side sleeping

hecate · Post by **hecate** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 9:42 am

Hi,

Does anyone have a problem with their ams going to sleep (numb) while sleeping on their side? The first few days of cpap I didn't notice anything, but now i'm changing sides all night. Before treatment I always slept sitting up. I would rather sleep on my sides I can't sleep on my back for some reason.

Thanks
Liz

cybergoon · Post by **cybergoon** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 10:47 am

I am guessing that you are on a traditional mattress. I had the same problem with side sleeping. Arms would fall asleep/tingle, etc... Also, I had a ton of problems with my shoulders hurting. I finally took the plunge and bought a sleep number bed and haven't had one regret. It costs about the same as a plush new bed.

I haven't had any shoulder problems, it corrected all the lower back pain that I have had for years as well.

I can't think of any other solutions off hand.

hecate · Post by **hecate** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 10:53 am

cybergoon wrote:I am guessing that you are on a traditional mattress.

Oops, that may have been handy for people to know I'm on a water bed. Although it doesn't have many different bladders.

Liz

cybergoon · Post by **cybergoon** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 11:35 am

I also slept on a waterbed for about 15 years and though it was more comfortable than a traditional mattress, the sleep number is much more comfortable for me.

Julie · Post by **Julie** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 11:48 am

Hi, you may have a problem called thoracic outlet syndrome, where a small rib compresses your thoracic nerve, sometimes causing cold and blueness in your arm. It's not uncommon, doesn't really signify anything serious, many people never realize they have it, but it could be a problem for sleeping that way. You may have to learn to sleep some other way, or else get the condition looked at.

snoozie_suzy · Post by **snoozie_suzy** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 8:26 pm

Hecate~

Before being diagnosed last fall, I had been a stomach sleeper since toddler age. Infact when I was 2 I had to wear one of those helmets because the side of my head was becoming flattened from laying in the same spot night after night.

When I got diagnosed, I think I was more sad about not being able to sleep on my stomach, than I was about strapping a mask to my face. I worried that I might not be able to fall asleep (insomnia had never ever been an issue for me, I used to fall asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow) So I was scared I would be afflicted by both sleep issues.

I bought one of those huge, long "body pillows" The one I use is made of down. But I believe they make them of different types of fillers. So I don't end up being directly up on my side( 90 degree angle) Instead, I'm propped up at more of a 75- 80 degree angle. I am an xray technologist and at the hospital we call either of these positions, RPO and LPO meaning Right Posterior Oblique and Left posterior oblique. The body pillow can be used in a few different ways, sometimes I shove it behind me so that it helps to keep me propped up somewhat, and sometimes I have a pillow between my knees, because frankly I hate having my knees on top of one another. I'm not sure if the position I am describing makes sense at all to you I wish I could post a picture, but more or less you are almost rolled all the way up on your side, with both of your arms in front of you, but you are not ENTIRELY up on your side so that your shoulders and hips are directly on top of each other. By being in this "posterior oblique " position, it takes pressure of your shoulders, hips and neck. Also I tend to use two pillows to build up my head a bit so as not to get a pinched neck.

Hope this helps a bit. By the way, these positions I described are how we position patients during barium studies in the hospital. We coat the stomach with barium and then tilt the patient so that the stomach empties most of the barium, but not all. Just a little new fact to learn for the day

Regards,
Suzy

hecate · Post by **hecate** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 10:13 pm

snoozie_suzy wrote:Hecate~

I bought one of those huge, long "body pillows" The one I use is made of down. But I believe they make them of different types of fillers. So I don't end up being directly up on my side( 90 degree angle) Instead, I'm propped up at more of a 75- 80 degree angle. I am an xray technologist and at the hospital we call either of these positions, RPO and LPO meaning Right Posterior Oblique and Left posterior oblique. The body pillow can be used in a few different ways, sometimes I shove it behind me so that it helps to keep me propped up somewhat, and sometimes I have a pillow between my knees, because frankly I hate having my knees on top of one another. I'm not sure if the position I am describing makes sense at all to you I wish I could post a picture, but more or less you are almost rolled all the way up on your side, with both of your arms in front of you, but you are not ENTIRELY up on your side so that your shoulders and hips are directly on top of each other. By being in this "posterior oblique " position, it takes pressure of your shoulders, hips and neck. Also I tend to use two pillows to build up my head a bit so as not to get a pinched neck.

Regards,
Suzy

Do you mean like the middle picture here?
http://us.st11.yimg.com/store1.yimg.com ... 6_11364576
I'm not sure I can manage that. My body was'nt made for that position.

side sleeping

side sleeping

Side sleeping

side sleeping

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