Was watching natgeo channel sometime back and in that program they said, playing Didgeridoo helps in strengthening the muscles of the upper airway and thus reducing the sleep apnea. Not sure how far this is effective or true. Soon after that program, just did a search on wikipedia and found this article saying the same thing:
Perhaps in specific and mild situations it could be of help, but in general, no evidence to support the claims from what I have been able to turn up.
Lack of airway muscle tone is not typically the cause of OSA, rather the muscles overrelaxing during sleep, blocking the airway. Some people with severe OSA are in speech/sung vocal professions and have a very fit and toned 'instrument' (entire breathing circuit) including the airway muscles. Many of these people are thin and have ample airway size.
Didgeridoo is a fun instrument to learn to play, that's as good a reason as any to get one :-) -- Sue Morton
Banavara wrote: > Its been loooong time since I posted here...!
> Was watching natgeo channel sometime back and in that program they > said, playing Didgeridoo helps in strengthening the muscles of the > upper airway and thus reducing the sleep apnea. Not sure how far this > is effective or true. Soon after that program, just did a search on > wikipedia and found this article saying the same thing:
Banavara wrote: > Its been loooong time since I posted here...!
> Was watching natgeo channel sometime back and in that program they > said, playing Didgeridoo helps in strengthening the muscles of the > upper airway and thus reducing the sleep apnea. Not sure how far this > is effective or true. Soon after that program, just did a search on > wikipedia and found this article saying the same thing:
> Perhaps in specific and mild situations it could be of help, but in general, > no evidence to support the claims from what I have been able to turn up.
> Lack of airway muscle tone is not typically the cause of OSA, rather the > muscles overrelaxing during sleep, blocking the airway. Some people with > severe OSA are in speech/sung vocal professions and have a very fit and > toned 'instrument' (entire breathing circuit) including the airway muscles. > Many of these people are thin and have ample airway size.
> Didgeridoo is a fun instrument to learn to play, that's as good a reason as > any to get one :-) > -- > Sue Morton
> Banavara wrote: > > Its been loooong time since I posted here...!
> > Was watching natgeo channel sometime back and in that program they > > said, playing Didgeridoo helps in strengthening the muscles of the > > upper airway and thus reducing the sleep apnea. Not sure how far this > > is effective or true. Soon after that program, just did a search on > > wikipedia and found this article saying the same thing:
> > If this is true, this may free us from the hi-tech blower. But how do > > you carry around the low-tech Didgeridoo, if you are a frequent > > traveller!- Hide quoted text -
> - Show quoted text -
There is, however, a significant difference in the technique of playing a didgeridoo that has a lot to do with pharyngeal muscle manipulation. I can't describe it, unfortunately. It's even different from opera singing which is the second most demanding skill on the use of pharyngeal muscles, but there is something further back in the throat required for didgeridoo which is unique, and also used in a non-stop continuous fashion, unlike everything else, from what I have read about that awesome instrument. It also requires an air power (diaphragm strength) that outdoes most other musical intruments as well, including the baritone sax or the oboe which are both killers. Former soprano/alto/tenor sax/clarinet/flute player speaking. Gave it all up and went back to violin. Sick of being out of breath! I prefer sore fingers and elbows.
I thought didgeridoo an excellent cure for insomnia however. Just by listening to it, I mean, not playing it. It is a hypnotic sound indeed.
On Tue, 22 Jul 2008 03:10:10 -0700, tension_on_the_wire wrote: > There is, however, a significant difference in the technique of > playing a didgeridoo that has a lot to do with pharyngeal muscle > manipulation. I can't describe it, unfortunately. It's even > different from opera singing which is the second most demanding skill > on the use of pharyngeal muscles, but there is something further back > in the throat required for didgeridoo which is unique,
Not unique uniqe. Once some europeans learnt how to play a didgeridoo, they suddnely worked out how to "play" some other ancient musical instruments. Forget the deails.
I have a persistent sleep apnea and I can play the bagpipes and the didgeridoo.
On Mon, 21 Jul 2008 12:31:00 -0700, Chuck <chuckh1958_nos...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Banavara wrote: >> Its been loooong time since I posted here...! >> Was watching natgeo channel sometime back and in that program they >> said, playing Didgeridoo helps in strengthening the muscles of the >> upper airway and thus reducing the sleep apnea. Not sure how far this >> is effective or true. Soon after that program, just did a search on >> wikipedia and found this article saying the same thing: >> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Didgeridoo#Health_benefits >> If this is true, this may free us from the hi-tech blower. But how do >> you carry around the low-tech Didgeridoo, if you are a frequent >> traveller!
> I wonder if inflating lots of party balloons, or playing bagpipe would > help? (I've always wanted to learn the bagpipe).
> > Banavara wrote: > >> Its been loooong time since I posted here...! > >> Was watching natgeo channel sometime back and in that program they > >> said, playing Didgeridoo helps in strengthening the muscles of the > >> upper airway and thus reducing the sleep apnea. Not sure how far this > >> is effective or true. Soon after that program, just did a search on > >> wikipedia and found this article saying the same thing: > >> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Didgeridoo#Health_benefits > >> If this is true, this may free us from the hi-tech blower. But how do > >> you carry around the low-tech Didgeridoo, if you are a frequent > >> traveller!
> > I wonder if inflating lots of party balloons, or playing bagpipe would > > help? (I've always wanted to learn the bagpipe).
tension_on_the_wire wrote: > On Jul 22, 7:30 pm, "James Stewart" <lao...@msn.com> wrote: >> I have a persistent sleep apnea and I can play the bagpipes and the >> didgeridoo. > James Stewart you rock! > Do you ever listen to a celtic rock band called "Tempest"? I have a > great song by them which has both instruments in it.
> --tension
Don't know them. There was a Canadian rock band a few years ago with pipes and there have been a few others.
The problem is usually not in the lungs anyway. The problem is usually in the head, I mean the nasal passages and such. I had the most interesting experience recently when I got a couple of lungs full of blood clots and I couldn't think of anything to do right away since one moment I could breathe and the next I couldn't, so I lay down and put on the mask and turned on the air. This helped but not very much so I ended up in the ER. It was an odd feeling to have all that air and not be able to get anything out of it. Anything like oxygen, I mean. Very odd. The lungs were strong, but still didn't work.
At any rate, I would be dubious about such a report.
>> There is, however, a significant difference in the technique of >> playing a didgeridoo that has a lot to do with pharyngeal muscle >> manipulation. I can't describe it, unfortunately. It's even >> different from opera singing which is the second most demanding skill >> on the use of pharyngeal muscles, but there is something further back >> in the throat required for didgeridoo which is unique,
> Not unique uniqe. Once some europeans learnt how to play a didgeridoo, > they suddnely worked out how to "play" some other ancient musical > instruments. Forget the deails.
Commonly called circular breathing the technique is used by many instrumentalists for long passages and actually mostly involves the mouth, the throat work being quite simple. The technique is to use the mouth as a reservoir of air while snatching a breath through the nose. If you can do that the trick is just budgeting the air because you can get plenty of air that way and you don't want to get too much or too little. On some instruments, like the flute, this can be very tricky to do without losing the embouchure, the exactly correct position of the lips and tongue. I know one concert flute player who claims to be able to do it, but I can't do it on that instrument.
You are right that it is difficult to explain in detail in a useful way.
The only thing unique about the didj is that one uses the mouth in various ways to somewhat change the pitch and to change the timber of the sound as well as to speak, sing, and so on while keeping the sound up. That part is really just like the jews harp which is also know in many parts of the world. The mouth bow is also similar.
Chuck wrote: > Banavara wrote: >> Its been loooong time since I posted here...!
>> Was watching natgeo channel sometime back and in that program they >> said, playing Didgeridoo helps in strengthening the muscles of the >> upper airway and thus reducing the sleep apnea. Not sure how far this >> is effective or true. Soon after that program, just did a search on >> wikipedia and found this article saying the same thing:
>> If this is true, this may free us from the hi-tech blower. But how do >> you carry around the low-tech Didgeridoo, if you are a frequent >> traveller!
> I wonder if inflating lots of party balloons, or playing bagpipe would > help? (I've always wanted to learn the bagpipe).
If you want to play the pipes please move to Phoenix and call me. We need to have a band on this side of the valley.
> >> There is, however, a significant difference in the technique of > >> playing a didgeridoo that has a lot to do with pharyngeal muscle > >> manipulation. I can't describe it, unfortunately. It's even > >> different from opera singing which is the second most demanding skill > >> on the use of pharyngeal muscles, but there is something further back > >> in the throat required for didgeridoo which is unique,
> > Not unique uniqe. Once some europeans learnt how to play a didgeridoo, > > th
