Wendy's Headache

[Alan Day]

I did not want to add any further viewings to spammers getting a free ride,but I wanted to reply to Wendy so I have started this new thread.

A headache due to life's fun and games,why should anyone suffer from that.

I hope you find a cure and can carry on with your lifestyle Wendy and who knows we might all join in the fun.

Is a headache worth the risk.

I think so

Al

[bellowbelle]

I did not want to add any further viewings to spammers getting a free ride,but I wanted to reply to Wendy so I have started this new thread.

A headache due to life's fun and games,why should anyone suffer from that.

I hope you find a cure and can carry on with your lifestyle Wendy and who knows we might all join in the fun.

Is a headache worth the risk.

I think so

Al

 

Thanks.

 

And, I'll get an MRI someday, maybe. I had one scheduled but I chickened out, was afraid they might see some brains in there or something!

 

Actually, I just didn't want to proceed with 'proceedings' until I felt that I had good communication with my doctor, and so I've put some things off.

 

I probably should drink, huh? I've known some people who've found that 'ale is good physic' as the song says. So, if I ever lose my health care benefits and can't get any medicine, I'll have to be checking out the whiskey....brrrrr....have never tried that stuff, maybe just some good beer.

[Leo]

And, I'll get an MRI someday, maybe. I had one scheduled but I chickened out, was afraid they might see some brains in there or something!

 

Actually, I just didn't want to proceed with 'proceedings' until I felt that I had good communication with my doctor, and so I've put some things off.

 

I probably should drink, huh? I've known some people who've found that 'ale is good physic' as the song says. So, if I ever lose my health care benefits and can't get any medicine, I'll have to be checking out the whiskey....brrrrr....have never tried that stuff, maybe just some good beer.

 

Bellowbelle

 

I've had an MRI and a CAT scan every year for the last 5 yrs. Nothing to it. They keep playing that Wizard of Oz song. Wonder why????

 

Be wary of the side effects of that evil alcohol and beer.. It kills brain cells. The good side is it kills the weak ones, and only the good strong ones will survive leaving one smarter on average. It works, although trying for years I've only shown marginal imrovement.

 

Hope your headaches go away

 

Thanks

Leo

Edited September 3, 2006 by Leo

[Alan Day]

Leo is right Wendy you should try and sort it out and see the specialist for treatment.

In many cases peoples fear of what may happen is worse than the actual treatment.

Now you do not want our site Doctor (Dave) to get Humpty Dumpty with you.

Al

[Dave Prebble]

m3838 said

 

<< Sorry to hear about your headaches. All too familiar.

Do you play piano? It's known for it's therapeutic effect. I guess the combination of the sound, sitting position and symmetry, plus long established school of learning, relaxation of shoulders.

Don't want to sound like concertina hater, but playing concertina is not ergonomically healthy. At least we should try hard to be aware of this. >>

 

I couldn't disagreee more !!

 

Playing the concertina has proved an absolute Godsend to me in the long and extremely painful recuperation from my illness last year.

I can see that it might not be physically or mentally relaxing if one played Irish reels at some maniac breakneck speed and volume but if one is feeling ill that is not the sort of tune you would feel like playing.

 

I will sit back comfortably in an armchair with the concertina snug in my lap, often with the lights out and quietly explore tunes or passages from tunes and experimenting with different chord patterns bass runs and the like often with a great deal of repetition. This induces an almost trance like state after a while. Without any conscious effort, the tunes 'chose themselves' and tend to be slow airs, waltzes and the like or will be a jig or reel slowed right back to a slow air tempo and ornamented. This is an extremely soothing process that I find most helpful in dealing with pain, and after anything from ten minutes to an hour will have the almost inevitable result - sleep.

 

I have done this on countless occasions and have never dropped the concertina whilst sleeping.... some sort of sixth sense i guess.... nor have I ever suffered any ill effects from playing the concertina.

 

Each to their own as they say, but that is what works for me m3838. If for some special reason the concertina is 'ergonomicaly unhealthy' for you, perhaps it might be wiser for you to stick to the piano?

 

Keep up the good work Wendy, playing does you more good than you realise at the time and please, no more delays, see the Doc and do get well soon.

 

I kept putting things off and as a direct result came within a gnat's whisker of 'cashing in my chips' .... I'm older and far wiser now ... with a 14" Zip front as a reminder

 

Regards to all

 

....and a special 'e-cuddle' for you Wendy

 

Dave

[bellowbelle]

....................................................................................................

....................................................................I have done this on countless occasions and have never dropped the concertina whilst sleeping.... some sort of sixth sense i guess.... nor have I ever suffered any ill effects from playing the concertina....................................................

 

I fell asleep while playing my concertina a little while ago. Probably right in the middle of a song -- I can't remember! My concertina was fine, luckily, all in one piece when I woke up.

 

Now, that would be a good workshop, maybe. Concertina Lullabyes. Falling asleep would be the sign that you've achieved success.

[m3838]

English concertina may cause stiffness in fingers and tennice elbow. Anglo Concertina may cause sharp pain in the middle of the palm, plus tennice elbow, that eventially developes into (god forbid) CT syndrome.

Often people play with raised shoulders and crouched. Often they put the concertina's one end on a knee and as a result they bend sideways. I'm sure pumping the bellows with only one hand results in asymmetry and is not good.

Violins, transverse vluites, guitars - are causing many illnesses, and playing them, people must be aware of proper postures etc. Adults starting violin or guitar must be especially careful.

Piano has it's own danger, but is symmetric and you don't have to carry it. Proper technique requires relaxation and there ary many schools and teachers to train you. With concertina you are on your own.

Dave, you may be lucky to have the right technique, either naturally or by learning. Good for you.

And I agree, natural acoustic melodic sound is therapeutic.

Man, what a bummer it is to learn of people's health problems. This morning I was sitting in my car for an hour, thinking about life. No happy thoughts.

To Wendy:

One friend of mine warned me about alcohol this way:

1. Drink only distilled beverages, amongst which the best is Vodka. Either Stolychnaja, or I'll ask him about one more brand, that is equally good. All others, Shnaps, Whiskey, Brandy - are not as well distilled and will cause health problems and aggravate your headache.

2. If you are into drinking, do it regularly. So your body will accomodate it and train itsself. Otherwise you'll develop health problems.

3. Never mix wine, vodka and beer. Esp. Beer with vodka. It is Anaphema. You'll be sorry the next day.

4. Drink only with friends. Never alone.

5. Learn some drinking songs.

 

Good health and recuperating to everyone, except for our enemies, and we know who they are.

[JimLucas]

English concertina may cause stiffness in fingers and tennice elbow.

...

Michael, I believe you said in a now-deleted thread (which means, unfortunately, that I can't quote you exactly) that the concertina causes ergonomic problems. But no.

Concertinas

don't cause injuries.

People

do.

Those of us who don't suffer physical distress even though we play a great deal are proof of this.

 

If a person can't tell that what they're doing is causing harm to themself, it's not the concertina's fault.

Edited September 3, 2006 by JimLucas

[JimLucas]

This morning I was sitting in my car for an hour, thinking about life. No happy thoughts.

How sad!

 

When I think about life, I can certainly enumerate many things that are "wrong", but I can also see many ways in which life can improve, and I believe that at least some improvements will actually happen. That is many happy thoughts.

 

Good health and recuperating to everyone, except for our enemies, and we know who they are.

Do we? I'm sure I don't, at least not every individual.

[m3838]

Listen, there are no wrong things in life. It's the way it is. Take it or leave it.

Improved can be petty tweaks, which make no difference whatsoever. To every local improvement there are it's antagonisms. Sometimes it just gets me.

On concertina, no, in this case it's not people's fault, it's ergonomic problem. Those of you who play for a long time, are either lucky, or didn't feel it yet, or know how to overcome the problem. There are many injured musicians, and there are many on this very forum. I suffered from Tendonitis years ago, and it took me 6 months of extencive therapy and luck of finding talented bio-feedback specialist, to get better.

So don't dismiss the danger simply because you haven't suffered yet. A headache, esp. chronic one, can relate directly to incorrect playing. The playing can be the last drop to overflow the bowl of incorrect work habbits, as it was with me.

Actually I think those of us who play with stiffened face expression - are going towards the injury.

Now I understand my daughter's teacher, who demanded singing of the notes while playing. Silly me, I thought it's for memorizing.

 

Now, if you don't know who your enemies are - lucky man!

I know mine and what's worse, they know me.

[bellowbelle]

....................................................................................................

......................................................................Man, what a bummer it is to learn of people's health problems. This morning I was sitting in my car for an hour, thinking about life. No happy thoughts.

To Wendy:

One friend of mine warned me about alcohol this way:

1. Drink only distilled beverages, amongst which the best is Vodka. Either Stolychnaja, or I'll ask him about one more brand, that is equally good. All others, Shnaps, Whiskey, Brandy - are not as well distilled and will cause health problems and aggravate your headache.

2. If you are into drinking, do it regularly. So your body will accomodate it and train itsself. Otherwise you'll develop health problems.

3. Never mix wine, vodka and beer. Esp. Beer with vodka. It is Anaphema. You'll be sorry the next day.

4. Drink only with friends. Never alone.

5. Learn some drinking songs.

 

Good health and recuperating to everyone, except for our enemies, and we know who they are.

 

Well, one happy thought: you did not (I assume) drink and then go for a drive.....just sitting in the car and thinking is much better! My husband, Tom, no longer drinks any alcohol, but he used to drink WAY too much and he crashed his car into a tree and ended up in the hospital. That was several years ago, before I'd met him, in fact.

 

Thanks for the 'drinking' advice! Though, I'm not sure if I'll ever acquire a taste for vodka. I don't really intend to take up drinking, but joking aside, if I ever lost my health care and thus couldn't get the prescription for my headache, I might at times consider drinking. But, I would prefer some wine, though....

 

Now, some 'thinking' advice: instead of thinking 'No happy thoughts,' if you're tired, try thinking simply 'No Thoughts.' Just shut everything off for a bit, and think nothing. ( Unfortunately, I can be quite good at that...hehe.)

[Dave Prebble]

Well Folks,

 

I have just spent the last hour sat in the car in mental anguish !

 

To put my concertinas through the scrap yard crusher and thus save myself, or any future owner, a lifetime of agony .....or to risk continue playing them, hopefully for another thirty years ??

 

Having read your last post m3838, it was a mighty close run thing...but then I had an inspired thought.... if concertinas really were in the least dangerous, our illustrious and esteemed leader Tony Blair and his clique of nannies would have already passed a law outlawing their very existence or at least taxed and limited the playing time of each individual box with a microchip and satellite uplink - 'pay as you play' .

 

I do so hope Tony has got this one right.

 

There is a valid point that beginners, or folks with particular physiological make up or injuries can, and do, encounter problems but the membership numbers and the tiny proportion of posts to this site related to health problems indicates that by far the majority of us do not have such problems at all. Looking back over the threads shows the ergonomics discussion forum to be a most useful resource for those who have got a particular problem and that there are folks here who all are happy to share their own experiences, give good advice and offer assistance. There is certainly nothing in those posts or in my experience of many years, to indicate to me that the concertina, as an instrument, could by any stretch of the imagination be regarded as ergonomically unhealthy.

 

If carrying out any activity is causing an individual pain or health problems then stop doing it and seek advice .... I worked that one out quite easily btw.

 

Peering over the edge of the final abyss serves well to remind one that life is too da*n short for negative thinking.

 

I would wish no-one ill.

As for enemies, I wouldn't know one if they came up and smacked me in the gob.

 

Peace, love and the best of health to all

 

Concertinas Rule OK !

 

Dave

[JimLucas]

...I'm not sure if I'll ever acquire a taste for vodka...

I've always been told that one of the virtues of vodka is that it has no taste, i.e., no flavor.

[Chris Drinkwater]

...I'm not sure if I'll ever acquire a taste for vodka...

I've always been told that one of the virtues of vodka is that it has no taste, i.e., no flavor.

 

Personally, I go easy on drinking when I am playing, especially when playing in pub sessions. I wouldn't want to be breathalized, found over the limit, and be charged with being drunk in charge of a concertina. >Hic< Fortunately, it hasn't happened yet, though some notes do seem to come out in the wrong order sometimes, as the evening wears on.

 

Chris

[Alan Day]

Of course Wendy's problem could be nothing to do with the concertina, but it could possibly be another of her hobbies, crotchet work.

Now that would give me a headache.

Al

Edited September 4, 2006 by Alan Day

[m3838]

 

Now, some 'thinking' advice: instead of thinking 'No happy thoughts,' if you're tired, try thinking simply 'No Thoughts.' Just shut everything off for a bit, and think nothing. ( Unfortunately, I can be quite good at that...hehe.)

 

Amen to that. Superb advice.

[Animaterra]

Wendy, I don't know what thread Alan is referring to, but I do hope your headaches get better and you are able to find a way to figuring out the cause. Feel better!

[lildogturpy]

As for enemies, I wouldn't know one if they came up and smacked me in the gob.

 

I think that kind of behaviour is probably a good indicator that you might have found one