CPAP High Pressure Pain Problems

[jkhanh]

I had "sever pain" in my back and pain moved to front side went to ER and had cat scan, blood work etc nothing found. Discovered later that CPAP machine was pumping to much air in my lungs and stomach the pain was so sever. Dr gave medical term airo something. I want to post this because Dr in ER had never heard of the problem that CPAP machines pump too much air in our bodies. I have friend that had same problem sever pain in back and front side went to doctor did all test and found no problem. She stopping using CPAP for week the sever pain stopped. The doctor and tech will adjust her pressure. She had to tell doctor wasn't going to use again to get them to adjust pressure. I found out this is a common problem. I told my doctor and tech and they adjusted my pressure right away to very low pressure until the pain goes away. The tech said some cases it takes 6 months for pain to completely go away. If you are using CPAP and having unexplained pain have your doctor check the pressure it may be too high as both ours were.

[me50]

Aerophagia (var. aerophagy) is a condition of excessive air swallowing, which goes to the stomach.

Causes[edit]

Aerophagia is associated with chewing gum, smoking, drinking carbonated drinks, eating too fast, CPAP air pressure (if it is too high) and wearing loose dentures. In people with cervical spinal blockages, inhaling can cause air to enter the esophagus and stomach.[1]

[zonk]

If you are using CPAP and having unexplained pain have your doctor check the pressure it may be too high as both ours were.

What CPAP machine are you using and at what setting (pressure, EPR, Ramp)

[jgjones1972]

Aerophagia is not necessarily indicative that treatment pressure is too high, but often an indication that high treatment pressure was introduced too rapidly.

When I first started I experienced aerophagia at pressures over 12cmH2O...that doesn't mean that 12 was too high, quite the contrary, my AHI was through the roof at 12 and I still had very significant O2 desats at 15. Luckily my aerophagia didn't cause severe pain, just some cramping and quite a lot of "venting". I no longer have aerophagia and my pressure is set at a minimum of 18 and bumps up against 20 every night...95% runs in the 19s. The pressure is just something your body has to adjust to. For some of us, especially if it isn't painful, toughing it out pays off in the long run. For many, lowering pressure until aerophagia is minimalized and then slowly raising the pressure in small increments over time back to effective therapy level is the answer. Any time severe pain comes into the picture though, a trip to the doc is in order...also, avoid eating mentos and drinking diet coke at the same time...

[PaulaO2]

It's simply that you have managed to swallow air in your sleep from the CPAP. It has not forced the air in there. It can't as the CPAP is not strong enough to do that on its own.

It is sometimes easy to fix without lowering the pressure.

Raise the head of your bed. You can do this by putting one or two 2x4s together and putting the legs of the bed on top of that. Or you can raise the head of the mattress with boards in the same manner. Or sleep with a wedge pillow.

Sleeping this way makes it harder for the air to be swallowed as it has to fight gravity.

Once you and your body get used to sleeping with a CPAP, this will no longer be necessary. I used to experience it each time my pressure was raised. Now that I have the Autoset, I don't have that problem any more. Mine was never all that painful, however, just lots of gas from both ends.

[trish6hundred]

Hi jkhanh,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
What everyone has said so far.
Hang in there for more responses to your post and best of luck to you.