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Wearing a cervical collar along with cpap has helped me tremendously
Just thought I'd post this, since it has been a wonderful breakthru for me. I've been on the cpap for a year and a half now. It has helped alot, but until recently it was still hit and miss. I increased my pressure, tried different masks, but still had lousy days where I felt like I had apneas the night before.
This changed two months ago, when I went to bed wearing a firm foam 3 1/2 cervical collar. I work in the medical profession and when we do CPR on patients, we tilt the head backward to open up the trachea. So I thought I would do this on myself. My head really isn't tilted backward, but the tip of my chin is at about a 90 degree angle from my chest while wearing the collar. I also use a cloth--a wash cloth and place it between the front of my neck and the collar to give my chin firm support, so it can't push down the collar at night.
It takes a few nights to get accustomed to the feel. And make sure you don't make the collar too tight. It almost feels like you are getting strangled--and that's not good.
But I honestly can say that wearing my cpap with my cervical collar, I have had the best sleeps in 30 plus years.
I'm hoping my discovery can help others too.
All the best, Noah Calderon.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by John Barton Ebling on
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I have been on CPAP for three years and I can always tell how well it has worked by the way I feel in the morning. Last night I went to bed wearing a foam cervical collar without the CPAP due to a bad pinched nerve in my neck. I woke this morning feeling like I had a really good sleep. I googled "cervical colar apnea" and found this great site. Is it possible that wearing a cervical colar can stop my apnea.
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John,
congratulations. My cervical collar greatly helped with my sleep apnea. I'm glad it is helping you too. I've tried sleeping without my cpap and just with my collar and an anti-snoring mouthpiece. But still felt pretty groggy the next day. I'm guessing I had many apneas. But who knows, maybe it is different for you.
The change with the c-collar was so great with me, I really wonder if this a treatment that has been overlooked in the medical field and sleep apnea community. I hope others try it and get the same results as we have.
All the best, Noah
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Thanks Noah. Last night I slept with the c-collar and CPAP. I feel really good this morning. I am going to continue to do this and see how it goes. If you can get used to weaing a CPAP every night, adding a c-collar is really a piece of cake. THANKS SO MUCH.
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I've had exactly the same experience over the past few weeks. I wondered if anyone else had thought of this approach, and I'm glad to see that others have also found relief in this simple way. I have paroxysmal atrial fibrillation as well as sleep apnea, and if I don't sleep well I get immediate feedback in the form of an episode of arrhythmia. That hasn't happened even once since I started sleeping with the cervical collar. In fact, the past few nights I've slept with JUST the collar and not my CPAP. I actually sleep better without the CPAP. Needless to say, I'm delighted to have apparently solved a problem I've had for 11 years and which has caused me a lot of grief. The price was right too, $12.50 as opposed to the very costly CPAP machine and the ongoing need for supplies. I realize that my experience may be unusual, but I can testify to its success and would encourage others to give this strategy a try.
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Permalink Reply by Mary Z on
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Owen, that's great news. I would just caution you not to stop your CPAP without a doctor's permission and perhaps a sleep study with just the cervical collar.
I'm glad it is working well for you and that you are having a good nights sleep.
Something I was thinking of doing was comparing my numbers with and without a cervical collar if my AHI drops to one or below, well I might be on to something.
Atrial fib is just so dangerous, please be careful. I'm not saying the collar is not working, just please rely on testing rather than subjective feelings of doing well. Good Luck.
Mary Z.
Owen Dell said:I have paroxysmal atrial fibrillation as well as sleep apnea..... In fact, the past few nights I've slept with JUST the collar and not my CPAP. I actually sleep better without the CPAP.
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Good advice. Thanks. Fortunately my afib is not of the lethal kind and even extended episodes are not dangerous, according to my cardiologist. Interestingly, I haven't had even the slightest hiccup since I started using the cervical collar. It's the first time I've been free of symptoms in 11 years. So yes, I do plan to discuss this with my doctor, but I also feel confident that I'm not doing myself any harm. I'd get feedback very quickly. Of course those with higher risk from afib or other heart ailments, or who are at risk from the sleep apnea itself, are in another category.
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What brand of collar do you have? Thanks for the tip.
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I'm sorry to say that I tore the tag off it and so I'm not able to tell you what brand it is. But it's a generic type that's available in lots of the larger pharmacies, especially those that deal with medical equipment and supplies as opposed to just medicines. It has a foam core that comes in a choice of medium or firm support, and it's covered with a light-colored stretchy knitted fabric that's kind of like a sock. I don't know if sending a URL will work, but a photo of one can be found at http://bit.ly/blaN7E.
After a couple of months of use, I'm still happy with it. It's quite comfortable, and I would even say that it is soothing to wear. It sure improves my sleep. One thing I would change is to have a little more height to the collar. The height of the collar measured from where it contacts the chin to where it contacts the chest is 3-1/2 inches when uncompressed. I have a somewhat longer than average neck so it allows a bit more play than I'd like. I think if I had another inch of height it would be even more effective in keeping my neck in a neutral position than it is now. Maybe someone makes them in different heights, but the only choice I had at our local pharmacy was medium, large, or extra large size and that seems to relate to circumference around the neck rather than height. I have two of them, one in the large size and one in the extra large size; they are both 3-1/2 inches in height. I may try the idea of wrapping the collar in a towel to add a little more height and rigidity.
I'd also like to say that I recently saw the neurologist who monitors my apnea, and I ran this experience by him. He had never heard of this strategy, but surprisingly he was quite open-minded about it. He suggested that I get a new sleep study done while wearing the collar, with and without using the CPAP. I suggested that since I appeared to be making medical history, perhaps the medical profession could chip in and pay the $1,000 for my sleep study, in light of the fact that I have a high-deductible insurance policy and therefore would have to pay the entire cost of the study. He didn't have an answer for that one. No sense of humor, these doctors. I may get the study some time when I'm feeling like living it up.
Owen
doglover894 said:What brand of collar do you have? Thanks for the tip.
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Permalink Reply by Matt on
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I thought of trying this, but worried the cervical collar would be strangling, So I was wondering about the Philadelphia style cervical collar, anyone try that? Just thinking out loud...
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Matt, don't know what the Philadelphia type collar looks like.
Mary Z.
Matt said:I thought of trying this, but worried the cervical collar would be strangling, So I was wondering about the Philadelphia style cervical collar, anyone try that? Just thinking out loud...
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Mary,
just takes a few days to get used to. I don't find it strangling. It even makes my neck more comfortable. I've tried out many cervical collars and the best I have found is the Deroyal. 3 1/2 inches wide, very firm. Bought it thru Deroyal.com. Cheap, maybe 15 dollars.
note: I even raise my jaw a little higher by rolling up a sock and then placing it under my chin while I am wearing the c-collar. I know this may sound excessive but it really helps me out. I wouldn't be the same without and c-collar. I'm very glad I experimented with it. . Noah
Mary Z said:Matt, don't know what the Philadelphia type collar looks like.
Mary Z.
Matt said:I thought of trying this, but worried the cervical collar would be strangling, So I was wondering about the Philadelphia style cervical collar, anyone try that? Just thinking out loud...
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mary,
go to google images and type in philadelphia collar. You will see what it looks like.
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