Doug, you too are confusing pressure with flow. Pressure has no effect on tongue unless you are missing your lower jaw and the only thing standing between your mouth and the outside ambient air is your tongue.dsm wrote:I too am sorry to see the tone of this discussion go downhill but am pleased to see others have lifted it up again
Re breathing -
One other factor I don't think has been mentioned yet is that the lungs use force to suck air in. That creates a vacuum that is satisfied by airflow in. UARS is a good example of how types of flow obstructions can prevent a good airflow in and can stress the heart & lungs as well as add the usual SDB complications.
It seems logical that the sucking of the lungs may draw the tongue down for some people. Add the cpap pressure coming in through the mouth (for mouth breathers) and one would imagine both forces would tend to contribute to the tongue 'plugging' the throat. I was wondering if the original poster was thinking of that ?
Just a few thoughts re the dynamics
DSM
In UARS, as I understand it (admittedly not all that well), the restricted air flow is due to a reduction in the esophageal diameter.
When the tongue plugs the airway, it is more likely because gravity pulls it into the throat opening while supine and not a vacuum which with UARS would be very restricted anyway.