Preventing Chipmunk Cheeks With Scunci Headbands

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
imrdyman
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Preventing Chipmunk Cheeks With Scunci Headbands

Post by imrdyman » Sun Jun 04, 2023 11:11 pm

Hey zonker, I saw your picture on a recent post and didnt want to hijack the thread. Just had a couple questions for you if u dont mind. I dont know if its an old pic but do you still use 2 scuncis to prevent chipmunk cheeks? What pressure do you use? Has wearing the scuncis over time caused any tmj issues for you? Do you cut the holes for your ears close together to make it super tight? Ive been trying to prevent chipmunk cheeks with just one scunci but havent had much luck. Thank you!


These are the ones im using by the way : https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001QX7QHU?re ... i+headband

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zonker
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Re: Preventing Chipmunk Cheeks With Scunci Headbands

Post by zonker » Mon Jun 05, 2023 5:14 pm

imrdyman wrote:
Sun Jun 04, 2023 11:11 pm
Hey zonker, I saw your picture on a recent post and didnt want to hijack the thread. Just had a couple questions for you if u dont mind. I dont know if its an old pic but do you still use 2 scuncis to prevent chipmunk cheeks? What pressure do you use? Has wearing the scuncis over time caused any tmj issues for you? Do you cut the holes for your ears close together to make it super tight? Ive been trying to prevent chipmunk cheeks with just one scunci but havent had much luck. Thank you!


These are the ones im using by the way : https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001QX7QHU?re ... i+headband
aw,man! here i asked you to make this public. then my day got horribly busy. this is the first chance i've had. hope you don't think i abandoned you. :oops:

so let's dig in. i take it you've read jay's original post? just as a reminder-viewtopic.php?p=1089718&f=1&t=112758&p= ... s#p1086296

so the first thing i saw when i tried jay's method was that cutting an ear hole in the scunci wasn't necessary for me. apparently, jay's head isn't the same shape as my noggin because the scunci covers the TOP of my ear. cutting a hole wouldn't work.

then as i experimented, i found some other things that i needed to modify in order to work for me. i needed to use two scuncis. one goes across the mouth and up over the top half of my ears and around the crown of my head. the second one across my mouth and around the back of the neck. thias entails two different size scuncis. and here is where i can't help. the scunci packaging doesn't show size. not is the sku number any good as it seems to be shared amongst multiple packages.

i've found that i have to get them at the store and directly compare sizes. the smaller ones are kind of hard to find so when i DO find them, i buy a bunch. this is good because they lose their "stretchiness" over time and have to be discarded. however, popping them in the washer and dryer helps shrink them somewhat.

as that oic shows, i also wear a firm foam cervical collar. either at amazon or at the local drugstore where canes, bedpans and such are kept. i use a 4" and the store only carries 3". you'll have to experiment with that to see what works for you.

i also use some small elastic bands over the scuncis, both of which go around the back of my neck. again, i'm sorry but i'm at a loss as to what size they are. more experimenting on your part. but these bands are by Goody and will be in the same area as the scuncis.

i use an eyeglasses cleaning cloth under it all, closest to my mouth. this is because (pardon me) i have a tendency to drool from time to time while i sleep.

no tmj issues with the system.

i didn't start using this to prevent chipmunk cheeks but to stop my mouth from opening and sucking are in that way. (i use a nasal pillow.)

i started using this when i was using an airsense 10. it could stand pressures up to 20, so i don't think you'll have any problems.

let me know if you have any questions or if i didn't explain something to your satisfaction. i really want this to work for others, but it's not a cut and dried system. i'm sure you'll have to make mods of your own.

good luck!
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imrdyman
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Re: Preventing Chipmunk Cheeks With Scunci Headbands

Post by imrdyman » Mon Jun 05, 2023 9:55 pm

Ah ok, dont worry about it i was at work all day today as well. So initially you werent doing this to prevent chipmunk cheeks but found that it actually worked for that too? Ive been trying to transition to using nasal masks because my F20 that i was using has been aggravating my tmj. The only thing preventing me from sleeping with nasal masks though is the chipmunk cheeks.Yea thanks for your reply, ill definetly start experimenting and come back here if i need to re-read your reply or ask you another question, thanks :).

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zonker
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Re: Preventing Chipmunk Cheeks With Scunci Headbands

Post by zonker » Mon Jun 05, 2023 10:04 pm

imrdyman wrote:
Mon Jun 05, 2023 9:55 pm
So initially you werent doing this to prevent chipmunk cheeks but found that it actually worked for that too?
seems to. although i also practice putting my tongue tip to the roof of my mouth. that's kinda hard for me as the roof of my mouth has a huge arch in it. so high that every time i find a new dentist or hygienist, they feel compelled to comment on it. :roll:
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imrdyman
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Re: Preventing Chipmunk Cheeks With Scunci Headbands

Post by imrdyman » Mon Jun 05, 2023 10:25 pm

Haha I see. Yea i mean i can prevent the air coming into my mouth with the tongue on the roof of my mouth while im awake but the issue arises when i start dozing off to sleep and my tongue just drops down. Ive been trying to leave my tongue there throughout the day so hopefully one day my body gets used to it and leaves it there while im asleep. That or hopefully the scunci trick works.

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zonker
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Re: Preventing Chipmunk Cheeks With Scunci Headbands

Post by zonker » Tue Jun 06, 2023 11:23 am

imrdyman wrote:
Mon Jun 05, 2023 10:25 pm
Haha I see. Yea i mean i can prevent the air coming into my mouth with the tongue on the roof of my mouth while im awake but the issue arises when i start dozing off to sleep and my tongue just drops down. Ive been trying to leave my tongue there throughout the day so hopefully one day my body gets used to it and leaves it there while im asleep. That or hopefully the scunci trick works.
let me know if the scuncis work!
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ChicagoGranny
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Re: Preventing Chipmunk Cheeks With Scunci Headbands

Post by ChicagoGranny » Tue Jun 06, 2023 2:33 pm

zonker wrote:
Mon Jun 05, 2023 10:04 pm
every time i find a new dentist or hygienist, they feel compelled to comment on it.
Things you don't want to hear.

I had a foot surgeon say to me, "Sit tight. I want my partner to see this."