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“Harmonica therapy” for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Posted by Katherine, Alumni Mentor @katemn, Feb 21, 2017

I do not have COPD but just saw this and thought it was really interesting so thought I would pass it on! We have a very dear friend who has a form of ALS who is a lifelong musician .. worked his way through law school as a sax player. As his lung capacity diminished he was determined to continue with his jazz band AND enhance his lung capacity .. sure enough .. he took up the harmonica AND has maintained as much of his lung capacity as possible with daily harmonica practice! So this really caught my eye! Hope it helps someone! Katherine

Modern Healthcare, Meet the Harmonicats: Using musical therapy for COPD, “Play three verses of ‘Oh! Susanna’ and call me in the morning.” That could become a common “prescription” pulmonary specialists pass on to their patients as “harmonica therapy” for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease starts to take hold. Harmonicas have been used to improve lung function at hospitals across the country, including the Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Fla.; El Camino Hospital, Mountain View, Calif.; Seton Medical Center, Austin, Texas; and Advocate Christ Medical Center near the South Side of Chicago—an area that’s produced some legendary blues harmonica players.

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steve1948 | @steve1948 | Feb 25, 2017

Kate, I have seen your reference to one of my posts, about adding albuterol to my nebulizer, to my understanding "that" is what the nebulizer is for, albuterol. I think I tried to make it clear that the albuterol helps bring up the sputum, but my doc prescribed me SODIUM CHLORIDE to "add" to my albuterol to see if it helped me bring up more of the sputum that lies in my lungs. Because I have constant and violent coughing we are trying to find out the "why" I have that. The sodium chloride was a thought to see if bringing up more sputum would decrease my coughing. Although it definitely makes one cough while inhaling it it hasn't returned the results we were hoping for. Then after reading more about MAC and doing my research I dropped my doc a line to see what he thinks. We'll see how that works out. On another note, I think most of us know there are good, bad, and indifferent doctors that treat people for whatever patients have, but to go out on a limb and slam them on a public forum is disrespectful (in my opinion) to many of them for their dedication and desire to help others. Suggestions like that can create hostility (as well as confidence) in a doctor patient relationship. We don't need doctors coping an attitude with us because of suggestions planted in ones mind (conscious or subconscious). One or two bad experiences doesn't put them all in a box of questionable physicians for them to prove their worth. I think you get my drift.

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Katherine, Alumni Mentor | @katemn | Feb 25, 2017
In reply to @steve1948 "Kate, I have seen your reference to one of my posts, about adding albuterol to my..." + (show)
@steve1948

Kate, I have seen your reference to one of my posts, about adding albuterol to my nebulizer, to my understanding "that" is what the nebulizer is for, albuterol. I think I tried to make it clear that the albuterol helps bring up the sputum, but my doc prescribed me SODIUM CHLORIDE to "add" to my albuterol to see if it helped me bring up more of the sputum that lies in my lungs. Because I have constant and violent coughing we are trying to find out the "why" I have that. The sodium chloride was a thought to see if bringing up more sputum would decrease my coughing. Although it definitely makes one cough while inhaling it it hasn't returned the results we were hoping for. Then after reading more about MAC and doing my research I dropped my doc a line to see what he thinks. We'll see how that works out. On another note, I think most of us know there are good, bad, and indifferent doctors that treat people for whatever patients have, but to go out on a limb and slam them on a public forum is disrespectful (in my opinion) to many of them for their dedication and desire to help others. Suggestions like that can create hostility (as well as confidence) in a doctor patient relationship. We don't need doctors coping an attitude with us because of suggestions planted in ones mind (conscious or subconscious). One or two bad experiences doesn't put them all in a box of questionable physicians for them to prove their worth. I think you get my drift.

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@steve1948, Steve I can totally understand your feelings as I have a Mayo doctor that I think the world of .. and with your thoughts in mind I may temper the thoughts of one of my members when posting her concerns .. BUT on my particular Mayo Clinic Connect I have seen too many members be misdiagnosed for too many years by doctors who have NOT referred them to an Infectious Disease doctor resulting in years of lung capacity loss. I myself was misdiagnosed for years with Asthma before finally being referred to an Infectious Disease doctor for proper diagnosis. So I "hear" you but many of my members have had experiences that perhaps you have not had. I see both sides. My members know my regard for the good doctors .. but also the importance of doing their "due diligence" in finding the good ones. Katherine

REPLY
Katherine, Alumni Mentor | @katemn | Feb 25, 2017
In reply to @steve1948 "Kate, I have seen your reference to one of my posts, about adding albuterol to my..." + (show)
@steve1948

Kate, I have seen your reference to one of my posts, about adding albuterol to my nebulizer, to my understanding "that" is what the nebulizer is for, albuterol. I think I tried to make it clear that the albuterol helps bring up the sputum, but my doc prescribed me SODIUM CHLORIDE to "add" to my albuterol to see if it helped me bring up more of the sputum that lies in my lungs. Because I have constant and violent coughing we are trying to find out the "why" I have that. The sodium chloride was a thought to see if bringing up more sputum would decrease my coughing. Although it definitely makes one cough while inhaling it it hasn't returned the results we were hoping for. Then after reading more about MAC and doing my research I dropped my doc a line to see what he thinks. We'll see how that works out. On another note, I think most of us know there are good, bad, and indifferent doctors that treat people for whatever patients have, but to go out on a limb and slam them on a public forum is disrespectful (in my opinion) to many of them for their dedication and desire to help others. Suggestions like that can create hostility (as well as confidence) in a doctor patient relationship. We don't need doctors coping an attitude with us because of suggestions planted in ones mind (conscious or subconscious). One or two bad experiences doesn't put them all in a box of questionable physicians for them to prove their worth. I think you get my drift.

Jump to this post

@steve1948, Steve, Albuterol is added to open the airways to make it easier to cough up sputum. When I do a sputum culture at Mayo Clinic, Rochester Mn .. they always request that Albuterol be added to the salt solution so that I am able to cough up a sputum sample more easily. I am personally not able to tolerate Albuterol since it triggers migraines. Katherine

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Linda | @llwortman | Mar 19, 2017

Hi and great to see you on CONNECT:
I have in fact spoken with others who have found help with Harmonica therapy. I for one find that deep breathing, blowing up balloons, and
blowing into a harmonica helps. I also head there MAY BE a study developed to document or at least research this therapy. I commend you
and encourage you to Kepp Up the great work>
Hugs,
Linda

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