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back sleeping now due to disc and shoulder pain - Printable Version

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back sleeping now due to disc and shoulder pain - Mouchet - 07-07-2019

For the last 6 months I have been having horrible pain in my neck.  Turns out that I have major muscle imbalances in my shoulders and a degenerated disc in my neck (c6/c7).  

The best advice I got was to sleep on my back with legs propped up.  It really does help, but no my cpap mask leaks way too much.

So its either 
1. Get good sleep and suffer with terrible neck pain.

2. Get terrible sleep and less neck pain.

Does anyone sleep on their back, and if so...

1. What masks work for you? I was using Airfit P10 with taping my mouth, but since I am a mouth breather, my the tape is not working on my back, as well as it did on my side.

2. What do you do about the mouth breathing?

I few things
A. I have cervical pillow, a use anti-inflamatory medications, sometimes take a muscle relaxer, and have another pillow for back sleeping (lower elevation of pillow (recommended by physical therapist)


RE: back sleeping now due to disc and shoulder pain - Gideon - 07-07-2019

Mouth breathing. Taping isn't the only answer. A soft cervical collar works for many but I suspect will be problems for you. Try a rolled towel fitted to under your chin. An anti snoring collar should work if that gives improvement.


RE: back sleeping now due to disc and shoulder pain - Mouchet - 07-07-2019

Hmm I don't know that looks like it would hurt the neck. Any other solutions.  I ll talk to my physical therapist though.


RE: back sleeping now due to disc and shoulder pain - Mouchet - 07-07-2019

I actually just bought two cervical collars.  I ;ll ask if I can sleep with them. I will also try the rolled up towel. I assume you roll the towel around your neck, and then sleep on it?  What about those airplane sleeping pillows?


RE: back sleeping now due to disc and shoulder pain - Gideon - 07-07-2019

Towel goes in front of the neck for you, nor behind. The anti snoring have no padding I. The back, just a strap.if you try the cervical collars try to accommodate the thickness of the collar. The goal is to support the chin, not the neck.


RE: back sleeping now due to disc and shoulder pain - Mouchet - 07-07-2019

So roll up the towel and put it under my chin? What is to prevent it from rolling out?kind of confused.

The cervical collar might not work.  It prevents the neck from moving, but not the mouth.

I have a chin strap, but I will try it for an hour, as well as see PT about it.

Does anyone have any other ideas that might help out?

what would be a really good pillow nasal mask?  I do not like full face mask because that just puts pressure on the neck


RE: back sleeping now due to disc and shoulder pain - sheepless - 07-07-2019

cervical collars are very effective in reducing event clusters and mouth leaks. they do inhibit/prevent jaw drop. for some reason they even help alleviate lip leaks. with a nasal pillow mask, I can't pap without it.


RE: back sleeping now due to disc and shoulder pain - Gideon - 07-07-2019

I know, it doesn't sound as if it will work but it does. All it does is prevent the chin from dropping.

The towel as a test. It should work if it stays in place


RE: back sleeping now due to disc and shoulder pain - ardenum - 07-07-2019

Weird i was told stomach sleeping is best for spine issues.


RE: back sleeping now due to disc and shoulder pain - RNeil - 07-10-2019

I have similar issues. I tried sleeping on my back. It helped my neck but the AHI was much higher. I sleep on my side, but I have some neck and shoulder pain. I have a chiropractor appointment today.
The neck pain forums say stomach sleeping is the worst. I think it would be best for apnea, but I don't see how you can do that with a CPAP mask.
I think the cervical collar helps both the AHI and the mouth leakage. I got a "Contour CPAP pillow 2.0" that also helps. Reviewing the OSCAR data shows that the benefit is subtle, or less than the daily variations.