Lip problems or beard problems?!
- singingbowlorchestra
- Posts: 18
- Joined: Mar 08, 2021
Before Christmas I was ill but had a lot of shows on. My nose was blocked and then running causing me to have 5-6 days off and I threw myself back into practice possibly a little too hard. I have been experiencing a tingling sensation not disimilar to the sensation of a rash on my top lip. It comes and goes and some days it's worse than others. I had a full week off at Christmas as I went away and I felt some of it during this time but not as intense. I'm back to practicing now and the sensations are back! I seem to be able to playing everything just fine but the tingling/rash sensation keeps coming on. I have a full beard and mustache. I have had a look in the mirror and there seems to be some faint redness under my mustache but it is hard to tell. Has anyone experienced these sorts of sensations before? I can't decide whether it's my lip struggling with the trombone or if it's a rash or skin condition somehow brought on by my beard/mustache. Any help or advice would be welcome!
PS I have a doctors appointment booked for a weeks time but I'm not sure whether or not to be practicing in that time or not.
PS I have a doctors appointment booked for a weeks time but I'm not sure whether or not to be practicing in that time or not.
- Doug_Elliott
- Posts: 4155
- Joined: Mar 22, 2018
Likely an allergy or sensitivity to the plating or your mouthpiece, or possibly your toothpaste. Has anything changed recently? Metal sensitivity can come on at any time, same for sensitivity to ingredients in toothpaste, or maybe diet related or a combination of those things.
I've had that happen from pineapple on a trip to Hawaii.
I've had that happen from pineapple on a trip to Hawaii.
- singingbowlorchestra
- Posts: 18
- Joined: Mar 08, 2021
No nothing has changed recently. I've been on the same Schilke 51D mouthpiece for a few years now. I've never had a problem before but I didn't realise that these things could happen anytime. Thanks for the advice I'll tell the doctor at my appointment and see if I can get a test.
- Fidbone
- Posts: 383
- Joined: Apr 24, 2018
In growing hair perhaps? <EMOJI seq="1f914" tseq="1f914">🤔</EMOJI>
- singingbowlorchestra
- Posts: 18
- Joined: Mar 08, 2021
[quote="Doug Elliott"]Likely an allergy or sensitivity to the plating or your mouthpiece, or possibly your toothpaste. Has anything changed recently? Metal sensitivity can come on at any time, same for sensitivity to ingredients in toothpaste, or maybe diet related or a combination of those things.
I've had that happen from pineapple on a trip to Hawaii.[/quote]
Hi again Doug, you are a mouthpiece specialist right? I went to a jewellers today and got some silver polish clothes to shine up my Schilke 51D and it worked a treat but after I had finished the clean I noticed that there were some small dark spots inside the cup that just wouldn't come off. When I shone a torch in there I can see many little tiny dots of discoloration. Is this the silver plating wearing away? Could this potentially be the problem? And if so would a replating job do the trick?
Many thanks for all your help as always
Alex
I've had that happen from pineapple on a trip to Hawaii.[/quote]
Hi again Doug, you are a mouthpiece specialist right? I went to a jewellers today and got some silver polish clothes to shine up my Schilke 51D and it worked a treat but after I had finished the clean I noticed that there were some small dark spots inside the cup that just wouldn't come off. When I shone a torch in there I can see many little tiny dots of discoloration. Is this the silver plating wearing away? Could this potentially be the problem? And if so would a replating job do the trick?
Many thanks for all your help as always
Alex
- Doug_Elliott
- Posts: 4155
- Joined: Mar 22, 2018
Really hard to say. Sometimes silverplating doesn't fully stick and gets either small blisters or pinholes like that. And sometimes normal plating gets spots that aren't easy to remove. I doubt that's your lip problem if it's only inside the cup.
The tingling you have could also be lots of things not related to playing. I think some medicines can cause that as a side effect, and it could even be the beginning of shingles (chicken pox virus) - worth checking it out..
The tingling you have could also be lots of things not related to playing. I think some medicines can cause that as a side effect, and it could even be the beginning of shingles (chicken pox virus) - worth checking it out..
- singingbowlorchestra
- Posts: 18
- Joined: Mar 08, 2021
[quote="Doug Elliott"]Really hard to say. Sometimes silverplating doesn't fully stick and gets either small blisters or pinholes like that. And sometimes normal plating gets spots that aren't easy to remove. I doubt that's your lip problem if it's only inside the cup.
The tingling you have could also be lots of things not related to playing. I think some medicines can cause that as a side effect, and it could even be the beginning of shingles (chicken pox virus) - worth checking it out..[/quote]
Thanks again for the info Doug, I will certainly be going to my doctors appointment in a weeks time and I will mention everything that you have said.
The tingling you have could also be lots of things not related to playing. I think some medicines can cause that as a side effect, and it could even be the beginning of shingles (chicken pox virus) - worth checking it out..[/quote]
Thanks again for the info Doug, I will certainly be going to my doctors appointment in a weeks time and I will mention everything that you have said.
- Kbiggs
- Posts: 1768
- Joined: Mar 24, 2018
This is a long shot, but when you were sick, did you happen to take any tests for COVID or (like Doug said) shingles? If you had one of the most recent mutation of COVID-SARS, there’s a small possibility that some of what you are experiencing might be due to that. The more doctors and scientists study people with “long COVID,” the more they discover the wide-ranging effects on multiple: pulmonary, nervous, digestion, vascular, skin.
It’s worth a shot.
It’s worth a shot.
- Doug_Elliott
- Posts: 4155
- Joined: Mar 22, 2018
Some things like this should not wait a week.
If you don't already know about shingles, look it up. If you have any other symptoms on the same side of your face - tingling, sharp pain, and rash - if it's shingles you should get on an anti-viral immediately.
Or covid.
If you don't already know about shingles, look it up. If you have any other symptoms on the same side of your face - tingling, sharp pain, and rash - if it's shingles you should get on an anti-viral immediately.
Or covid.
- JTeagarden
- Posts: 625
- Joined: Feb 24, 2025
If you develop shingles as an adult, tingling lips will be the least of your concerns.
- CharlieB
- Posts: 434
- Joined: Mar 29, 2018
Sometimes the virus that causes the common cold also takes up residence at the upper lip and causes the symptoms described. Like the common cold, there is no "cure". Just have to wait it out.
- singingbowlorchestra
- Posts: 18
- Joined: Mar 08, 2021
[quote="Doug Elliott"]Some things like this should not wait a week.
If you don't already know about shingles, look it up. If you have any other symptoms on the same side of your face - tingling, sharp pain, and rash - if it's shingles you should get on an anti-viral immediately.
Or covid.[/quote]
Unfortunately I have no choice but to wait a week for the doctor. I do not think that it is shingles though. My father suffered with it badly and I described my symptoms to him and he didn't think that it fitted. I looked at them myself and the tingle is all there is. I have had a couple of small colds/viruses recently so maybe as others have suggested it could be something to do with that. We shall see.
If you don't already know about shingles, look it up. If you have any other symptoms on the same side of your face - tingling, sharp pain, and rash - if it's shingles you should get on an anti-viral immediately.
Or covid.[/quote]
Unfortunately I have no choice but to wait a week for the doctor. I do not think that it is shingles though. My father suffered with it badly and I described my symptoms to him and he didn't think that it fitted. I looked at them myself and the tingle is all there is. I have had a couple of small colds/viruses recently so maybe as others have suggested it could be something to do with that. We shall see.
- singingbowlorchestra
- Posts: 18
- Joined: Mar 08, 2021
[quote="Kbiggs"]This is a long shot, but when you were sick, did you happen to take any tests for COVID or (like Doug said) shingles? If you had one of the most recent mutation of COVID-SARS, there’s a small possibility that some of what you are experiencing might be due to that. The more doctors and scientists study people with “long COVID,” the more they discover the wide-ranging effects on multiple: pulmonary, nervous, digestion, vascular, skin.
It’s worth a shot.[/quote]
No I didn't take a Covid test. I will ask the doctor about it when I see them. Thanks for the reply and the insight, I had not actually thought that it could be related to that but now you mention it, I did have a virus a few years ago and afterwards got some strange symptoms in another part of my body. I was scared stiff so I went to the doctor and they explained how infections can end up being "chased" to another part of the body where they can manifest odd symptoms.
It’s worth a shot.[/quote]
No I didn't take a Covid test. I will ask the doctor about it when I see them. Thanks for the reply and the insight, I had not actually thought that it could be related to that but now you mention it, I did have a virus a few years ago and afterwards got some strange symptoms in another part of my body. I was scared stiff so I went to the doctor and they explained how infections can end up being "chased" to another part of the body where they can manifest odd symptoms.
- singingbowlorchestra
- Posts: 18
- Joined: Mar 08, 2021
[quote="Kbiggs"]This is a long shot, but when you were sick, did you happen to take any tests for COVID or (like Doug said) shingles? If you had one of the most recent mutation of COVID-SARS, there’s a small possibility that some of what you are experiencing might be due to that. The more doctors and scientists study people with “long COVID,” the more they discover the wide-ranging effects on multiple: pulmonary, nervous, digestion, vascular, skin.
It’s worth a shot.[/quote]
No I didn't take a Covid test. I will ask the doctor about it when I see them. Thanks for the reply and the insight, I had not actually thought that it could be related to that but now you mention it, I did have a virus a few years ago and afterwards got some strange symptoms in another part of my body. I was scared stiff so I went to the doctor and they explained how infections can end up being "chased" to another part of the body where they can manifest odd symptoms.
It’s worth a shot.[/quote]
No I didn't take a Covid test. I will ask the doctor about it when I see them. Thanks for the reply and the insight, I had not actually thought that it could be related to that but now you mention it, I did have a virus a few years ago and afterwards got some strange symptoms in another part of my body. I was scared stiff so I went to the doctor and they explained how infections can end up being "chased" to another part of the body where they can manifest odd symptoms.
- singingbowlorchestra
- Posts: 18
- Joined: Mar 08, 2021
[quote="CharlieB"]Sometimes the virus that causes the common cold also takes up residence at the upper lip and causes the symptoms described. Like the common cold, there is no "cure". Just have to wait it out.[/quote]
Thanks Charlie, it does seem to be receding now. I played a full 2 hour rehearsal today with an hours exercise earlier and my lips feel good! Perhaps you are right! I have a doctors appointment in a few days where I am hoping to get patch tested for metal sensitivities but I will definitely tell them what you said too.
Thanks Charlie, it does seem to be receding now. I played a full 2 hour rehearsal today with an hours exercise earlier and my lips feel good! Perhaps you are right! I have a doctors appointment in a few days where I am hoping to get patch tested for metal sensitivities but I will definitely tell them what you said too.