severe neck & upper back problems

[giantred]

My machine is workin ok, however, I"m having very bad neck and upper back problems from the comfort classic gel mask. I'm scared to use nasal pillows because my nose bleeds at times and the nasal pillows put pressure on the sinuses. I've tried the comfort lite 2, but it doesn't give me a good seal like the comfort classic. Any suggestions to a different mask> Can't use nasal pillows.

[scrapper]

I would consider your pillows, bed, sleeping position, etc before considering a different mask.......

[LSAT]

If you were to use a FF mask there would be no pressure near your nose.

[Luc]

Hi,

Well I'm pretty new at this being on the hose only for about 6 weeks now, but I too developped a terrible sore back. Before CPAP, I used to thrash around in the bed an awful lot . Now, because of the mask I'm more motionless then ever before. Plus, I am sleeping a lot more soundly so that too results in being more motionless. And I think all of this motionlessness is part of the problem. That coupled with the fact that I'm obese, and there's a lot weight pushing on my spine. The pain usually goes away after a while when I get up in the morning.

I did find changing pillow arrangements helped. So now I rotate things around every few days to stay ahead of the back ache. When I've been using double pillows for a while and I can feel the back ache coming on (it comes on gradually for me), I go to single pillow. That seems to help but only temporarily... cause sure enough the back ache returns. I then go to double pillows again and so on.

What I would really like is to sleep on my stomach, but that's not going to happen with the mask on. So If I wake up for some reason and I know I have to get up in a couple of hours, I'll take the mask off for the remainder of the night. I figure as long as I was wearing it for 5 hours or so, it shouldn't have that much of a negative impact. But I may be wrong. Time will tell.

I think the real fix for this (for me anyways ) is to lose weight. But that's another story... a long one; or should I say a big one.

Good luck

Luc

[rosiefrosie]

What I would really like is to sleep on my stomach, but that's not going to happen with the mask on. So If I wake up for some reason and I know I have to get up in a couple of hours, I'll take the mask off for the remainder of the night. I figure as long as I was wearing it for 5 hours or so, it shouldn't have that much of a negative impact. But I may be wrong. Time will tell.

I think the real fix for this (for me anyways ) is to lose weight. But that's another story... a long one; or should I say a big one.

Good luck

Luc

It does have a negative impact. You really need to try to keep the mask on all night. Those few hours of sleep you are getting when you take the mask off undo the 5 hours of sleep with the mask. It takes some getting use to, but you can do it. Just hang in there. You never know, it could help you lose some weight. The more energy you have the more active you become, which helps with weight loss. I watched a segment last evening from a news station that had a sleep doctor on it and they were discussing sleep apnea. One of the things this doctor said is that if you don't get restful sleep and are tired all the time the more you tend to eat. I know for me since I have been getting proper treatment the more energy I have and have lost 40 pounds. Good Luck and know you can do this.


rosie

[JohnBFisher]

... What I would really like is to sleep on my stomach, but that's not going to happen with the mask on. ...

You might actually be able to do that. If you have a pillow that does not knock your mask loose when you sleep on your side, you might be able to actually sleep on your stomach. Try the following search for more information:

search.php?keywords=falcon+sleep+position

... I figure as long as I was wearing it for 5 hours or so, it shouldn't have that much of a negative impact. But I may be wrong. Time will tell. ...

Well, it's like being a little pregnant. You are still stressing your heart. You are still depriving your brain of O2, you are still .... Not as much, perhaps, but you are not resting as deeply as you might otherwise.

... I think the real fix for this (for me anyways ) is to lose weight. But that's another story... a long one; or should I say a big one. ...

Hey! I resemble that remark:



Seriously, the better you sleep the easier it is to drop the weight. There is a lot of study that shows there is a strong correlation. I know personally that when I sleep well I rarely snack during the following day. My blood glucose is lower than when I sleep poorly and my blood pressure is under much better control.

So, I would do what you can to try to sleep as long as possible with the mask. Even if you need to get up and move about for a bit (trust me, I do understand), you should go back to using your CPAP to continue to sleep as well as possible.

[giantred]

I always sleep with a foam-temperpudic pillow. Again, the pain is only with the mask. When I don't use it I don't get the pain. I wonder if there is a problem using the foam-temperpudic pillow with the mask? Should I go to a regular pillow?

[JohnBFisher]

I always sleep with a foam-temperpudic pillow. Again, the pain is only with the mask. When I don't use it I don't get the pain. I wonder if there is a problem using the foam-temperpudic pillow with the mask? Should I go to a regular pillow?

Guarantee you the connection is not ... "no mask = no pain" ... Oh, that's the final result, but it's more like this ... "no mask = toss and turn = no pain". Because you don't wear the mask you awaken and move about. It's a REAL common problem.

I doubt there is an issue with the tempurpedic pillow. You might want to look at pillows designed to help if you use a CPAP:

https://www.cpap.com/simple-find-cpap-p ... llows.html

But if you are just not moving enough, you may find you will adjust to it. Or you may find you need to do some things to help adjust your sleeping position. For example a pillow under the knees can help if you have pain in your hips. Or a pillow to drape over can help you. Or ... Lots of options. I'm afraid trial and error is the best way.

You mention "I'm having very bad neck and upper back problems". It might be the position of the straps is bothering either your muscles or a nerve. Another mask (other than nasal pillows) might not cause problems. Or perhaps a pillow that better supports your neck during sleep, such as:

https://www.cpap.com/productpage/CPAP-M ... illow.html

Or one of the others. Like I say, trial and error is the only way for you to try to solve your situation.

[Sleepin'jax]

Could there be stress coming from something that has changed? Mask? Life? Machine? Life?
for some reason, if it is a new situation, it sounds stress related.
My .02

[Sleepin'jax]

I just read your "surgery" post, and am now convinced your neck and back pain is being caused by stress and not the mask.

Again, my .02

[giantred]

I disagree, it's not stress, because I only get the neck pain when I use the mask. When I don't use it, I get the apnea problem, but my neck doesn't hurt.
Also, I tried that other pillow that John showed me, it didn't work. I think it's the straps, I need to loosen them or swith masks. Problem again is, that if I use nasal pillows, I'm worried that my nose might bleed. Anyway, what would be a good nasal pillow if I decide to go that way?

[DreamOn]

I'm worried that my nose might bleed. Anyway, what would be a good nasal pillow if I decide to go that way?

I'm currently using two nasal pillows masks: AEIOMed Headrest and Fisher & Paykel Opus 360. They both work well for me.

With the nasal pillows masks I suggest that you use something like Ayr Saline Nasal Gel up inside your nostrils to keep the tissues moist, and a tiny dab of Lansinoh lanolin (found in the nursing mothers or baby supply aisle) on the outside edge of your nares to hold the nasal pillows in place. Also, make sure that you use enough humidity with the nasal pillows mask. But not too much, of course.

I do think that your problem is due to having the straps too tight and/or your body alignment. I have to wear the bottom straps tight with my Quattro full-face mask and it definitely hurts my neck! I don't have that problem with my Activa LT nasal mask because I can wear the bottom straps quite loose.

You may be straining or turning your neck to avoid the mask dislodging when it's against your bed pillow. You could see if sleeping with your head close to one side of the pillow, with the mask hanging over the edge, helps. Make sure your neck is well-supported, though. You may want to try using small pillows between your knees and under your top arm if you side sleep if you think body alignment may be a problem.

I hope that helps!

[backdoc]

I was getting bad head/neck aches from the straps of my headgear. A few weeks of neck adjustments, haven't had a head/neck ache since.

I'm sleeping better as well.

It's just my personal experience, but I am a professional.

Steve

I disagree, it's not stress, because I only get the neck pain when I use the mask. When I don't use it, I get the apnea problem, but my neck doesn't hurt.
Also, I tried that other pillow that John showed me, it didn't work. I think it's the straps, I need to loosen them or swith masks. Problem again is, that if I use nasal pillows, I'm worried that my nose might bleed. Anyway, what would be a good nasal pillow if I decide to go that way?

[torontoCPAPguy]

I have had several major car wrecks over the years resulting in compressed disks in my spine. If you have not experienced THAT type of pain you just haven't lived!

I am finding that when I put the nosebag on and turn on the blower I sleep so deeply and soundly that I do not move. At all. Dead to the world. Love it. The bad news is that compressed disks combined with arthritis, etc., WANT SOME spinal flexing during the night. The most comfortable sleep I had was in the hospital in one of the modern wiggle, jiggle beds.

I am just guessing here, but my guess is that you may suffer from a similar malady and may NEED to awaken at some point during the night to move about. Last night I slept so soundly that I awoke at 4:30 a.m. in horrific pain and had to sit at the edge of the bed for 15 minutes after taken a couple of Tylenol 3's and wiggle about a bit. All settled down and I went back to sleep until the alarm went off at 7 a.m. I also find that a soft, formfitting pillow is bad for my sleep as it prevents movement; I am better with a firmer pillow that permits me to roll about a bit. And with that, I leave the suggestion in your hands and mind to think about.

Oh, FWIW, same thing happens if I drive for a long period without moving or simply sit for a long period without moving. It is terrible getting older when you have not taken care of your spinal column, etc. I prohibited my kids from playing contact sports for this reason and hope that they will reap the benefits cuz all I'm leaving them is my pearls of wisdom and CPAP machines. (Just kidding).

I was taking Percocet and awoke during the night and popped another. Before that it was Oxycontin and same thing during the night. The MD just about had a fit when I told him I was going to stop taking the stuff cuz I did not think it was doing any good. I am down to Tylenol 2's mostly now and next step is just a Tylenol when I really need it. It does not turn out to be the resolution of my problem. A wiggle jiggle bed would be the ideal solution I think but the good ones are huge money which we cannot afford and which the insurance folks would pay gladly for us and then cancel our coverage in all liklihood.

For what it's worth. My experience. BTW, same thing applies to my hip(s) as well; they need to move during the night in order to prevent the pain. On the mornings that I wake up with a headache I can almost guarantee you that I have had an incredible night of sleep - dead to the world.