyway and continued to practice my regular hours, and i ended up breaking a rib from the coughing, which was a whole NEW impediment to my practice routine.
there are some great chop exercises you can do in the meantime to keep your face in shape (free buzzing, pencil exercise or PETE i guess), and i would recommend playing some everyday (mouthpiece buzzing too), but i suggest you take it easy until you can breathe normally. and follow your doctor's orders (which i did not...)!
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