Thanks Val!! I am starting to the zinc today. I really do appreciate your sharing with us. And yes, we all know it is dangerous to "self diagnose" and when there is a problem we should see our Drs first, we also are learning that Drs in general do not know a great deal about nutrition. Case in point: Our harpist has been diagnosed twice now serious Vit D deficiency. And this only after changing Drs a couple of years ago. Her other Drs in the past had not even thought to look for this deficiency. All out there know that I am retired so that whether or not I solve this little shake, makes no difference to my career, but if I can solve it, it might make a difference to someone else that might not think that there is a solution to there problem and will just give up. Keep it up!!! There is much in this note for us to think about.
Milton Milton Kicklighter 4th Horn Buffalo Philharmonic Retired From: valerie wells <[email protected]> >To: horn list 2 memphis <[email protected]> >Sent: Monday, May 2, 2011 2:03 AM >Subject: Re: [Hornlist] Unwanted vibrato > >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/kicklighgter%40yahoo.com > > > _______________________________________________ post: [email protected] unsubscribe or set options at https://pegasus.memphis.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org
