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gregsundt
Posts: 14
Joined: Dec 11, 2020

by gregsundt »

Rats!! After 50 years of playing, now I get a hematoma in the middle of my lip? I was playing high, ff, accented. Anyone else ever get this? What's the recovery period/plan? And what in the world did I do wrong, in the first place?
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Doug_Elliott
Posts: 4155
Joined: Mar 22, 2018

by Doug_Elliott »

That kind of playing is stressful to the lip, plus the air pressure required for loud and accented at that range causes a rise in blood pressure, plus you are probably using quite a bit of additional mouthpiece pressure on the attacks to seal against the sudden high air pressure.

The air pressure can cause other injuries too, like a hernia in the neck or neck puff. The rise in blood pressure is normal during exertion but can still be dangerous.

There are ways to play more efficiently.

Right now I would give it a couple of days to go through the natural healing process, and then play relatively normally but with much less volume and stress.
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gregsundt
Posts: 14
Joined: Dec 11, 2020

by gregsundt »

I don't suppose the daily Prednisone helps, either? Everything else bruises easier, but this is a first...
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Doug_Elliott
Posts: 4155
Joined: Mar 22, 2018

by Doug_Elliott »

I'm not familiar with the side effects, but bruising easier is absolutely related...
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Doldom
Posts: 139
Joined: May 12, 2018

by Doldom »

Do you regulary have medications like aspirin or anti-coagulant like clopidogrel?

If not, and having symptoms of easy bruising, it is not normal and you might have to check blood labs for abnormal hematologic condition.

For lip hematoma, I think most doctors would say conservative management will do and would recommend resting until complete resolution of hematoma.
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robcat2075
Posts: 1867
Joined: Sep 03, 2018

by robcat2075 »

Four weeks later... how did this turn out?

Are you back to playing as before?
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gregsundt
Posts: 14
Joined: Dec 11, 2020

by gregsundt »

The swelling abated within two days, and the blood resorbed within four. From an abundance of caution, I waited a week, then resumed gently. Still not 100%, and some things feel different (not as "automatic" as before). But there is no pain, and I expect the feel will come back. Meanwhile, my accompanist is adjusting her sense of dynamic levels.
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gregsundt
Posts: 14
Joined: Dec 11, 2020

by gregsundt »

[quote="Doldom"]Do you regulary have medications like aspirin or anti-coagulant like clopidogrel?[/quote]

Just prednisone, 7 mg daily. I do bruise easily as a result. But this is a first.