Pollen Count Blues

Well it’s that time of year again. Hay Fever is an absolute blight for harmonica players.

I’ve suffered from moderate hay fever since I was young. Some years it’s really bad, some years it hardly seems to bother me at all. Every year the symptoms are slightly different.

This year it’s congestion. Really bad congestion. For a few weeks I’ve had enormous pressure behind my eyes, difficulty breathing, difficulty sleeping, difficulty concentrating, difficulty enjoying anything at all. Especially playing harmonica. Feels like I’ve taken a load of sleeping pills then drank a six pack of Red Bull. Exhausted but restless and agitated.

I’ve not seen this topic discussed very much. I wonder how other harmonica players cope during this season. Especially considering it’s getting towards festival season (or would be, any other year). Any tips for getting through a performance or horror stories to share? I’d love to hear them.

Couldn’t find any songs with harmonica but here’s a blusey number from 1984. Ben Jamieson (aka Bern Wahlbrinck) with the Hay Fever Blues.