Pain in neck muscle, and dropped jaw!
Robins
Pro Posts: 33
Best Answer
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highmtn
Administrator, Moderator, Enrolled, Pro, 3.0 Streaming Posts: 15,384
Most people underdo the opening of the jaw and the opening of the throat. That's why Ken tells you to really Open them up.
It sounds like you may have taken this just a bit too far.
It's like the old joke: Doc, it hurts when I go like this! (Doc) "Then don't go like that!"
Try just backing off on the area that you think is causing you pain.
None of these exercises should cause pain. If you feel pain, you should immediately back off. Rest, if needed, and try a little less tension, or stretching of the area that is uncomfortable.
There are exercises and positions that could feel like a stretch for you, but they should not be painful. Stretching is OK. Pain is bad.
We have to pay attention to our own bodies. Ken frequently says to monitor for tension and shake it off. If the tension is not shaking off, we may be going outside of areas that our body is ready for.
The articles you quote from state basically the same thing, that OVERDOING jaw opening and OVERDOING throat opening are bad for you. Overdoing anything is bad.
There will be some tension in singing. Management of that tension is what we learn in KTVA. Pay attention to what your body is telling you. You can make gains in your vocal improvement without straining muscles, without over-opening your jaw, and without hurting yourself.
Take the guidelines and instructions and adapt them to what is reasonable and comfortable for you.
If your pain continues, you should definitely see a doctor and find out what you are doing that is causing it.
"Don't go like that!"
I hope you resolve this and can move on with your vocal progress minus this discomfort.
Bob
Answers
Hi Robin, the post was actually from me (Ken). Lynette is my assistant and I sometimes use her laptop to answer questions, and forget to log out of her account and log into mine when posting.
Sorry if my e-mail seemed curt, I just have dealt with sooo many people in the bel canto world that always scare people into telling them what they can't do and never provide any real evidence and example for what they can do. Karen is one of them.
ESPECIALLY when it comes to ANY kind of grit, compression or growing of chest voice.
I would be happy to give you an evaluation of what exactly is going on.
The sternocleidomastoid is a long muscle in the side of the neck that extends up from the thorax to the base of the skull behind the ear. When the sternocleidomastoid on one side contracts, the face is turned to the opposite side. When both muscles contract, the head is bent toward the chest. If the immovable end is fixed in position by other muscles, it can raise the sternum (breastbone) - an action which aids in forceful inhalation of air. There are MANY reasons issues with the sternocleidomastoid.
This is why I continuously emphasize over and over to "shake off the stress" from the chest neck and throat.
The reason fro this is that the sternocleidomastoid, or SCM, muscle originates on the sternum and attaches to the clavicle, or collarbone, and the mastoid process of the temporal bone, on the back of the skull. You have one SCM on each side of your neck and the muscle controls lateral flexion --- tilting your head --- and rotation --- turning your head left and right. Sudden movements, such as whiplash, can cause SCM (as well as a herniated disc, etc, etc.
Functional Symptoms
You may feel a dull pain along the path of the injury, accompanied by a sharp pain when turning or tilting your head, or experience stiffness, muscle fatigue and difficulty holding your head upright. Wearing a neck brace supports the weight of your head, and relieves the pressure on your SCM muscle. Over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, NSAIDs, and analgesic rubs can relieve some of the pain associated with the strain, according to MayoClinic.com.
Systemic Symptoms
You may experience headaches, especially at the SCM attachment point on the base of the skull. Other symptoms include ringing in the ears, dizziness and blurred vision. The pain and difficulty moving your head can disrupt your sleep, which can lead to irritability and fatigue, as well as memory problems and difficulty concentrating. Wearing a neck brace will support your head while you sleep, and NSAIDs and ice packs can relieve the swelling and pain. You also can try sleeping on your back with a rolled towel under your neck instead of a pillow to support the natural curve.
Talk to a Dr. if you experience pain, numbness or tingling radiating down one or both arms and muscle weakness in your arms or shoulders. While it may be difficult to move your head, talk to your doctor if you are unable to move your head at all, or if the pain worsens over time.
I highly doubt you are in any kind of advanced stage of SCM, it sounds like you are just either training too much or not relaxing, using your abdomen to do the work.
After you gig I suggest 3-5 days off, then come back at it again with a fresh approach to be very careful about how much tension is mounting. This info should really help you.
-KT
I gave up on singing lessons after this. Took me about 3-4 months to get rid of the pain in that damn muscle. and by that time i didnt feel like starting over again.
Im going to jump back up on the horse now though and be more careful!
Thank you again Ken!
/Robin
Have you thought about wearing In-Ear monitors and having the volume reduced to a safe level that will not aggravate your tinitis?
In-ear monitors would provide you with the ability to hear your own vocals at whatever level might be appropriate. You could even conceivably wear those noise-reducing "earmuffs" that construction workers wear, to drop down the volume of the band, while hearing your own vocals at a low level that would hopefully be at enough of a reduced volume to be an improvement over what you are experiencing now.
We're not doctors and are not offering medical advice, but it seems like there could be some practical ways to allow you to hear your voice and not be exposed to high sound pressure levels.
The most obvious solution is to have the band turn down, but some musicians have issues with being asked to reduce the volume of their amplifiers.
The fact that your tinitus may be caused by loud rehearsals and gigs is kind of a red flag. Often a band just needs to get together and work the sound as a team, to try to get a good mix that includes having the vocals easily heard above the sound of the band, without screaming or turning the monitors up to 140 dB.
I hope you find a workable solution.
All the Best!
Bob
http://www.guitarcenter.com/Earasers/Musicians-Plugs-Medium-1362412921613.gc?country=us¤cy=usd&source=4WWRWXGP&gclid=CjwKEAjwhdOwBRDFsYTfhvzX1hYSJAAfCUcLuWjSxtd3_-dBB5KqYdGXYmLY9v5K8SB0t2scsEKucRoCb_7w_wcB&kwid=productads-plaid^145410563082-sku^1362412921613@ADL4GC-adType^PLA-device^c-adid^57619015002#productDetail
A reviewer wrote about these plugs that they aren't good enough for mixing the front-of-house main sound system, but you may be able to hear your voice. That remains to be seen.
I would still think about using some simple in-ear headphone earpieces to hear your vocals, and over those wear a set of noise-reducing earmuff hearing protectors to attenuate the band sound. Some of these can cut the sound by as much as 30 dB.
http://www.grainger.com/product/3M-Ear-Muff-WP47495/_/N-bz1?s_pp=false&picUrl=//static.grainger.com/rp/s/is/image/Grainger/1C139_AS01?$smthumb$
Using any headphones requires care to avoid putting excessive sound pressure levels on your ears. You would need to take care to avoid turning the volume up too much on any headphones or earpieces.
I'm not an expert on hearing protection, but I would be very careful, since you are already having issues with your hearing.
With a set of earmuffs on, you should be able to Reduce The Volume of the in-ear headphones to a lower volume level and still hear yourself well without excess volume.
As I said, reducing the volume in your practice room may not be a popular solution with your bandmates, but it's the best preventive solution that will protect your hearing and allow you to hear yourself without having to have loud monitors.
Be very careful, whatever you do.
All the Best.
Bob