TromboneChat

I moved to the semi wilderness six years ago. Having tried a number of creative ways to recruit people to play with, my only reliable outlet is the Hamilton Montana community band that practices almost weekly and performs almost weekly through the summer... also known as the summer-sight-reading program.

It is hard to keep going, but I fool around a bit and do some Jamie Aebersold a bit. Then I want to play a couple times a week for two hours - con brio. There were 6 trombones and zero baritone/euphoniums, so I took on their book. They had some wonderful licks. I took the book home, photocopied and practiced a bit.

Then on a Tuesday practice and Thursday gig, I did more than I could do. I pushed myself pretty hard, got some nice sounds out, but had NO LIP after the gig. Two days later I had an bloody, oozy, scabby sore at the left edge of my upper lip embouchure and swollen across the rest. I had never seen this on anybody, let alone me. I even feared skin cancer the way it was acting.

I have completely rested it for two weeks, keept it oiled with Vitamin-E and several essential oils. The scab is gone, but it still looks a little puffy. The problem is, I am looking real closely at it now and do not have a standard for comparison. Is this what my lip always looks like? WhoKnows?

So I tried warming up and playing softly for less than 10 minutes before deciding it was still injured, tender and needed more pure rest.

The summer season will be ending soon, but it does no good to blow up my lip trying to eke out a little sound.

I am very open to suggestions, and knowledge.

My quick advice - take some time off, especially from the horn. Try freebuzzing (buzzing without a mouthpiece) and see how that feels. It'll help you get stronger while not applying mechanical force/leverage to the damaged area.

If there's a dermatologist anywhere near you in Montana, I'd go there. Might help a lot, or at least give you peace of mind.

The wounded area has disappeared. Yet the embouchure segment of my upper lip seems to still be swolen.
I tried playing yesterday, but it felt injurious right away. I decided to wait another little while before resuming.

Free buzzing is a really good idea, Neo. I am just an old curmudgeon who is hard to motivate. I do not enjoy the sounds I make free buzzing.

I'm not so sure about freebuzzing in that condition. I think I'd wait until the swelling goes down all the way. Try Advil, ice, and massage - not at the same time.

If freebuzzing has a bad sound, you're not doing it right. But in a swollen condition that may not be possible.

You'd think at my age I would know what my upper lip looks like... but no. I am watching it real darn closely now and think the center centimeter looks puffy. A week ago it was over 2 centimeters of puffy. I am now guessing that the puffiness should be gone completely before I resume ... and that I shoud be a bit more careful about pushing, warming up and generally act my age - which I don't do well with my wrists, hands, back, knees ... so why should me lip be treated with deference? Kind-of-kidding, but I really do push my 58-year-old body a bit much.

Last night was the final practice of the Bitterroot sight-reading society, aka the Bitterroot Community Band - a summer program for young and old, good, bad and in-between. My lip was finally not hurting. Obviously several weeks without playing left me with no endurance, but it was fun and I had no residual pain. I think I am past the problem.

Sounds like a "cold sore"/"fever blister" aka herpes labialis. Treatable if so, and those may come back.
If you coulda, shoulda done a photo essay.
Agree with Gary about getting another profession's opinion at the time.

I was concerned when it showed no signs of healing. I threw every trick I knew at it... colloidal silver, vitamin e, tea tree oil, lavendar, cbd, peppermint. We appear to have won. No signs of stress from playing Tuesday's practice or Thursday's gig.

I quite suspect that playing so far beyond muscular exhaustion caused a very real injury, tearing of the muscle. I will not push that hard again.

I got slammed in the face while horn on my face. Did not break skin but definitely tore the muscle. It took months to heal,, not real,painful Swollen. No real real control. I tried coming back too early and immediately felt not good. My doc advised, lots of blood flow and healing power in the face, let it be. Take tome off.

Away from the horn, I shed electric bass guitar and worked on vocals to feed my musical brain. And I did finally get back full strength.

Even if feeling better, time is very important to major healing.