arm - fingers numbness... Neck too?

[cdcm71]

Yesterday I posted perhaps I need a new pillow as the arm I'm sleeping on (side sleeper) goes to sleep and wakes me up when the pins and needles hit.

Last night was the first time BOTH arms went numb. And I THINK my neck? It was so dang cold in my room, My neck was exposed, could have been that. No where near the pins and needles. But my shoulders, just outside, and below the delt, down to all my fingers with ring and pinking throbbing the hardest.

So then I started messing with my headgear. It doesn't seem uncomfy but that bottom strap is right at the base of my skull. It took a while to loosen it without air escaping the mask. That SEEMED to help? I didn't wake again numb either side.

But instead stiff as I felt I couldn't relax my body or I'd engage something else.

Can I be pressing a nerve at the base of my neck? Is this dangerous long term?

I will e-mail my sleep therapist. It's a holiday. Curious about any experiences.

[cowlypso]

Arm numbness can definitely be caused by neck issues. If you have any problems with the bones in your neck, sleeping in the wrong position can compress the nerves that go to your arms. I would doubt that the strap at the base of your skull itself could cause this, because the nerves that go to your arms aren't located in a place where the strap itself could compress them. If the strap itself were so tight that it was squishing nerves, the nerves it would be squishing go to the back of your head. But it's possible that, because of the strap there, you are sleeping with your neck in a slightly different position than you would normally sleep, and thus causing the problem.

[Pugsy]

Might want to talk to your doctor about this and have your cervical spine evaluated.
Might also want to try a different mask, if possible, to see if the strap placement is part of the problem.
Might be a combination of cervical spine issues, strap issues and side sleeping causing positional pressure on the nerves to the upper extremities.

I had a bad neck long before I had sleep apnea and had some of the issues you are describing. So it may or may not be totally related cpap mask straps or pillow use.

Trying different pillows sure won't hurt though and worth at try. I use a buckwheat hull pillow. Low enough not to force the cervical spine out of alignment (which can cause those nerves to have some positional pressure issues) yet enough support to be comfortable when sleeping on my side or back or stomach.

[jamiswolf]

I've heard people comment about the papcap which distributes the mask forces...rather then having it all focused on the straps.

Oh, and I definitely agree with Cowlypso's post. The nerves are deep enough to be protected from the straps...and position is more likely.
J

[Maxie]

Is it possible that you are sleeping longer in one position, like on your arm, since you have been using CPAP?

[Uncle_Bob]

Have you considered an evaluation by a chiroprator?
I have experienced numbness and pins and needles in my arm before that was resolved by a few adjustments
Just a thought.