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heartburn?
#1
heartburn?
I'm new to forum, so will see what I can learn. But in the meantime, a question --
I'm having great success with CPAP and sleep, but have been noticing what seems to be heartburn within a few hours of getting up in the morning. I think I've been mistaking it form mile asthma. Is heartburn related to CPAP?
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#2
RE: heartburn?
You may be experiencing what is called aerophagia or swallowing of air.

Some are susceptible to this condition. You may be mouth breathing or opening your mouth and swallowing air without realizing.

Do you feel like your burping or belching a lot? If yes, then this is probably what is going on.

There are ways to overcome this, and hopefully some here on this forum will chime in and advise.

You can try wearing a chinstrap if you think you are opening your mouth. Also try sleeping slightly elevated.

What pressure range are you using on your machine? Your profile only says 5.

You may also want to enable the EPR function. This gives you some pressure relief (depending on the setting) on exhalation. Try a setting at 2, although this won't kick in until you have reached a pressure of at least 6. The machine can't drop past 4cm.

OpalRose
Apnea Board Administrator
www.apneaboard.com

_______________________
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INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE.  ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA.  INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
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#3
RE: heartburn?
cdm807,
Here is a good article from our Wiki

Aerophagia
Aerophagia (var. aerophagy) is a condition that occurs when a person swallows too much air. The air goes into the stomach and intestines causing abdominal bloating, belching, flatulence, discomfort and pain.
Causes

Aerophagia is associated with activities that cause one to swallow air while chewing gum, smoking, drinking carbonated beverages, eating too fast, wearing loose dentures, and CPAP therapy. In people with cervical spinal blockages, inhaling can cause air to enter the esophagus and stomach.
Aerophagia associated with CPAP therapy is a condition that usually arises when patients are new to the therapy, or when there has been a recent increase in the prescribed CPAP pressure. The condition usually subsides on its own as patients adapt to the CPAP therapy. In cases where it doesn't the prescribing physician may lower the patient's pressure or have the patient switch to a bilevel (BiPAP) machine.
Some CPAP patients report that they can get relief in one of two ways. One way is to keep the head aligned with the neck while sleeping so that there is a straight pathway for the air to enter the lungs. In this way the air passes straight into the lungs instead of being diverted to the stomach. Some ways to accomplish this are to lay on your back with your head on a thin pillow or no pillow at all so that your neck stays straight instead of being kinked. Another strategy is to sleep on a wedge or elevate the head of your bed by putting blocks of wood under the headboard.
Paradoxically, the other way some patients have reported getting relief is to do just the opposite! That is, keep the chin tucked up against the chest thus kinking the neck. In this way the air doesn't reach the stomach because the passageway is kinked by the bent neck. This can be accomplished by sleeping on your back with a thick pillow or a pair of pillows under your head, or sleeping on your side with your chin tucked against your chest.
Evidently these two strategies work differently in different people because of differences in their anatomy.
Temporary relief of the symptoms of aerophagia may be achieved by exercise or by drinking carbonated water. Patients undergoing CPAP therapy should consult with their medical care providers when experiencing the symptoms of aerophagia.
Aerophagia is diagnosed in 8.8% of cognitively delayed patients where the coordination between swallowing and respiration is not well defined.
Aerophagia is a dangerous side effect of noninvasive ventilation (NIV), commonly used in treatments of respiratory problems and cardiovascular critical care or in surgery when a general anaesthetic is required. In the case of aerophagia during NIV, it is normally diagnosed by experienced medical specialists who check on patients intermittently during NIV use. The diagnosis is based on the sound heard by listening through a stethoscope placed outside the abdominal cavity. Using this approach, the problem is sometimes detected later than when it develops, possibly also later than necessary.
Aerophagia may also refer to an unusual condition where the primary symptom is excessive flatus, belching is not present, and the actual mechanism by which air enters the gut is obscure.
OpalRose
Apnea Board Administrator
www.apneaboard.com

_______________________
OSCAR Chart Organization
How to Attach Images and Files.
OSCAR - The Guide
Soft Cervical Collar
Optimizing therapy
OSCAR supported machines
Mask Primer



INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE.  ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA.  INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
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#4
RE: heartburn?
(10-08-2016, 11:50 AM)cdm807 Wrote: Is heartburn related to CPAP?

Welcome

That's a definite maybe.

For some people, they swallow air while under the slight pressure of CPAP. A phenomenon known as aerophagia. That could cause some acid reflux in the morning. You might try a positional change such as a slight elevation of the head and torso during sleep.

Heartburn (acid reflux) although not serious short term can become an issue long term. If this continues, you should talk to your general medicine doctor. The doc my choose to prescribe an acid reducer like one of the newer proton pump inhibitor drugs.

Also, you body habitus (body build) may be a factor. Persons with central obesity sometimes have an hiatus hernia where the upper portion of the stomach pushes up through the diaphragm. This causes acid reflux.

The long term problem with acid reflux is the effect it can have on the cells which line the esophagus. In some cases, over years, it can lead to cancer.

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#5
RE: heartburn?
Hi cdm807,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
I wish you good luck with your CPAP therapy, hang in there for more responses to your post.
trish6hundred
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#6
RE: heartburn?
Thanks much for the advice. I elevated my chest and head last night, and it did seem to help. I'll continue with your advice and talk to the doc in a week or so. I've seen significant benefits so far (it's been a month or so), but am realizing that it will take a while to iron out the kinks. Looking forward to using the forum.

Curt
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