Hans is right, there can be many, many causes for involuntary motions in the embouchure. And, there are as many approaches to solving this problem as their are causes. The reason I posted about the zinc/copper and dopamine connection (which was originally intended for another forum) is that it's something new I haven't heard of before on the horn forums. Most of the remedies I've read about are physical or psychological in their approach. These are valuable, of course, but a nutritional approach (chemical as Hans so aptly defines it) in conjunction with other approaches can and has helped some I know (but unfortunately not all). One never knows what will help until one tries.
The thing that originally caught my interest in this subject was that a friend's wife was recently diagnosed with something called dopa-responsive dystonia (DRD). She had been wheel chair bound for 10 years, but after only two doses of the prescription drug, Sinemet, that greatly enhances dopamine production, she was able to walk again. (Dopamine is one of the "brain chemicals" responsible for normal muscle movement.) This story impressed the nurse in me so I did some research into DRD. This genetic condition in it's severest form can cripple and even kill children if they are not treated. But in recent years it's been found to manifest in a milder form in adults as a focal dystonia that is also treatable with Sinemet. The root cause of DRD is a defect in dopamine synthesis. When I read this, I wondered if dopamine deficiency could be the root cause of some cases of embouchure dystonia. Anyway.... to make a long story short, I connected with a researcher in the UK (who prefers to remain anonymous) who has done some preliminary research on the link between copper excess, zinc deficiency and focal dystonias. She introduced me to the idea of treating involuntary motions of the embouchure by increasing dopamine synthesis through dietary manipulation. (Increasing zinc while decreasing copper.) She believes, but can't yet prove, that brass players may get focal dystonias because of copper overload from handling brass hours a day.* She tells me that some plumbers who handle copper pipes all day have developed focal dystonias in their hands and have recovered by supplementing with zinc & avoiding high copper foods, wearing gloves when they work, etc. (The researcher tells me that severe cases take months of zinc supplementation to resolve.) I didn't supply links because I know you can all Google the same topics I can. If you are curious, here are a few ideas: <dopamine responsive dystonia>, <dopamine + zinc>, <dopamine + copper>, <dystonia + Wilson's disease>. <increasing dopamine> (BTW, you'll find lots of information about increasing dopamine "naturally", including some prohibitively expensive supplements, etc. I don't know of anyone who has experience with these products. Feel free to experiment with them at your own financial risk!) And, BTW, don't expect your doctor to know much about this. They just don't have the time to research such things. They have bigger fish to fry, such as cancer & heart disease. If you want to discuss it with your doctor, do the research and present it to him/her. Many doctors will be grateful you did. If yours isn't, you might do well to find a doctor who is. Wise doctors know they don't have all the answers and that there's a lot left to learn and discover... even if it means learning new things from their patients. Valerie -- Valerie Wells The Balanced Embouchure Method http://bebabe.wordpress.com/ http://www.beforhorn.blogspot.com/ *The possibility of developing embouchure dystonia secondary to absorbing copper from brass through the skin, adds weight to the case for playing lacquered horns! _______________________________________________ post: [email protected] unsubscribe or set options at https://pegasus.memphis.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org
