Soft cervical collar: a tip for mouth breathing and chin tucking

[PaulaO2]

No, the thread can stay! If a foam collar helps someone, then by all means, use it and share your success. At the same time, if anyone has an opposing opinion, I would hope they feel safe to share as well. Some think using tape on one's lips is a good idea and it may work for them quite well. But others of us see it as a potential choking situation.

I suppose the point I want to make is this: the foam cervical collar, even at $6, is still a medical device. It is a brace. If someone wants to give it a try as a way to keep their chin from tucking or in place of a chin strap, they need to keep this in mind.

I have suffered from neck pain, stiffness, spasms, etc for a very long time. I've tried a variety of different neck braces over the years and I have hated every single one of them. The idea of someone willingly wearing one for a reason other than neck pain just seems...odd to me. LOL But I can see how a foam collar can help keep the mouth closed and the chin from tucking. My current brace does not help with my lip leaking but does keep my lower jaw from shifting forward (which has ruined my front upper teeth).

[Visitor]

Well, I would have balked at anyone proposing to wear one, prior to the trouble I've had with mouth leaks and chin tucking obstructing my breathing. I've come to view any type of APAP treatment as optimizing for maximum effect while minimizing nuisance. This is what currently works in my case and it's highly individual (so I can well imagine others think it odd). As long as I get up refreshed, I greet the day, happy to know that the years I've spent like a zombie are gone. I've found a current optimum, which is crucial to my work (requiring creativity + analytic insight, i.e. a clear head at the very least). As soon as I experience an issue with the collar, out it goes and we try something new.

[PaulaO2]

Hey, whatever works. The key is to wake up feeling refreshed. If the AHI is a little high, okay. But if you feel good? That's better.

[DariaVader]

so, i bought a Caldera Releaf Neck Rest - pretty much a cervical collar. Really helped my pain-ridden neck --- i mean REALLY!!! but in the case of apnea it made my usually very variable APAP pressure stay up around the max level of 15 all night with not much variation and with a constantly high level of flow limitation! The only thing that stands out is that it is likely too tall, and although it keeps my mouth shut, my tongue suddenly feels like a balloon and wont fit! Now that *could* be just because the pressure is high and the flow limitation is elsewhere... idk.

[OpalRose]

I just ordered a soft cervical collar from Amazon, under $10.00.
Ordered the 2.5 inch.

I tend to tuck my chin down into my chest when I fall asleep, so I'm thinking this would stop me from doing that. Also, if I sleep on my left side, my jaw will drop open. Just enough to dry out my mouth and wake me up. Doesn't happen in any other sleep position. I've never had high leak rates though.

Once I receive it, I'll try it for a week and report back.

[Ed1101]

I tried the neck brace before I saw this post. It felt great and it solved my mouth breathing issue but the leaks were massive. My wife of 54 years solved the problem. The foam neck brace pushed my cheeks up into "chipmunk" cheeks and distorted the mask. A quick look in the mirrow confirmed her observations ... cannot believe she was not laughing, but after 54 years she is very compassionate and understanding.

The only way I can solve this problem is lose some weight (good idea) or get a face lift (not so good).

[OpalRose]

That's very funny!

Good thing we can laugh at ourselves.

[surferdude2]

I tried the cervical collar but it didn't work to stop my mouth leaking air when using nasal pillows. I had to use a wide chin strap in a different application than normal to finally overcome the mouth leakage. All other methods have failed. This wide strap work very well and is much safer than taping the mouth shut.

The 3" wide chin strap was purchased on Amazon for around 10 bucks and when applied in this manner will actually pass enough air through the tiny openings between the fabric/elastic to prevent suffocation.

When putting it on, if you keep your lips sealed together, it will prevent mouth blowout without any further effort. I've tested it to 20 cm h2O with no leaks.

It seems safe enough since you can break the seal by forcefully parting your lips and breathing through the fabric or else forcefully lowering your chin and it slides off the mouth altogether. The headgear on my nasal pillows mask allows for easy chin movement since the strap going below the chin isn't holding the chin up but only for keeping the mask in place.

I think it is much safer than taping the mouth shut and much more effective than the regular application of a chin strap. It's the only thing that works for me and makes me able to use the nasal pillows mask with its inherent lower therapy pressure. At last I can sleep in the supine position and make it all night long without having to flip from one side to the other due to hip or shoulder pain.

I will say it is actually more comfortable than it may seem from the picture. The tiny air holes in the fabric keep it from being too uncomfortably hot.

[holden4th]

The problem with taping your mouth shut is if you vomit while asleep you have a life threatening problem. I feel that this system would also be an issue.

That said, what happens if you vomit into a FFM?

[FrankNichols]

The problem with taping your mouth shut is if you vomit while asleep you have a life threatening problem. I feel that this system would also be an issue.

That said, what happens if you vomit into a FFM?

I guess that is possible, but at 66 I can't say I have ever vomited while sleeping.