cant practice! swollen jaw!
Hi, my "violin spot" on my neck and jaw has been growing worse for a couple of years. In the last year or so it has developed into a distinct lump like place and has made that side of jaw and face swell and has become somewhat sore. I havent practice in a month or so because of the swelling/irratation/ etc.
anyone have ideas?? plz help!
Replies (20)
1) keep your chinrest well sterilized with hydo peroxide(or even rubbing alcohol).
2) take at least a few grams of vitamin c each day to help fight infection and for rebuilding of tissue stressed by violining.
3)try a Dr scholls' moleskin pad, cut to fit your chinrest; change when it starts to get grotty ( bacteria buildup, leading to inflamation & infection).
If you actually have a "lump" you may have a cyst in there, it's been known to happen... to me in fact! See your doctor or dermatologist. I had to have it surgically removed about 6 years ago (I've heard of other violinists who've had this done as well) and after about 1 or 2 weeks I was back to playing. I'm now very careful and always use a thick cloth and even some mushy foam over the chinrest, but I've had more troubles due to a medical condition that affects the strength of my skin. I'm sure a "normal" person wouldn't have to worry so much about complications.
'Erie (-:
I had a horrible violin hickey for a long time... It was like I had several bores on my neck.
Recently it's been going down rapidly. I bought a Wittner chinrest; because it is plastic (I thought maybe the wood on my old chinrest had to do with the fact of my bad violin hickey).. Since then I add some skin cream each day before and after I practice. Now my violin hickey is nearly gone now!
Bryan, maybe,it sounds funny, but try... Make 9% solution of salty water (1 tblspon without top of salt and 1 cap of water). Water should be hot, like 60 degree. Take sterilized cotton gauze (you can find it in a dragstore) and make it thick by folding at 8 layers. Water this gause and wring it out. When gauze is not hot anymore, place it right on the swollen part. At last, tie something, like bandana, around your head to hold a gauze in the right place. It's important: this bandana, or other cloth should be made from cotton only. It is good to do it overnight during 3-7 days. Don't pay attention if your bandana gets wet. Be patience. I wrote too much, but it is really very easy to do. I think, it would be better, if you don't play on the violin for a week. Believe, or not, but I know very close the person who got rid of lung cancer using this method. Good luck!
TAKE PRIDE IN YOUR VIOLIN HICKEY.
But don't let it get too grody...
I'm sorry.. When you can't practice because of an out of control violin hickey -- you need to take action!!
I would rather have a screaming wares thrown down my pants than having several bores on my neck...
Mine's getting nasty, abrasion from the edge of my chinrest and not below so I know it's not an allergic reaction. I'm going to make a chamois pouch to fit over it and hang down behind, and report back!
I use to have one, but I heard they were caused by a bacteria or something, so I took some Alcohol and rubbed it over my chinrest...no more hickey.
Boosting vitamin C levels helps a lot, as does sterilizing the chinrest with alcohol.
Sorry to sound a little silly but does the "mark" I see on some violinists' jaws mean a hickey or is there an actual mark on the neck from the end button?
My own hickey is from one of the metal bars clamping my chin rest in place. I've had it on and off for years and occasionally it gets infected (either that or spot-infested, not sure which - yuck!). But any infection has always cleared up... until last November when it grew to gigantic proportions! Now it's purple with a white lump in it. It doesn't hurt at all, but I'm not sure whether to be concerned...
Okay folks, Here's the scoop. The "hickey" is merely a callous that develops from friction against the skin at whatever point the violin touches the neck. Some people are more prone to it than others. There's no big deal if it stays that way. Use of a cortizone creme or even just hand/body lotion helps to keep it under control. If it develops into a corn/sore/boil/pustule, then you may have a serious problem and should probably see a dermatologist about it.
Those that are having little success with chamois or towels can consider fashioning something using the fabric from a hypo-allergenic pillowcase.
Bryan,
what kind of a chinrest do you have? Is it one of those that goes all the way to the tail piece or is it one of those small ones that doesn't stretch out?
I know this sounds weird, but... finely ground corn starch is amazing. pat some on and around your hickey while you practice, and even when you're not practicing. you'll smell a little funny, but it really helps it heal more quickly. my hickey used to always get bad just before concerts, and this method always saved me.
my friends and i were always showing off at orchestra rehearsals at how big our hickeys were but last year mine got pretty festy looking and it turnd into a lump. i started using a cloth, creams everything till i found out it was a cyst and whilst it wasn't going to really get any bigger it was never going to go away and it was really annoying trying to play with it. i had to get it surically removed and i couldn't play for a little while after. i had a TOTAL break for 2 weeks after the operation but then i kept trying to play on it. it got infected a couple of times and i had to play with tape on my neck and a massive wad of cotton wool on the chin rest! that lasted a few months. i really should have let it heel properly after the op. anyway, now it's fine. i have a new chin rest just to see if a change in rubbing position helps and i bought this thing called a softpro or something. it's a bit of foam that sticks to the chin rest. it's comfy and not as big as a strad pad.
i'd say you need to seriously reevaluate your technique if it gets that bad. I'm a conservatory student and yet i have no mark at all, its really just a matter of eliminating any pressure in the contact point. also for men, dont play right after shaving, i personally use an electric razor because its easier on myu skin.
Greetings,
Rita, I also know soemone who got rid of lung cancer using salt compresses. But one point o bera in mind, the salt you buy at the local store is a mess of horrible chemicals and stuff. It is bets to go to a health food supplier and get some really pure stuff. Its expensive and doesn`t taste much like the salt you get at McDondals. You can practically chew it like candy,
cHEERS,
bURI
Hi,
Having a talented 11-year old violinist(see/hear www.fancyfiddlers.nl, the blond guy in the front) and beeing a MD myself I was wondering if any of you know of scientific medical literature about the violin hickey.
best regards to all
Rob
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August 8, 2004 at 07:58 AM · Try using a soft cloth or a Strad pad. I've been using a cloth, and I haven't had that violin hickey for a long time now.