Trumpet call and TMJ?

[wisconsinteacher]

I broke my jaw when I was in high school and now have TMJ.  I get headaches when I use a diaphram mouth call so I don't use them unless the bird is close.  I am wondering if I will have the same issue if I use a trumpet call.  I would like to try one but if it is going to create issues, I will spend my money on a new pot call.  Thanks and Happy New Years.

[M Sharpe]

I don't think so, if you get one that draws easy and you don't try to suck skeeters through it. Most folks try to draw way too much air through them.

[VanHelden Game Calls]

Hard to know. I would contact a maker here that suits your fancy and talk with them, I think they would be willing to work something out as it sounds like your gonna buy something.


It doesn't hurt to have one in the collection though

[pappy]

From what i have read these are some of the symptoms :
Limited ability to open the mouth very wide
Jaws that get "stuck" or "lock" in the open- or closed-mouth position
Clicking, popping, or grating sounds in the jaw joint when opening or closing the mouth (which may or may not be accompanied by pain) or chewing.
I have these very same things going on, I play my trumpets with no problem, as the only movement I feel is in the upper neck muscles and some below the chin. I grasp my trumpets on the left side of my mouth, not in the middle, loosely drawing in air, so this would restrict any movement in the joint of the jaw bone and decrease the pressure applied to the disc between the temporal bone and the mandible. So I would guess you could play a trumpet or a wing bone caller, just practice playing from the side of the mouth.

[merocustomcalls]

I have TMJ myself, it runs in the family.  I've never had a problem while running trumpets.  I design my trumpets so that they draw easily.  I'm not sure how it would be with a trumpet that is tough to draw through. 

[ol bob]

If you can drink through a straw you can use a trumpet,