All,
I’m new to the mid-south, and there is a ton of pine pollen in the air. Anyway I’ve noticed over the last couple of days that I can’t seem to give the Hammy enough air. Could it be the pollen? Maybe I’m just having a bad spell? I seem to be able to play my CB folk flute without trouble which is why I think the pollen might have something to do with it…
Thanks,
Tony
Allergies could be causing problems, but I’d be surprised you can play the CB easily if it were allergies. I think we all go through spells where one flute or the other is harder to play, but I do think it’s good to get back on that hammie and play your way through the problems.
I’ve got allergies, but no restrictive airway symptoms related to them…just snuffles and itchy eyes.
Eric
Could be allergies, but I doubt it, more likely you’re just going through a spell where your embouchure isn’t as focused as usual, happens to many of us from time to time.
Loren
I grew up in the South, and although the pine pollen is quite impressive (turns pretty much everything yellow for a couple of weeks), I never really saw many people allergic to it. Also, if it’s your first exposure you’re not likely to be allergic, because your body has to have previous exposure to develop that kind of reaction.
So, my guess is that the pine pollen is not causing the problem. It might be allergies to something else that’s blooming down there right now, or it could just be a cyclical embouchure thing, as has been suggested. Either way, it’ll probably go away in a few days. Just keep playing as much as you can. You’ll at least get to practice fingering, and you might have to work on finding lots of new and creative places to breathe, which could come in handy later.
Steven
Grixxly, if you’re having trouble inhaling and exhaling as quickly and completely as you usually can, you could easily have allergic asthma. It’s worth seeing your Doctor, there’s good treatment for it.
Dana
Flutist/RN
Maybe it’s something like that. I’m not having my usual allergic reaction, stuffed nose, red eyes, etc. but I am having trouble breathing fully. I’ve never been around so much pollen before… And the scary thing is, I’ve been told this is mild compared to normal. 
Maybe I need to go to the doctor.
Slightly off topic.. I don’t suppose there are 10 people near by that need their lawns mowed? I’m $150 short of getting a new flute and besides programming and drinking beer, I don’t have any other skills to offer. 
So I figure $15 a pop to mow. 
Cheers,
Tony
Dana is dead on target about allergic asthma - it should be checked out. However, it might not be the pollen - it could be anything new in your environment down there. Or, just maybe, it’s a reaction to your blackwood hammie — send it to me and I’ll test it out for ya! 
Eric
Hello:
Dana is right on the money (being a registered nurse also helps ). I have allergic athsma and there are times that playing the flute is a chore. Talk to your doctor for the best course of treatment. Another reason might be that how high is where you live, and unless you live in the mountains of Georgia, the possibility of that causing you problems are close to zero.
Regards,
Luis
The highest point in Georgia is only about 3500 feet above sea level, not high enough to affect most people. Besides, according to the info on the left of the screen, Grixxly is from Memphis, which I believe is a good deal lower than that. So it’s probably not an altitude problem.
Steven
Tree pollen in the PNW has been heavy recently as well. While I typically am not bothered by trees, I’ve been working through bronchitis-type symtptoms for a couple of weeks.
Serious chest congestion, wheezing, and coughing like a chain smoker, make me think I should learn a back-up intrument that doesn’t require breath…
regards,
Tony—
Ditto for Dana’s recommendations. I have allergies of the stuffy, itchy kind, but sometimes I have just what you describe: no overt symptoms beyond a lack of sufficient “air”. Sometimes it is pretty minor, and I wouldn’t even notice it unless I was trying to play the flute. In my case, sometimes Benadryl or Sudafed will help for me, but an asthma-type inhaler works more completely. For me, it doesn’t happen often; mainly when the Mulberry trees are blooming in early Spring. In your case it may be a particular plant that only blooms this time of year — let’s hope . Drink lots of water— always a good thing to do.
I’m still betting it’s your embouchure: You’re able to play one flute fine, but have trouble with the other - I too have asthma (although regular exercise over the years has helped significantly), and when that hits you’re likely to have problems with all your instruments, not to mention tightness in your chest, wheezing, and general difficulty breathing. I think you’d know immediately if asthma were the issue. Certainly a visit to the doctor is in order if you have any question.
Loren
Not necessarily. Sometimes we’re not aware of what’s going on until the symptoms reach a certain level of constriction (this helps to explain multiple ER visits for certain asthma patients). Experienced asthma sufferers are better at gauging this. Grixxly did remark that he was having trouble breathing fully. His symptoms may be light enough that it doesn’t bother his regular activities, but does cause problems when he plays his most demanding flute, i.e. the Hammy. Some flutes demand more “athletic” playing. I know which one of mine to avoid if I’m having symptoms.
Dana
Perhaps you’re right: I’ve lived with asthma for nearly 40 years and I know instantly when I’m suffering even the slightest effects, perhaps someone suffering very mildly for the first time might not realize what’s going on. In fact, difficulty breathing can be a symtom of many things, some potentially quite deadly, so again, a visit to the doctor would be prudent.
Loren