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Has anyone had jaw problems after starting cpap?
I tend to sleep on my right side and use a Swift LT nasal pillow mask. I do use chin up strips to keep my mouth shut. Now my left jaw seems to lock up when I yawn and is making a slight crunching noise when I open and close my mouth. This has started in the last month or so-started cpap around the first of December. Can any of this be caused by cpap therapy or the chin up strips? Thanks.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Sonia S. on
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Hi Carolyn,
I can't really answer your question since I haven't used a chin strap, but have thought about using one to keep my mouth closed (but several people have said they are not very effective). I can't be sure but I don't think the problem is caused by the CPAP and might instead be caused by the chin strap. How tight is the chin strap? Does it ever leave your jaw feeling numb?
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Permalink Reply by Carolyn on
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Sonia S. said:Hi Carolyn,
I can't really answer your question since I haven't used a chin strap, but have thought about using one to keep my mouth closed (but several people have said they are not very effective). I can't be sure but I don't think the problem is caused by the CPAP and might instead be caused by the chin strap. How tight is the chin strap? Does it ever leave your jaw feeling numb?
Not a chin strap...chin up strips http://www.chinupstrip.com/ I seem to be moving my jaw forward with these on.
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Sorry. Never even seen chin up strips before. Do they do a good job immobilizing the jaw or keeping the mouth close?
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Permalink Reply by sleepycarol on
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Since I haven't actually seen how the chin-up strips work am unable to address that issue.
Could you have the Swift cinched down to tight? You sleep on your right side, but it is the left side that is causing issues if I read this correctly. How is your pillow? Could your head be getting in an odd position when you sleep to cause it? I know some pillows don't offer enough support for me and can cause issues with me.
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I know the the Swift is fine. I do have a pillow I sink into (and love). Should I be on a firm pillow? Who knows?????
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Permalink Reply by Mary Z on
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Carolyn, if it's working and your mask is not blocked off from fresh air and you're comfortable, don't mess with perfection!
You're doing fine.
Mary Z.
Carolyn said:I know the the Swift is fine. I do have a pillow I sink into (and love). Should I be on a firm pillow? Who knows?????
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Permalink Reply by Linda Birnbaum on
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Is there any chance that you grind your teeth? Last few months have been a stressful time for everyone and maybe you are grinding your teeth at night. That can cause pain and funky sounds to come out of your jaw. Just a thought if your swift LT is working great for you.
Linda
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I would check in with the doctor to make sure something more serious wasn't going on. It would at least be peace of mind. Does the pain stay all day or is it temporary and then goes away after you have been up awhile.
Jaw pain can be troublesome as it can make you feel crummy (at least when mine is bothering me). Jaw clenching / teeth grinding could be the cause as has been mentioned. What about your teeth? Have you had them checked recently?
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Permalink Reply by RL on
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I am concerned about this jaw issue for myself also. I currently use the Swift LT for Her (nasal pillow mask) and per the suggestion of the sleep center tech, have been using an elastic "ace" bandage with hook/loop fastener strip on one end as a jaw strap. I have been having variable success with this, as it is tricky to get it set to just the right tightness along with the right position on my head to make it stay in place over night. I also experience occasional bruxism (teeth grinding), and jaw pain. The jaw pain is directly attributable to how tight and positioning of the jaw strap. If I place the strap in the best position to keep my mouth shut, I have worse jaw pain. While I did experience these conditions previous to OSA/CSA diagnosis, it has been years since this was causing me any problems. At my last dentist visit, my dentist did comment on signs of bruxism, but suggested we wait until my next cleaning to see if something should be done about it. I am a little hesitant to spend another $35 +/- on a special "chin strap" as they seem to get mixed reviews, in some cases not working at all, and am not sure if I will be able to stick with nasal pillows masks yet (still figuring out correct xPAP)
When in my twenties (quite a while ago) I had a bruxism problem, for which my dentist custom made a teeth guard to wear at night. I broke it in a couple of nights, thus thinking "I'm not going to be able to afford to get a new one of these every week" so I decided to "train" myself not to grind my teeth. I did this, partially, by putting the edge of my tongue between my molars. (I've been reluctant to comment on Susan M.'s thread regarding the tongue) This actually worked for quite awhile, combined with consciously relaxing my jaw, until this last year. Now, with beginning CPAP therapy, I am wondering how best to manage/deal with this. My understanding is that the jaw bone is not actually attached to the skull, so it is all "soft" tissue connection and really about reducing stress, maybe working with biofeedback techniques, and doing what I can to prevent the grinding physically if needed. When I get the jaw strap just right, I do seem to have success at preventing mouth breathing and not having the jaw pain, but results vary night to night. I'm thinking some acupressure treatment might be helpful. It seems to be another complex component of working with CPAP therapy.
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sleepycarol said:I would check in with the doctor to make sure something more serious wasn't going on. It would at least be peace of mind. Does the pain stay all day or is it temporary and then goes away after you have been up awhile.
Jaw pain can be troublesome as it can make you feel crummy (at least when mine is bothering me). Jaw clenching / teeth grinding could be the cause as has been mentioned. What about your teeth? Have you had them checked recently?
The time I notice it the most is when I yawn. It's as if my jaw comes partially out of its socket. Then I need to rub or massage it back into place. It doesn't really hurt but just recently I have tried to "exercise" it by opening and closing my mouth. This is when I hear a slight crunching sound. I almost feel as if the bottom part of my jaw is being pulled slightly forward by the chin up strips. I go to my denstist every 3 months and there are no signs of grinding my teeth.
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I know you use the chin-ups. Have you thought about not using them for a couple of nights to see if there is any difference? I tend to grind / clench my teeth when stressed and have to consciously relax the jaw. This leads to discomfort, jaw popping, etc. So I know what you are experiencing even if the cause isn't exactly the same. I have tried not to clench my teeth when stressed and don't do it nearly as much as I used to.
I am thinking that the chin-ups are placing stress on the jaw bone and causing the problem possibly. It maybe holding the jaw slightly in an unnatural position.
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