Can sleep apnea cause neck and back pain?
Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2008 9:01 pm
Hi everyone, a few years ago I started waking up with really bad neck and upper back pain. There were days where I could not even turn my neck without a trip to the massage therapist. Also I started getting more and more frequent headaches, so I went to a neurologist. From there I got put in to physical therapy (2 rounds) to help with my posture and neck strength. What I never understood is how sleeping when my body is not holding up my head causing causing all this pain. Thinking it was all posture related I tried every type of pillow and sleeping position. Nothing really helped. My Neurologist said I should get a sleep study. Well I did not think I had sleep apnea. I was going to find out what the heck I was doing in my sleep every night to jack up my neck and back. Well I got diagnosed with mild sleep apnea. I think the longest apnea was over 30 secs. Well I was not completely surpised since my dad has sleep apnea, and had CPAP for years. Well I got my own CPAP now, and have had it for about 3 months. I don't have much trouble going to sleep, but I never go through the night without waking up and ripping it off. I think in 90 days I made it only once to the morning with it still on. Well I am still having alot of neck and back pain, and I am not sure if it is because I am not wearing the mask all night or that sleep apnea is not really the cause. The sleep doc seemed to believe that because I might be tensing up over and over struggling to breath is causing it. I tended to believe him, because it does not matter if I take muscle relaxants or not. One of the pain killers I took for Headaches, kept me from a deep sleep (makes me feel like I am on the verge of falling asleep all night long). The nights when I took the pain killers I woke up tired but I really was not sore. So have anyone else experinced knots and heavy soreness in the neck, shoulders, and back because of sleep apnea?
James
29 Years Old
5'11 165 Pounds
James
29 Years Old
5'11 165 Pounds