Apnea’s increase when sleeping on back?

[mcdavidr]

I injured my shoulders a month ago and can no longer sleep on my sides as usual. Now when I sleep on my back my apnea’s have shown a large increase in frequency. I had been averaging at 2 or below, not they are at 5 or more, last night 12. Do I need to increase my pressures? Any advice would be appreciated.

[Gideon]

Welcome to the forum.
It depends on why the AHI increased. You may be tucking your chin when you are on your back, in that case increasing pressure to 20 will do little to no good but a cervical collar will fix. If there is no other cause then increasing pressure won't help. If it is an increase in RERAs, Hypopneas, or Flow limits than increasing your PS may help.

Please download OSCAR and organize your charts per the link in my signature as that will allow us to advise based on data instead of guesses.

[mcdavidr]

       

[Sleeprider]

Classic!  Read the following Apnea Board wiki articles:
Positional Apnea: http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php...onal_Apnea
Soft Cervical Collar: http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php...cal_Collar

You are on your way to very low AHI, but these articles describe the problem and show you examples of how other members solved the problem.

[pholynyk]

I rarely sleep on my back, but when I do...

If a have my head on my pillow - which is firm foam and shaped with ridges along the long edges, and cutouts on the short sides - then my chin is forced into tucking toward my chest. I find that if I pull the pillow down so that my shoulders are on the pillow, then my head falls back into the valley and I can feel my throat open up.

I rarely fall asleep on my back, so I haven't noticed if there is any effect on my cpap pressure.