I'm curious re: Neck Pain and Sleep Apnea

All,

I have a theory and want to get some feedback -

I've come to a diagnosis of sleep apnea and using a CPAP machine a little differently than most (or so I think). I've suffered with chronic neck and shoulder pain for about 9 years. Unfortunately, the cause of it is a genetic issue and I passed it on to my 9 year old daughter. In working with her therapist, it was determined that her issues are breathing related. Now, I've suspected for the past couple of years that my pain was breathing related as breathing through your mouth and with your upper chest and neck muscles vs the diaphragm can put a ton of strain on those muscles, but could never consistently work on it. Because of the feedback we were given on my daughter, a month ago I made a commitment to breathe through my nose at all times and with my diaphragm. After 43 years of dysfunctional breathing, it's been a challenge, but it's getting better and my neck muscles are definitely loosening up - but not completely.

When starting this, it occurred to me that I should go see an ENT to make sure there wasn't a physical reason that I didn't breathe through my nose all this time. He found some minor anomalies, but nothing major. He asked about my sleep and because I don't sleep well and other reasons, he ordered a sleep study. I came back with moderate sleep apnea.

So, now to my theory or perhaps hope is a better way of describing it - if I'm correct that my issues with posture and neck pain are breathing related, does it stand to reason that I'll see further improvement in those areas once I get the apnea under control. You see, when gasping for air at night, those same neck and upper chest muscles are being used, but probably much more intensely. It stands to reason that improvements at night will further reduce my pain.

Thoughts? How many of you had neck pain before therapy and did it improve after your sleep apnea was under control? Thanks.

Well, there's a countervailing force. I found that I developed a stiff neck/significant neck pain once I started using CPAP because of positions I lay in to keep the mask in place.

Drowsy Dancer wrote:Well, there's a countervailing force. I found that I developed a stiff neck/significant neck pain once I started using CPAP because of positions I lay in to keep the mask in place.

I can see this as my neck has been a little aggravated since starting 5 days ago.

What kind of a bed pillow do you use?

You might look into a "Chiroflow" water-based pillow. The height is adjustable by regulating the amount of water in it and is supposed to keep the head, neck and spine in alignment.

I've been using one for longer than I've been on this therapy. It's listed in my profile below.


Den

.

Also note that once you started successfully treating sleep apnea, then some folks will sleep LONGER in one position, thus creating aches and pains. Mine issue was my back. I found that I was sleeping on it in one position for much longer periods of time, thus the backache. It went away after a few weeks, but I eventually I bought me a Tempur-pedic bed. Best move I've ever made! It increased my "sleep experience". Since apnea deprived me of proper sleep for so many years, I figured to treat myself!

Sheriff

As a side sleeper, I discovered that laying on my side elevates my shoulders which throws it out of alignment with my torso as well as my neck/head.

So what I've started doing was to place a softer pillow just below arm pit height to slightly elevate my torso to align with my shoulders and a thicker firmer pillow under my head to keep it aligned with the rest of me. I also bunch up the under head pillow at about my jaw. Very comfortable and I think I don't roll from one side to the other nearly as much as I don't get sore laying misaligned on one side.

Might want to give it a try.

Jim P - sounds like your bed is one big sag... useless for support, and you really should get a new one.

Julie wrote:Jim P - sounds like your bed is one big sag... useless for support, and you really should get a new one.

It is a new one.

The point I'm making is that if you lay on your side, the arm you lay on will shift your shoulder higher misaligning yourself and how I went about correcting for it.

I appreciate the feedback, but pain as a result of CPAP therapy wasn't the topic (although I think I am seeing some of that as well).

Again, my ask is if anyone on the board had neck pain before starting therapy that has improved or gone away since starting - with the theory being that faulty breathing is the culprit. Thanks again .

I honestly think you've probably got it backward, the wrong way around, but if you feel better and if you believe it's what happened to you, then believe it... I don't think it's proveable though.

I had neck pain prior to cpap therapy.
Cpap therapy did nothing to help my neck pain but then I didn't expect it to. My neck pain is from really bad arthritis...cpap can't fix that problem.