Virginia asked:
>1)how it affects ones "vocal life" (is it
>necessarily a death sentence for a vocalist??) :(
It hasn't been for me, although I can imagine that more serious cases could
pose more serious issues. I wouldn't throw in the towel, though, upon
hearing a diagnosis. However, I have known singers who elected to have
surgery to correct TMJ problems and THEY ended up being unable to sing. I
personally would encourage people to regard surgery as a last resort.
>2)is there relief insight in overcoming it and getting back to some
>degree of vocal ease, and healthy voice production (short of wearing
>those appliances or retainers)
I have had good luck with Alexander Technique and cranio-sacral work. I
wear a mouthpiece at night and it poses no problems. It's mainly to keep
me from grinding my teeth into dust. (It took me a week or so to get used
to sleeping with a piece of plastic in my mouth, but now I do it easily.)
Plus, any relaxation technique (meditation, yoga, self-hypnosis,
acupuncture, etc.) is likely to help with overall stress, which I believe
will in turn help with TMJ problems. DISCLAIMER: I am not a doctor or any
other kind of expert! This is my personal opinion.
Naomi Gurt Lind
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