Body Inflammation seems worse with CPAP use

[SleepyDeb]

Good Morning - I have noticed that in the last week or so (have been using auto pap for almost 2 months now) that somewhat during the day but mostly in the evenings, and then while in bed, my joints and muscles have been aching. I do not take pain meds (don't like to and I'd rather try to push through the pain). I was hoping the muscle/joint aches would actually go away after being diagnosed with OSA (thinking that my oxygen levels were low) and getting on apap - but lately it seems worse. Have any of you experienced this? Is it something that occurs and then gets better (like the gas) after further use? I can't get into see a sleep doc until January - my PCP has been doing all the test ordering and changes until such time I can get in to see the professional - and he basically green lights anything I suggest - like pressure changes. I have not told him about the increasing aches. Thanks.

[Julie]

Cpap can't cure e.g. arthritis, ageing, or anything else that's not OSA or respiratory. Unfortunately. I'd check with your MD to see what else might be going on. An ageing bed could be the problem... weather changes, weight gain, who knows? Not everything's about Cpap.

[49er]

Good Morning - I have noticed that in the last week or so (have been using auto pap for almost 2 months now) that somewhat during the day but mostly in the evenings, and then while in bed, my joints and muscles have been aching. I do not take pain meds (don't like to and I'd rather try to push through the pain). I was hoping the muscle/joint aches would actually go away after being diagnosed with OSA (thinking that my oxygen levels were low) and getting on apap - but lately it seems worse. Have any of you experienced this? Is it something that occurs and then gets better (like the gas) after further use? I can't get into see a sleep doc until January - my PCP has been doing all the test ordering and changes until such time I can get in to see the professional - and he basically green lights anything I suggest - like pressure changes. I have not told him about the increasing aches. Thanks.

SleepyDeb,

A forum member, RobySue, who used to post on this forum quite a bit, I believe said pains in some part of her body diminished considerably after several months on pap therapy. But obviously, one person's experience doesn't mean that will happen to you.

Agree with Julie to see your primary care physician to make sure nothing is wrong.

[Janknitz]

CPAP really relieved some of my skeletal pain (years of chronic shoulder pain following bilateral frozen shoulders totally went away) but other pains happened because I was sleeping more soundly and no longer moving around all night tossing and turning. I had some hip pain especially because of that. We eventually bought a 3" memory foam mattress topper (Costco has good prices) and that has made all the difference. Problem solved.

Don't discount that there can be other causes for your pain that are coincidental to starting cpap. I found that the thing that truly ELIMINATED all my chronic skeletal pain was eliminating grains from my diet. When I "cheat" too much or when I accidentally get "glutened" the pain comes roaring back. CPAP helped a lot (especially my shoulders) but grain elimination was the key to pain elimination. My quality of life is so much better now.

[BlackSpinner]

You are sleeping more deeply and moving less. My hips just about did me in the first few weeks until my body adjusted. My body was not used to laying in the same position for hours on end.

You may want to add a memory foam topper to your mattress

[Julie]

But her problem starts in the late day and gets worse from then on (through bedtime). She's not waking up with it (as a result of e.g. a hard bed).

[BlackSpinner]

But her problem starts in the late day and gets worse from then on (through bedtime). She's not waking up with it (as a result of e.g. a hard bed).

It still could be related to it. Laying still for 4-8 hours can cause all sorts of things. I now have arthritis and it is an odd disease with pain being caused by and when is really bizarre. Wet weather causes mine - a day late, while others feel it before or during. (except for my toes on my left foot, they hurt right away)

[kteague]

Looks like you're getting plenty of ideas on what could be going on. Figuring out which might apply to you is the hard part. Let me muddy the waters even further and ask, do you have any issues with your legs moving during sleep? That can contribute to pain, and wouldn't be unusual for the timing to coincide with beginning CPAP treatment. If your sleep study indicated the presence of limb movements, or if anyone who has observed you sleeping mentions your legs moving a lot, it could be worth exploring. It probably wouldn't be my first suspect, just one more thing to be aware of.

[HoseCrusher]

Review your diet. There are diets that are anti-inflammatory that can get you started in the right direction.

[BlackSpinner]

Review your diet. There are diets that are anti-inflammatory that can get you started in the right direction.

Yes and what you are currently eating is also being processed differently so where tomatoes (one of the culprits for many people) may not have bothered you before, now that you digestive system is up and running better they may become an issue.

[lindalam89]

I'm glad someone brought up this topic. I thought about the same thing too. But I know my problem is that even with cpap, I'm waking up frequently. I would also agree on diet. I used to be in denial about .eing sensitive to food. I mean not a lot of people believe or support those with food sensitivities because there is no direct test for that. You might try an elimination diet. I'm not a doctor but I heard people who avoid nightshades, nuts, soy, gluten, and corn do well with lowering inflammation. Tumeric helps a lot too.

[Guest]

I have been having intense pain and swelling in my hands and body in general. I have wheat and grain allergies, so therefore eat nothing with gluten, am sensitive to nightshade so therefore eat no potatos, tomatoes, etc. I have recently started using a res med CPAP machine with the heated humidify ing system on it. In the night, and first thing in the mornings, my hands are screaming with pain, and I can not close my hands into a fist. My fingers seem to "lock" and if I bump them I burst into tears. I have recently wondered if the fluids being pumped through my CPAP could be causing the fluid level in my body to rise and cause inflammation. Any one else noticing this problem? I can not think of anything else in my life that has changed to have brought on this kind of pain and swelling at such an abrupt onset.

[BlackSpinner]

I have been having intense pain and swelling in my hands and body in general. I have wheat and grain allergies, so therefore eat nothing with gluten, am sensitive to nightshade so therefore eat no potatos, tomatoes, etc. I have recently started using a res med CPAP machine with the heated humidify ing system on it. In the night, and first thing in the mornings, my hands are screaming with pain, and I can not close my hands into a fist. My fingers seem to "lock" and if I bump them I burst into tears. I have recently wondered if the fluids being pumped through my CPAP could be causing the fluid level in my body to rise and cause inflammation. Any one else noticing this problem? I can not think of anything else in my life that has changed to have brought on this kind of pain and swelling at such an abrupt onset.

How long have you been using it?
Have you checked your mattress? Is it new? How about your pillow? Laying very still for 8 hours can cause pinched nerves and other issues.

Your cpap does not "pump fluids" It simply keeps your throat open with air pressure so you keep breathing. The water in the humidifier keeps your sinus passage happy and is just like breathing in the shower.

The "new" thing is that you are sleeping. Your digestion will be different, meds act differently.

[chunkyfrog]

Stretching and gentle range of motion exercise helps me with the same discomfort.

[RandyJ]

There are 3 blood tests that come to mind that can indicate possible high inflammation in the body:

--uric acid
--CRP (C-reactive protein) test (this indicates cardiac/stroke risk but if it's high, inflammation is high)
--vitamin D

When the numbers come back abnormally high for uric acid and CRP, I would expect symptoms like you're describing. For vitamin D, it's a low number (deficiency) to look for. Low vitamin D is often found in people with high inflammation; though there's a correlation, it's unclear whether there is a causal relationship from everything I've read.

When I lost a lot of weight a few years ago, my levels went down and the elimination diet I was on (no gluten, limited GF grains) took care of most of my aches and pains.