Face/Head pain

[DoverOs]

My support for my high notes is getting much more strong and inherent, but it still isn't natural. However I sometimes get pain in my head/face. Is this because I'm not getting enough air to my head and it's aching in response to that? Or does it have to do with just the muscles being tensed?

[Guest]

Something odd and related. Certain songs give me a headache/head pain also. Most Creed songs and the song "You Can't Always Get What You Want" by the Stones. Weird.

[DoverOs]

Ya I guess it's a "tension headache" o.o

[ronws]

It's either that or the part in the song that is frustrating you and you bang your head against the wall. That could be it.

;)

[voc-al]

I wonder if its the same thing I am experiencing.

Tension know botb jaes while doing lip trills. It happends from time to time at the high notes and continues untIkea I finish through excercise. It hurts but its deffinitely tension ...

[Joanna]

warning: rant coming on --

Sometimes "tension" and pain are not the main problem, but a symptom of desperate muscle-overwork, because other muscles are weak or congenitally small, and unable to do their job!

Many times in my voice-rehab practice I see people who've been beating themselves up for being in pain; unwilling to seek even 'alternative' health help because of the cultural meme that muscle problems are our own damn fault. Singing teachers will too often compound the problem, telling you to "relax" but not able to actually trouble-shoot and rebalance-forces of the muscles involved.

Things to try: chiropractice work on the neck; deep-tissue (myofascial release) work on the neck and jaw; a thorough oral-motor exam by a speech pathologist (like me), or physical therapy. The last two would need a referral from an MD, but most MD's will say "huh? no clue" and happily send you on to speech or physical therapy if you ask for it.

Unless you're in a big city there may not be a really good "detail person" ... and yes, I know that money is always an issue and healthcare financing sucks.

The first step though is to let go of two things: personal self-blame for your suffering; and anger at the systems that haven't yet helped. Back off of exercises that hurt (if lip trills make jaw ache, do tongue trills or kazoo-through-a-straw instead. Same physics, same vocal benefit.)

then start saving money & figuring out who can help you. You're human, you deserve it.

[ronws]

warning: rant coming on --

Sometimes "tension" and pain are not the main problem, but a symptom of desperate muscle-overwork, because other muscles are weak or congenitally small, and unable to do their job!

Many times in my voice-rehab practice I see people who've been beating themselves up for being in pain; unwilling to seek even 'alternative' health help because of the cultural meme that muscle problems are our own damn fault. Singing teachers will too often compound the problem, telling you to "relax" but not able to actually trouble-shoot and rebalance-forces of the muscles involved.

Things to try: chiropractice work on the neck; deep-tissue (myofascial release) work on the neck and jaw; a thorough oral-motor exam by a speech pathologist (like me), or physical therapy. The last two would need a referral from an MD, but most MD's will say "huh? no clue" and happily send you on to speech or physical therapy if you ask for it.

Unless you're in a big city there may not be a really good "detail person" ... and yes, I know that money is always an issue and healthcare financing sucks.

The first step though is to let go of two things: personal self-blame for your suffering; and anger at the systems that haven't yet helped. Back off of exercises that hurt (if lip trills make jaw ache, do tongue trills or kazoo-through-a-straw instead. Same physics, same vocal benefit.)

then start saving money & figuring out who can help you. You're human, you deserve it.

Post of the year.

And, as I like to say, do what it is your voice can do and don't do what it cannot do. Which gets me the reputation of being lazy and "not doing enough with my voice."

Rock on, Joanna.