TromboneChat

Hello all, so this week I have what I originally thought was a pimple, but could actually be a cold sore developing just to the left of my Cupid’s bow. I have gotten cold sores in the past, but not often and not in the last five years at least.

Aside from the pain, my lip is swollen and very stiff. I’m having a really tough time even making a buzz happen. My range pretty much stops at Bb or C above the staff, and even the notes in the staff are airy and unfocused.

Anybody have tips on working through this? When I try to play, my brain goes into freak out mode because everything isn’t happening as it should, and I am trying my hardest not to change my setup or mouthpiece position at all.

I have two wedding gigs this weekend, I’m beginning to freak out!

Make a Telehealth appointment with your medical provider and get their advice, or visit in person. What you might do for a cold sore is different from a pimple. I wouldn't really trust the advice of random, unqualified (e.g., trombonists) people on the internet.

Sorry to hear about that, though, that sucks. Hopefully it will settle down to the point of where you can play over the weekend. If you can't find a mouthpiece placement where you can play without it causing pain it might be better to not play until the weekend and give yourself a chance to heal up. You can keep your chops from deteriorating too much by practicing some light, airy free buzzing for short periods spread throughout the day.

Good luck!

Dave

I have pretty bad acne, it’s a pain. I just go a couple days without playing but still free buzzing like 5 minutes a day. Not sure if it helps but time away from the horn is very boring. Luckily i haven’t been required to play with something like that, but i always get scared like a week before audition because something could pop up.

If it is a cold sore you could try Lysine. That seems to work well for me. There are other ointments (i.e. abreva) you can use, but I've found that this one works the best for me. Depending how bad it really is, you might be able to get a prescription for valtrex.

https://www.target.com/p/lip-clear-lysi ... lsrc=aw.ds

I can remember having cold sores and just playing through it. Take the mouthpiece off your face slowly unless you want to leave a big chunk of lip on there.

To avoid them, I just recommend fastidious hygiene and shaving frequently and carefully.

At one point I started using vitamin E oil. I'm not sure the vitamin E did any good, but the oil definitely kept the sore from sticking to the mouthpiece as much. I'd apply a tiny bit frequently while playing. Keep the bottle on the stand. Use thick food grade oil if possible.

I second David Wilken’s advice: get thee to a physician! (Need I say a qualified one?)

If there is pain, acetaminophen can be helpful. For the swelling and inflammation, ibuprofen works well unless you have a medical condition or are taking medications that preclude using it. Also, an ice pack after playing can help with symptomatic relief.