Dizziness

remnantpark · Post by **remnantpark** » Thu Apr 05, 2007 5:40 pm

These days, I am starting to feel extremely dizzy and exhausted (usually happens in band...JUST the first 20 minutes I get dizzy!

)
And once, I experienced severe dizziness that if I didn't get out of class soon, I'd probably faint or collapse: The pages started to look extremely bright and I was kind of dizzy so I asked my band teacher if I could at least take a drink of water before I pass out on the first clarinetist's lap, however, the request was rejected. That was when I felt like I was going to seriously faint and I'm not joking or exaggerating. I think this has to do with how I breathe; I don't know how to explain it but I think it's kinda like 'overbreathing'. Or maybe the class was really long. Our classes in my school is 80 minutes long, band practice afterschool is 2 hours and 30 minutes long.

Did anyone ever experience this before?

Is there anything to stop from getting dizziness?

One more thing:

I also noticed that after I play the flute, my throat feels really weird and sometimes, if I play for a really long time, my throat actually hurts, as if the walls are kinda 'dry'. Is there a reason for this?

Sorry for all these strange situations and questions, but I think I'm actually injuring myself from the flute.

flutepicc06 · Post by **flutepicc06** » Thu Apr 05, 2007 5:45 pm

Length of time playing shouldn't be the problem as long as your techinique is good. I play for 10+ hours a day on a regular basis, and have never felt dizzy because of it. If anything, you're probably right about it being a problem with your breathing. However, it's extremely difficult to analyze what might be happening without watching you first hand, so I would suggest discussing this with your private teacher, or if you don't have one, find one for even just a few lessons. There may also be a physiological reason for dizziness when you exert yourself (and playing is exerting yourself), so you might see a doctor and see if there is an imbalance of some sort, or any other physical reason for you to get this sensation.

fluteguy18 · Post by **fluteguy18** » Thu Apr 05, 2007 7:32 pm

you might have been unintentionally Hyperventallating. I myself usually play from 6-8 hours a day without a break [one ensemble ends rehearsal when another one starts... and then I have my lessons and private practice as well] and I dont have this problem. Although, when I am working on a Bach sonata [particularly the one in Eb major] I do get rather light headed. But this is mostly because you have to 'tank up' at the beginning of the piece, and take as many acceptable breaths as possible in preparation for a few VERY long phrases.

sherbert789 · Post by **sherbert789** » Thu Apr 05, 2007 8:26 pm

When I was younger, I used to get so nervous playing for other people in ensemble settings...even if they were my friends. I used to get myself so worked up for solos that I would feel the exact same way you describe. Are you sure it's not just nerves? How comfortable are you playing for others?

remnantpark · Post by **remnantpark** » Thu Apr 05, 2007 9:12 pm

I think it might be hyperventilating, I know for a fact that not only do I feel dizzy but my hand starts to kinda tingle. i do sometimes 'tank up' a bit because I'm not very good at breath control and I need the air to play really long notes/phrases

but maybe nerves as well...I kinda freak out if I have a solo in an ensemble or anything.

But is there also a reason why my throat also feels weird after playing the flute? (It's kinda weird, I know) Someimes, it kinda feels good and refreshing and at other times, it feels so dry/clear that my throat hurts a little.

flutepicc06 · Post by **flutepicc06** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 11:07 am

remnantpark wrote:
But is there also a reason why my throat also feels weird after playing the flute? (It's kinda weird, I know) Someimes, it kinda feels good and refreshing and at other times, it feels so dry/clear that my throat hurts a little.

Playing flute involves quite a large volume of air passing through your throat in a manner that's not entirely natural. It may be just that the air is drying your throat out. Try drinking more water and see what happens. I would be careful with that tingling arm, though...It may be a lack of oxygen, but it may be an excess of tension as well, and that should be addressed immediately if it is tension.

FLflutist · Post by **FLflutist** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 4:17 pm

I think this has nothing to deal with your flute playing.

This seems more of a medical problem to me. Perhaps you should change some eating habits, or drink more water and less sugar. If it's not, you should probably just drink more water.

Pay attention to your breathing, when you breath in you shouldn't hear your voice, but just air enter your lungs. If you can hear yourself breathe, it's most liekly you're dehydrated and are tried.

If you happen to be practicing double tounging, that might explain why your throat hurts a little bit. Or again... you're dehydrated.

Just remember to drink lots and lots of water... plain water... no sugar... no flavor... just plain water.

.... Did I mention to drink more water?

flutepicc06 · Post by **flutepicc06** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 4:32 pm

FLflutist wrote:
If you happen to be practicing double tounging, that might explain why your throat hurts a little bit. Or again... you're dehydrated.

Double tonguing should have nothing to do with the throat, and thus should not be responsible for dryness. It's important that your throat stay open, just as if you were single tonguing, but rather than a single stroke with your tongue, you make two. If you're using your throat to cut off the air, I suppose that could cause the wierd feeling, or possibly dryness, but in that case you need to rework how you articulate.

FLflutist · Post by **FLflutist** » Sat Apr 07, 2007 9:18 pm

Well okay, not nesserarily the throat... but when you first learn how to double tounge it a muscle does tend to get sore... it feels like your throat.

flutepicc06 · Post by **flutepicc06** » Sat Apr 07, 2007 9:21 pm

FLflutist wrote:Well okay, not nesserarily the throat... but when you first learn how to double tounge it a muscle does tend to get sore... it feels like your throat.

I can't say I experienced that. If you're getting sore, odds are something's not quite right, and it should be discussed with a teacher.

joolz · Post by **joolz** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 2:00 am

Sometimes when we are extra busy or stressed we forget to eat and this is most likely where you dizziness is coming from. I always find that when I'm feeling this way and I think about it, I realise that I'm due to eat something and I have just forgotten because I'm running around like crazy.

Take some time for yourself and try to have a snack with you in case this kind of thing happens in the middle of a class.

Joolz

Cooeyflute · Post by **Cooeyflute** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 1:30 pm

I get the same sore throat when running because I breath through my mouth. Maybe you're breathing in through your mouth with an open throat and drying it out this way. Breathing more gently might help if you're doing what I think you are. Hope this helps.