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Vertigo/CPAP Pressure Update- CPAP causing inner ear problems
#51
RE: Vertigo/CPAP Pressure Update- CPAP causing inner ear problems
(03-06-2014, 07:43 AM)Ray173 Wrote: when I first used it my left ear would always feel different than my right, it seemed like my right ear felt more pressure when I swallowed with the cpap on
Hi Ray173, welcome aboard
I came across this advice from "binary sleep" about ear popping problems

one poster wrote: My only advise for popping and plugging of ears is try to get them to not swallow once the mask is on. If the ears do plug up, lifting the mask off the face and swallowing should re-open their ears.
Pain is a different issue. If the eustatian tubes are open enough to allow pressure against the eardrum the complaint will be possibly severe pain. I would think an ENT evaluation would be in order if that's the case.

another poster wrote: Have the patient take in a deep breath and hold it. As the mask is being lowered over their nose, have them exhale while the mask seals. A trick I learned from one of the best bosses ever!

From PubMed: The effect of continuous positive airway pressure on middle ear pressure.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22252535
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#52
RE: Vertigo/CPAP Pressure Update- CPAP causing inner ear problems
I have a lot of problems with my ears, especially my left ear. At times, my ear would hurt. ENT trips several times and tried several drops, ear cleaning even though there was no wax in my ears and finally a brain MRI which was reported to be negative. Had the test they do to check for fluid build up in the ear...negative.

Then I stumbled across something that said there could be about pressure and pain in the ear and I am thinking that is what is causing my ear issues. At first, I blamed it on stress because we lost a close family member in a very traumatic way and not long after that, I noticed ringing in my ear and it made sense that it was stress related since everything else was negative. Now I believe it to be related to pressure in my ears and it is annoying and sometimes it hurts but the alternative is not using CPAP and we all know what can happen by doing that and I am not willing to take that chance. YMMV
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#53
RE: Vertigo/CPAP Pressure Update- CPAP causing inner ear problems
I am having serious problems with my machine. Just got a newer machine last week, with higher air pressure.\ since that day I have had vertigo problem, very bad. I thought it was my sinuses but Have no sinus infection whatsoever. I decided to type in today 'does anyone have vdertigo with CPaps? and whoa, there loads of people out there with the same issue. Funny thing is I called my ENT doctor and my pulmonologist and neither one told me it could be my CPAP. I called the pulmonogist to have them reduce he air flow as I thought it was too strong fro me. They did not do it and I am still waiting for this to happen. Today, I feel despair, as I cannot get any answers, and when I saw what others are saying that part of it made me feel better, although it doesn't take away the vertigo. I only hope and pray it does go away. I am not using that cpap anymore until I tell the doctors what I found! Any help please?[/size]
MRSnooze Wrote:The discussion about adjusting your own CPAP pressure caught my attention because my CPAP is apparently causing me serious inner ear problems.

When I turn the machine on I immediately feel pressure inside my ears and it continues throughout the session. I am unable to *pop* or clear my ears and this has developed to the point where it has caused inner ear problems that have made me dizzy, impacted my balance, hearing, etc.. I.e., vertigo.

I saw my sleep specialist, who said he was unfamiliar with any similar troubles by other patients. He surmised my eustachian tubes were not closing properly, the valves in the back of my throat were staying open, allowing the CPAP pressure into the inner ear. His solution was to INCREASE my pressure (which he did himself on the machine during an office visit) and this has made matters substantially worse.

In the meantime I saw my ear, nose and throat specialist who was aghast that the pressure had been raised and urged me to reduce it if I wanted to continue using CPAP (essential for me to get a night's sleep).

Problem: By the time my call to the sleep specialist's local office was returned it was Friday. I was told the assistant would contact the doctor, he would write a revised prescription and then transmit it to the company that services my CPAP machine and they would have a therapist or service person make the appropriate changes.

This leaves me the entire weekend, at a minimum, with either severely impeded sleep or causing myself increased problems using CPAP.

Obviously I want to discuss it with the sleep specialist, or a therapist, but as someone who has six years experience with CPAP I feel confident I know enough to be able to reduce the pressure to a more comfortable level until I can discuss it with a "sleep professional." I'm not simply tinkering with the machine to see what happens.

I really have no choice but to find a way to adjust it myself, or live without it. A real lose-lose situation for me.

So, thank you for posting links to the setup instructions so I can adjust the pressure of my CPAP machine and hopefully find a level that doesn't cause me more problems and still allows me to sleep.

I'd love to hear from anyone who has experienced similar ear problems due to CPAP and any solutions discovered -- besides discontinuing therapy.
[/quote]

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#54
RE: Vertigo/CPAP Pressure Update- CPAP causing inner ear problems
(10-25-2014, 08:48 AM)chrissy48 Wrote: I am having serious problems with my machine. Just got a newer machine last week, with higher air pressure.\ since that day I have had vertigo problem, very bad. I thought it was my sinuses but Have no sinus infection whatsoever. I decided to type in today 'does anyone have vdertigo with CPaps? and whoa, there loads of people out there with the same issue. Funny thing is I called my ENT doctor and my pulmonologist and neither one told me it could be my CPAP. I called the pulmonogist to have them reduce he air flow as I thought it was too strong fro me. They did not do it and I am still waiting for this to happen. Today, I feel despair, as I cannot get any answers, and when I saw what others are saying that part of it made me feel better, although it doesn't take away the vertigo. I only hope and pray it does go away. I am not using that cpap anymore until I tell the doctors what I found! Any help please?

Hi chrissy48, welcome to the forum!

Rather than not using the new machine at all, until you can talk to your doctor, how about getting the clinician set-up manual for your new machine (instructions are in the Important Threads section, at top of the forum, in the thread on adjusting our own CPAP pressure) and simply adjusting the Max Pressure setting to be the same as your earlier prescription which apparently did not allow too much pressure? This way you would be continuing to be compliant on your new machine, which may be importent for insurance coverage of the new ResMed machine, which hopefully is the new "AutoSet For Her" model. (If it isn't, see if you can return your machine to get the A10 AutoSet For Her model. If it is, is the machine set in the gentler AutoSet For Her therapy mode rather than the standard AutoSet therapy mode?)

As to why you are needing so much pressure, our pressure needs are usually highest when we are sleeping flat on our back. If you take steps to prevent changing to that position while sleeping it would be likely that your machine would not need to raise the pressure as high.

Take care,
--- Vaughn


The Advisory Member group provides advice and suggestions to Apnea Board administrators and staff on matters concerning Apnea Board operation and administrative policies.  Membership in the Advisory Member group should not be understood as in any way implying medical expertise or qualification for advising Sleep Apnea patients concerning their treatment.
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#55
RE: Vertigo/CPAP Pressure Update- CPAP causing inner ear problems
(10-25-2014, 08:48 AM)chrissy48 Wrote: I am having serious problems with my machine. Just got a newer machine last week, with higher air pressure.\ since that day I have had vertigo problem, very bad. I thought it was my sinuses but Have no sinus infection whatsoever. I decided to type in today 'does anyone have vdertigo with CPaps? and whoa, there loads of people out there with the same issue. Funny thing is I called my ENT doctor and my pulmonologist and neither one told me it could be my CPAP. I called the pulmonogist to have them reduce he air flow as I thought it was too strong fro me. They did not do it and I am still waiting for this to happen. Today, I feel despair, as I cannot get any answers, and when I saw what others are saying that part of it made me feel better, although it doesn't take away the vertigo. I only hope and pray it does go away. I am not using that cpap anymore until I tell the doctors what I found! Any help please?[/size]

Chrissy, I really feel for you, vertigo is so awful. I'm keeping an eye on this thread even though I don't have vertigo with VPAP, but have a life-long issue with it coming out of the blue, then gradually disappearing. I don't know what sets it off or what calms it down. A mystery.

But in your case could you complete the info in your profile so we can know what your exact machine is and what mask you're using? Is your machine an APAP running in auto mode with that range? You don't have a humidifier? Humidity might help. More info really helps us to help you. And Vsheline's suggestion to get the clinical manual is very important. Then you will have more control over your treatment. Also, download Sleepyhead so you can get a good look at what's happening to you.

My last thought is that lowering your pressure for a bit might ease the upset to your system. I had to do that for another issue, and now I'm better so will start raising it back up in the near future, but very gradually. Some of us have a fine-tuned balance that goes awry easily, in my opinion. We just have to respect that and be more gentle with our treatments.
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#56
RE: Vertigo/CPAP Pressure Update- CPAP causing inner ear problems
(10-25-2014, 01:48 PM)PhyllisBalboa Wrote: could you complete the info in your profile so we can know what your exact machine is

At the top of the forum where it says "Welcome back", at the far right is a "My Profile" link for easily updating our profile.

The Advisory Member group provides advice and suggestions to Apnea Board administrators and staff on matters concerning Apnea Board operation and administrative policies.  Membership in the Advisory Member group should not be understood as in any way implying medical expertise or qualification for advising Sleep Apnea patients concerning their treatment.
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#57
RE: Vertigo/CPAP Pressure Update- CPAP causing inner ear problems
(10-25-2014, 01:48 PM)PhyllisBalboa Wrote: I'm keeping an eye on this thread even though I don't have vertigo with VPAP, but have a life-long issue with it coming out of the blue, then gradually disappearing. I don't know what sets it off or what calms it down. A mystery.

One thing which can cause very serious inner ear problems such as permanent vertigo or permanent hearing loss or tinnitus, is antibiotics and other prescription medications, and over-the-counter non-prescription meds, too.

A good reference book on this is Ototoxic Drugs Exposed, 3rd Edition by Neil Bauman, PhD. (Ototoxic means poisonous to the inner ear.)

Or try googling "ototoxic drugs" some time for a real eye full.

For example, common non-prescription antibiotic ointments can cause inner ear problems, especially if used for a long time or if used on an open sore.
The Advisory Member group provides advice and suggestions to Apnea Board administrators and staff on matters concerning Apnea Board operation and administrative policies.  Membership in the Advisory Member group should not be understood as in any way implying medical expertise or qualification for advising Sleep Apnea patients concerning their treatment.
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#58
RE: Vertigo/CPAP Pressure Update- CPAP causing inner ear problems
(10-25-2014, 02:37 PM)vsheline Wrote:
(10-25-2014, 01:48 PM)PhyllisBalboa Wrote: I'm keeping an eye on this thread even though I don't have vertigo with VPAP, but have a life-long issue with it coming out of the blue, then gradually disappearing. I don't know what sets it off or what calms it down. A mystery.

One thing which can cause very serious inner ear problems such as permanent vertigo or permanent hearing loss or tinnitus, is antibiotics and other prescription medications, and over-the-counter non-prescription meds, too.

A good reference book on this is Ototoxic Drugs Exposed, 3rd Edition by Neil Bauman, PhD. (Ototoxic means poisonous to the inner ear.)

Or try googling "ototoxic drugs" some time for a real eye full.

For example, common non-prescription antibiotic ointments can cause inner ear problems, especially if used for a long time or if used on an open sore.

Boy, don't I know it. I'm watching my doctors like a hawk with their antibiotics, always dispensing them at the drop of a hat. Good for me that antibiotics have always given me terrible yeast infections, so for my whole life I've avoided them whenever possible. But I think I got a bad one one time, couldn't be helped. Felt weird for over a year.

Thanks, Vsheline. I read this whole thread earlier and saw your info. Wish I could afford the book on Amazon. Will google your term and get the complete list. What are doctors thinking, anyway. Just hoping for the best?



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#59
RE: Vertigo/CPAP Pressure Update- CPAP causing inner ear problems
I have had a machine for about six years now. I received a new one about three months ago. I was originally at a pressure setting of 11. My doctor said he is going to bump it up to 12. For the past three month my ears were constantly clogged. I felt like I had a head cold the whole time. I could never get the pressure our of my ears. Then this weekend I stumbled on this thread. After reading this forum I had a feeling that pressure was an issue. I entered the setup mode and found it was set to a pressure of 14. There must have been confusion between what my Doc told me and what he wrote on the prescription. I backed it down to 11 (Like I had it the whole time before without any problem) and I have already noticed a difference today.

Thank you all for these great posts. I feel I have found the source of my problem. I will report back later if things get better.
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#60
RE: Vertigo/CPAP Pressure Update- CPAP causing inner ear problems [copied from old forum]
(02-25-2012, 10:21 AM)SuperSleeper Wrote:
Barngirl99 Wrote:I was so excited to find these posts! I was diagnosed with BPPV years ago and was just diagnosed with Sleep Apnea. I just got my cpap machine today, but noticed during the sleep study using it that I was extremely dizzy the following day. I'm hoping it's a coincidence, but finding this board has been helpful.
Did anyone find anything that might help alleviate the symptoms? I already take Loratadine [Claritin], but the dizziness hasn't eased. Hoping to have a lot more energy using the cpap and also hoping the dizziness issues aren't a prolonged side effect! =)

Hi I also suffer from BBPV in my right ear, I have only being using my machine since last thursday but my ears do block and I have trouble popping them, will let you know how I get on.
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