Very sore neck! - Rebumped because of new issue!

[krazykchan]

Is a sore neck a common problem with CPAP? I keep waking up with a very sore and stiff neck on my right side. This has been going on for the last three days now. It hurts so much that I have been getting headaches as well.

Is it caused by the mask being too tight? (My mask info is in my signature.) I just started sleeping on my side again too (opposite side of the neck pain) if that matters.

Ugh, I finally get the mask to stop leaking but now I keep getting neck pains! It never seems to end.

[bud_2005]

I have the same problem. I have the Mirage Quatro FFM. The bottom straps kind of crank my neck back. But if I loosen them my mask leaks.

[Juliebove]

I have had a stiff neck sometimes. Not really sure why.

[elader]

I bet it's because you aren't turning as frequently in your sleep. Either because the whole cpap thing affects your mobility or you are sleeping more soundly.

[tattooyu]

I bet it's because you aren't turning as frequently in your sleep. Either because the whole cpap thing affects your mobility or you are sleeping more soundly.

Agreed. I had that when I first started for about a month, and then it gradually subsided. Your muscles probably aren't used to deep, interrupted sleep yet.

[elader]

I bet it's because you aren't turning as frequently in your sleep. Either because the whole cpap thing affects your mobility or you are sleeping more soundly.

Agreed. I had that when I first started for about a month, and then it gradually subsided. Your muscles probably aren't used to deep, interrupted sleep yet.

You know your avatar is even scarier than all the monkey images flying around.

[robertmarilyn]

I bet it's because you aren't turning as frequently in your sleep. Either because the whole cpap thing affects your mobility or you are sleeping more soundly.

Agreed. I had that when I first started for about a month, and then it gradually subsided. Your muscles probably aren't used to deep, interrupted sleep yet.

You know your avatar is even scarier than all the monkey images flying around.

Very true...I think it's his "happy wild man crazy look" he has going.
mar

[Pugsy]

I have documented degenerative disc disease in the cervical spine. The lower strap of the head gear for a nasal mask created such a bind on my neck that it gave me a headache also. It wasn't too awfully tight and it only took about 45 minutes into the titration study for it to hit. Between that and the nasal congestion caused by pressure on the turbinates I had to stop the nasal mask and go to nasal pillows.

Immobility of the cervical spine for any reason can cause headaches and neck pains. I have found over the years that heat applied to the neck gives as much immediate relief as about anything else. Seems to help relieve the muscle tension which is major factor in the headaches.
Brenda

[krazykchan]

It's been 4 days now with the neck issue. It gets better during the day and is fine when I lie down for bed. However, I still wake up 3-4 hours later with my neck hurting.

HOWEVER, now it's not just my neck, but the whole side of my face and that side of my head. It's on the opposite side of the side I sleep on. I keep thinking I should wait before I bother the doctor. However, I keep taking my mask off around 2-3 o-clock in the morning because of my neck pain. Are my muscles still adjusting to being in a deep sleep? Or should I really go ahead and make an appointment?

I'm angry because I was sleeping through most of the night and waking up refreshed until this issue came up. Now I feel like a zombie again.

[Pugsy]

I would suggest make the appointment and talk to your doctor if you can't achieve some relief. Try to correlate time you started using this mask with when the symptoms started. Did they come together? Have you tried loosening the strap that goes around the base of the skull just a bit? I cannot tolerate that type of strap on my neck. I have arthritis and a metal plate in my neck. The position that the lower strap puts my neck in, creates pain and headache within an hour. It is a subtle restriction to movement and position but it is there.

Don't let it go on too long. I have been there and done that with neck pain.

If you sleep without neck pain without the mask, I think you have your answer as much as it frustrates you. Play with the straps a bit and see if you can ease them up a bit and still maintain a good seal.

[Vader]

Is a sore neck a common problem with CPAP? I keep waking up with a very sore and stiff neck on my right side. This has been going on for the last three days now. It hurts so much that I have been getting headaches as well.

Is it caused by the mask being too tight? (My mask info is in my signature.) I just started sleeping on my side again too (opposite side of the neck pain) if that matters.

Ugh, I finally get the mask to stop leaking but now I keep getting neck pains! It never seems to end.

Wearing a cpap mask can aggravate your neck, and that's something I've had a lot of experience with. I've been using the Mirage Quattro for two years and it is the best mask for me. My first FFM was the Ultra Mirage and it's bulky design was really causing me much pain due to degenerative disc disease in my neck.

The best solution for this has been a daily exercise routine prescribed by my physical therapist, 2 1/2 years ago. In my case, strengthening my neck muscles was key to not only avoiding surgery, but allowing me to get a good night's sleep by letting my cpap therapy work for me.

[CPAP-Dude73]

I was getting a scarily stiff neck after using my CPAP steadily for about a year. My device sits on a nightstand beside my bed. What I have discovered is that by simply moving the device (and myself) to the other side of the bed the stiff neck problem went away overnight. So at least for me, it has nothing to do with the tightness of the straps, meningitis, or anything else. There must just be some sort of subconcious muscle resistance against the weight of the mask pulling the head ever so subtley in the direction of the mask. Over a long period of time, a cervical spasm-type stiff neck will develop. My suggession is to alternate sides of the bed every so often to prevent this, and definitely to switch sides if you currently have developed a cervical spasm type stiff neck. Best, -B

[chunkyfrog]

I have found that hanging the hose above my head, (see 'hose management')
enables me to change positions several times a night--'evening out' the influence on my neck.
Result: much less discomfort.
I also change up my pillow from time to time--like shoes, it can't hurt.
Good luck!

[zeeclass]

I've only been using cpap for a few days, but I can tell that I totally understand why my neck hurts, and it might be the same for you, too.

Without the mask on, I tend to turn my face into the pillow a little more when I sleep on my side. This relaxes and supports my neck muscles little more. With the mask on, my face is very slightly more elevated (because of the hose coupling and the side of the mask), which pushes my head up slightly, activating those muscles instead of relaxing them. My neck is extremely sensitive (I have herniated discs) and I need to be very careful or I'm in serious pain for months and only physical therapy can relieve it. So I'm extremely aware of my head and neck position when I'm trying to get to sleep.

Lie on your pillow as if you were going to sleep without the mask and carefully observe your head, neck, and face position. Now put the mask on with the hose attached and see how your position is different. That will give you an idea of what's going on. I imagine it must be the same for most people, depending on the pillow you use and how much you tend to turn your face into the pillow.

I'm going to try one of those contour cpap pillows. The pillow I currently sleep with is a dense foam contour-type, so I'm used to that sort of thing to begin with. There's a good chance I'll be throwing away my money and the new pillow won't be good for me, but I need to try it.

I also believe that what another person said is correct: I tend to move around less with the cpap, so I think I'm on one side or the other a longer period of time, which puts more strain on that side of my body. Before getting on cpap, I used to toss and turn A LOT. I know for a fact that I'm staying much more still now (and my limb twitching has stopped, I think, yea!!!)

Like you guys, I hope I can solve this issue. I'm new to cpap and so far have had 2 nights where I've used it 6 to 8 hours straight with no problem. But I'm extremely worried about the neck issue and if I don't resolve it soon it could be very bad for me. I hate to go on a pillow buying odyssey, but it might be necessary. Either that, or I will need to try to sleep on my back more.

One more thing: do people who use nasal pillows have this issue, too? I'm not sure how much of the problem is the mask itself, versus the hose coupling being bulky.

[Janknitz]

If your mask is a Swift FX, there is NO strap around your neck and if you tighten anything enough to hurt your neck the mask won't work. So I suspect that it is maybe the change in sleeping position to accommodate the mask or the fact that you sleep much more soundly without moving.

You need to experiment with different pillows and configurations. Hanging the hose from a hose hanger so you can move more freely without worrying about dislodging the mask may help as well.

Meanwhile, see your doctor, but be aware that if nothing is found it will be chalked up to stress or muscle tension, and he'll throw muscle relaxers at you. Those are not necessarily helpful when you have OSA.