Hi-- quick question for any asthmatic whistle players…
Have you ever had a whistle that had so much backpressure that it triggered an attack of your asthma?
I sent off a nice Blackwood whistle only to receive an e-mail from an unhappy player who told me that the pressure was so great that she couldn’t play this whistle without having an attack.
I’m not doubting her and will be receiving the whistle back for either revoicing (if possible) or refund. I’m just curious about how common this is.
I’m mildly asthmatic - so mildly that I’m probably not the best qualified to comment… All I can say is that the only times whistling has had even a minute effect on my asthma has been after long practice sessions where I would put it own to poor breath control due to my relative inexperience, rather than any feature of the whistle.
To be frank, I’d be surprised if the backpressure from a whistle was a factor in asthma attacks. Anyone with asthma of such severity for that to happen might be considered unwise in taking up a wind instrument in the first place. Certainly I’d recommend they see their quack for advice before continuing, if things are that bad.
I have been told that playing a wind instrument sometimes helps people with asthma.
Ya, I have seen the same thing. Wind instruments can help asthmatics. Don’t really know if there is an advanced stage in that disease that would preclude whistle playing. The kids I knew were about mid-range with their affliction. Couldn’t really compete in sports. They said playing in the band reduced the number of attacks they were having. One played clarinet, the other saxophone. Both have substantially higher back pressure than a whistle (unless you have designed one with a solid fipple and no windway! 
)
Not to cast aspersions, but I wonder if this person isn’t having a touch of buyer’s remorse? 
I think it’s that learning to control your breath better is actually what helps with the asthma.
Asthmatics may be set off by something as small as dust in from the fabrication process. Exotic wood dust may be the real culprit here.
Unless it was a Delrin whistle 
~B
(I deleted my confusing post)
I didn’t think of that. It makes sense, though.
It could be the wood, or the oil causing the problems. Any backpressure is actually a good thing for asthmatics, since it opens up the air passages.
Dana
What exactly is back pressure? 
I did a search for it on the forums and still can’t find a definition 
It is allergy season and I manage to play Flute with my asthma going I think it is the wood that could be causing the problem.
That’s what I was always taught. A spirometer is basically a backpressure device, right?
Yes it is.
Nicki:
Back pressure is how strong you have to blow to play the whistle. It’s not how much air you need, but the pressure of the air in the windway.
Paul:
I’ve asthma too, fotunately now is getting a lot better with the years… I’m making much more exercise and that helps, but it was pretty bad when I was a child. The doctor always told me to inflate ballons, so my lungs will get stronger. I guess it worked…
The lung exercise (more backpressure) will likely produce some asthma symptoms, but it’s actually good for the long run.
Hope it helps…
Another reason this forum needs a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) sticky thread.
There’s only one way to find out . . . let an asthmatic or two test it.
I’ll volunteer to go first!
I volunteer to second!!
I have getting-milder-with-age athsma, and don’t have any trouble with the whistle or any other mouth blown wind instruments. Of course, there are different kinds of athsma: exercise induced, allergy induced, etc. Years ago, when my problem was worse, I could sneeze hard and trigger the chest tightening. Still have allergies, but no attacks per se.
Your customer could be allergic to the wood or oil (if it’s a wooden whistle) or she could just be really susceptible to attacks brought on by exercising the lungs more than they normally are. Maybe she just has a really bad case…
Hi Paul,
I have excercise induced asthma. I’ve played your whistles with no problem.
There is one whistle out there that I tried briefly that I think might have had enough back pressure to cause problems. Fortunately a wonderful member of this board loaned it to me before I actually purchased one. Needless to say, I didn’t get it.
Your whistles get a green light from this lab rat.
Mike
I actually get just the opposite. I have a couple of whistles that have very, very little backpressure, but relatively high breath requirements, and they’re the ones that will get me, if I’m not careful, because I run out of air before I’m expecting to (causing me to gasp, which triggers a cough, which will sometimes trigger an asthma attack).
I find whistles with a good bit of back pressure easier on my lungs, but I think that’s because I’m not USING my lungs to “push” the whistle (i.e., by blowing harder)…I rely on embouchure for that. I’ve actually found that my Busman whistle requires less air (and thus puts less stress on my lungs) than most of my other whistles, for all it’s also got more back pressure. If the customer is trying to adjust to the back pressure by blowing harder rather than by focusing her breathing using her lips, that certainly could trigger an attack.
And, that said, every asthmatic is different. What sends one into an attack may not bother another at all.
Redwolf