UPPER BACK PAIN

sleeper1000 · Post by **sleeper1000** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 4:15 pm

I'm new to CPAP and have a REMSTAR auto A flex. It's set at 10. Does anyone have any knowledge about CPAP and upper back pain? (Please, no guesses.) I have a new, firm matress and a back pillow. I find scant information on other message boards sometimes from years ago, about this issue. It doesn't seem to affect everyone who complies with CPAP. The answers as to why, range from overinflated lungs to the body sleeping deeply for such long time in one position and "not being used to that." Are there any studies or literature which show whats really happening and more importantly could this be dangerous to health? Some mornings the pain is so bad it wakes me up.

jimbassett · Post by **jimbassett** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 4:23 pm

You didn't say what position you sleep in. If side sleeping your pillow may be too think or too thin throwing your back out of alignment. Your new mattress may be too hard causing a big pressure point at your shoulder if side sleeping. I know you don't want guesses, but you don't provide enough information for a bonified reason why. Just try turning over more or moving around in the night to give your spine some relief. But whatever you do stay with your therapy. You are getting past the hard part at this point.

Cheers jim

sleeper1000 · Post by **sleeper1000** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 4:48 pm

I sleep on both sides and my back and move often during the night, almost everyone does. I wake up with pain and sometimes it wakes me up.

My question was: Are there any studies or literature which show whats really happening and more importantly could this be dangerous to health?

To expand: if there are individuals online who have or have had almost the same exact experience as myself, then this pain is a side effect of CPAP compliance and possibly there is medical literature on the subject(?) It seems silly that an experience shared by a percentage of CPAP users (no matter how small) is unaccounted for in the literature. Especially something like waking up with terrible back pain.

sleepycarol · Post by **sleepycarol** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 5:51 pm

sleeper1000 Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2008 5:48 pm Post subject:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I sleep on both sides and my back and move often during the night, almost everyone does. I wake up with pain and sometimes it wakes me up.

My question was: Are there any studies or literature which show whats really happening and more importantly could this be dangerous to health?

To expand: if there are individuals online who have or have had almost the same exact experience as myself, then this pain is a side effect of CPAP compliance and possibly there is medical literature on the subject(?) It seems silly that an experience shared by a percentage of CPAP users (no matter how small) is unaccounted for in the literature. Especially something like waking up with terrible back pain.

Have you tried finding this information on your own? It appears you are wanting someone to do the research for you instead of digging in and finding it yourself.

WHAT about asking a DOCTOR? We are a group of forum members that help each other out -- we are NOT medical professionals and as such can ONLY give our opinions. Apparently you are not wanting opinions.[/b]

sleeper1000 · Post by **sleeper1000** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 6:26 pm

Have you tried finding this information on your own? It appears you are wanting someone to do the research for you instead of digging in and finding it yourself.

from my original post:

"I find scant information on other message boards sometimes from years ago, about this issue."

My physician does not know of any link between back pain and CPAP. Before someone make a useless post, I don't have a choice when it comes to pulmonary physicians. And opinions are meaningless.

I realize you are "a group of forum members that help each other out" but if there are others online who post about experiencing almost the same exact thing then there could be a link between CPAP and back pain. Someone could post to this thread who HAS knowledge or IS a Physician or has HAD this condition diagnosed.

If you have no knowledge to add to a thread please don't post to it.

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 6:43 pm

I've been on this forum pretty consistently for the last three years and don't recall having seen any posts with regard to what you're describing. The closest thing would be some chest muscle/lung discomfort from new users because the user is breathing deeper and using those muscles in a different way. This usually disappears fairly soon. It's quite possible that what you're experiencing is a variation of that.

Den

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 8:15 pm

Do a Google search with the following search criteria:

back pain site:cpaptalk.com

There are some discussions, however they seem to still follow the same patterns......new user, higher pressures, sleeping sounder, not moving as much, etc.

Den

sleeper1000 · Post by **sleeper1000** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 8:44 pm

Wulfman:
Thanks mate. Yes, I've done all that. It does follow the same pattern. The only place I can find any mention is on CPAP message boards, in fact. And it seems to be all opinion and conjecture about whats happening to the body. Everybody weighing in with opinions "I think its ..." Nothing solid. You can search the FAQs for these boards and find stuff on sinuses and exhaling against pressure etc. but nothing on back pain.

I find it hard to believe that a journal, like SLEEP for instance, has no papers on this that a website like WEBmd or one of these sites run by the CPAP manufacturers could disseminate for the common reader. Not with all of these board postings on back pain. Or maybe I'm just missing something obvious online?
Oh well.

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 8:54 pm

In my opinion, the sleep professionals wouldn't do a "study" on a non-existent problem......meaning: "Why would they care, because they never make mistakes and the patients either make it of give up?" ......I'm very cynical about the sleep professionals.
AND, statistically the folks that experience what you are going through are probably too small in number to study......OR.....they couldn't get somebody to fund a study like that. It's all about MONEY.

Good luck. Hope it gets better for you.

Den

Flying_Norseman · Post by **Flying_Norseman** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 2:03 pm

I experienced the back pain you are talking about for several months when I started CPAP, but it has gone away now. I recall others mentioning the same issue. I don't know of any medical studies done on the subject though.

sleeper1000 · Post by **sleeper1000** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 10:49 pm

I experienced the back pain you are talking about for several months when I started CPAP, but it has gone away now.

Flying_Norseman:
Was this upper back pain? Was it ever strong enough to wake you? And did your physician give any opinion on it?

lifeartist59 · Post by **lifeartist59** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 12:55 am

I have not found anything on this as an article. I can only share my experience. I wake up often with neck and back pain and finally came to the conclusion that it is from the hose position and holding my head and body differently now that I use cpap. I hope you do find some information, I will do some searching too. Interesting point.

fastdogranch · Post by **fastdogranch** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 8:06 am

I too am new to cpap - only used it for 3 nites and every morning my upper back pain is worse. It is in my upper back and goes around under my arms. I have slept on the same bed, same pillows, same husband :=)) for 5 years. The only difference is the cpap. I am also doing research and will contact my respiratory therapist. Keep posting ideas!
Thanks!

I am on level 12, heated humidifier, nasal pillows, and ramp. I am really having a hard time exhaling against the pressure and am thinking this may be the cause of the back pain....

Flying_Norseman · Post by **Flying_Norseman** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 8:19 am

It was generally around the shoulder blades. I never discussed it with my sleep doctor. I haven't seen him since he made the appointment for my sleep study which is about 7 or 8 months ago.

I toughed it out and the pain has gone away. At first I would wake up and it would be enough pain that I wouldn't be able to get back to sleep. So I ended up only getting about 5 hours of sleep. It was much better sleep than I was getting before treatment so I just figured I would be sleeping less now that I am on CPAP. Now that the pain has gone away, I sleep for 7 or 8 hours every night.

sleeper1000 wrote:
I experienced the back pain you are talking about for several months when I started CPAP, but it has gone away now.
Flying_Norseman:
Was this upper back pain? Was it ever strong enough to wake you? And did your physician give any opinion on it?

badzzz · Post by **badzzz** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 9:31 am

My first sleep study was two years ago. I had over 100 apneas in one hour. I had problems ajusting to the mask. I opted for surgery, a UPPP and septoplasty. It was a temperary fix, my snoring came back louder and stonger. I tried cpap on and off and found out the nasal pillows worked best for me. I finally started sleeping through the night and waking earlier then normal, but to my surprize I started having upper back pain. Everyday, the pain was getting worst. I quit using it for a while and the pain went away but then I was tired again. I recently had another sleep study done, still have over 100 apneas per hour but they are more partial obstuctive vs. total. I switched to a Reseronics bipap auto w/ heated humidifier. It is very comfortible, but after a week or so the back pains returned. It is pretty bad when dred going to sleep for fear of the pain we will feel when we wake up. I am stumped, and can sympathize with you. I just start researching our problem. My sleep study person was clueless. If I find anything out I will respond back. You are not the only one out there, and hopefully more people will step forward.

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