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Soft cervical collar: a tip for mouth breathing and chin tucking
#1
Soft cervical collar: a tip for mouth breathing and chin tucking
I adjusted well to Apap, but still had two problems.

1) Chin-tucking while sleeping on my side. It happened when deep asleep and the position cut off my air supply when my chin nearly touched my chest.

2) Mouth breathing/leaking, again while sleeping on my side.

To resolve the first issue, I happened to resolve both.

I decided to wear a neck brace (soft material, the kind you wear for whip lash). It lodges nicely between the back end of the jaw and the collar bone, which together provided strong support to keep the chin up. My chin now only can sink halfway, never completely to my chest. It stopped the chin tucking and as a result I go on breathing. It also stopped the mouth leaks.

I still wear the chin strap (tied on first, before the mask goes on as I discovered the other way around causes problems).

The neck brace is very cheap and considering how much it helped in my case, I thought it good to share the tip here.
Before APAP: [Image: DARTH-VADER_zpsa57946df.png]

After APAP: See avatar: R2D2 for the win!

"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle"
--Ian Maclaren

I don't snore! I just make creepy noises so the aliens know I'm not someone to be messed with.
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#2
RE: Neck brace: a tip for mouth breathing and chin tucking
Came to the same conclusiom and I am trying a soft cervical collar for the first time tonight - minus the chinstrap as it basically does the same as the collar in keeping the jaw closed. I'd be interested to see what happens to mouth leaks.
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#3
RE: Neck brace: a tip for mouth breathing and chin tucking
Rather than a "neck brace" I mean a "soft cervical collar". I think the way I described it is clear (i.e. it's not hard plastic, or big, simply a soft slightly padded collar).

Before APAP: [Image: DARTH-VADER_zpsa57946df.png]

After APAP: See avatar: R2D2 for the win!

"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle"
--Ian Maclaren

I don't snore! I just make creepy noises so the aliens know I'm not someone to be messed with.
Post Reply Post Reply
#4
RE: Soft cervical collar: a tip for mouth breathing and chin tucking
Visitor,
Is the collar more like a half moon shape, or does it go around the neck?
Do you know how wide it is....3 or 4 inches?

I've been looking for one too, but I'm finding they are too wide for my short neck.

I have the same tendency of chin tucking.
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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#5
RE: Soft cervical collar: a tip for mouth breathing and chin tucking
It's three inches wide Opalrose. It stays the same width for about nine inches before tapering off, getting narrower at the ends, to two inches, and leaving about two inches neck free (at the back of my neck), where a velcro strap crosses over to lock it in place. Length is about 17 inches, but I had to order it as the others didn't reach around my neck (couldn't close the velcro as a result)

The brand is Orliman.

Indications of the different varieties on the collar are printed on a tag:

cc2106, cc2108 (which I have), cc2109 and cc2111.

Sizes are L, M and S (I presume you may need the small).

You easily can find the info online. I can share the website via private email if you're interested. I am not sure of the board rules with sharing company websites. I bought it while on leave in Spain and am quite happy with it. I assume there are plenty of companies supplying these and hope you'll find the right one.

ETA: ironically I nearly didn't buy it, assuming I would need a hard plastic one, fearing a pliable one would still give me the same trouble, but it's actually nice that this one "gives" just a bit (but not enough to close off airways). It's more comfortable of course this way.





(03-06-2016, 09:09 AM)OpalRose Wrote: Visitor,
Is the collar more like a half moon shape, or does it go around the neck?
Do you know how wide it is....3 or 4 inches?

I've been looking for one too, but I'm finding they are too wide for my short neck.

I have the same tendency of chin tucking.

Before APAP: [Image: DARTH-VADER_zpsa57946df.png]

After APAP: See avatar: R2D2 for the win!

"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle"
--Ian Maclaren

I don't snore! I just make creepy noises so the aliens know I'm not someone to be messed with.
Post Reply Post Reply
#6
RE: Soft cervical collar: a tip for mouth breathing and chin tucking
Visitor,
Thanks for the info!
Smile
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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#7
RE: Soft cervical collar: a tip for mouth breathing and chin tucking
Thanks for the info. I am inspired to try that since I have failed to master a chin strap. The tongue to roof of mouth also slips away too soon. I suspect the cervical collar may help by pushing up on the underside of the jaw which may make the tongue seal easier to maintain. I've ordered one from Wally World for under $6 delivered free to the store.

Dude
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#8
RE: Soft cervical collar: a tip for mouth breathing and chin tucking
I used the soft collar with my DreamWear mask (I'm currently back to my Wisp and a chin strap) because the chin strap didn't work for me with the DreamWear. I was having a bad time with leaks and, with knee surgery looming, decided taking a leaky mask with a cervical collar to the hospital with me wasn't going to work. It also didn't do anything to stop leaks if I was sleeping on my back--just on my side. Mine was bought at a local discount drug/general merchandise store and is a Carex brand. It is shaped in the front--lower (3") under your chin/throat area and wider (4") back by your ears. Slightly smaller would have worked on my less-than-swan-like neck!
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#9
RE: Soft cervical collar: a tip for mouth breathing and chin tucking
I tried googling Orliman neck brace and get nothing?
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#10
RE: Soft cervical collar: a tip for mouth breathing and chin tucking
(03-06-2016, 04:26 PM)Daisylouu Wrote: I tried googling Orliman neck brace and get nothing?

It's a Spanish company that makes medical devices - doesn't look like they have retail sales in the US. Try searching for 'cervical collar' on your favorite major online retailer's website - there are many other brands.
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