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Can wearing a cpap machine almost all day and night cause negative side effects

My brother in law wears his cpap machine almost all day, he constantly complains he has a headache, can overusing the cpap machine cause this.

Doctor Answers 2

Chronic sinusitis

August 4th, 2016
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If he requires CPAP to breath during the day, he might not have just sleep apnea.   He can either have chronic sinus congestion which can cause swelling which in return cause decreased airflow, or he might have obstruction from enlarged turbinates or deviated nasal septum.   I would go see an ENT and get a sinus CT scan to see if he has infection or obstruction or both.

Erik Suh, MD


Bellevue Family Physician
5.0 out of 5 stars 5 reviews

August 4th, 2016

Chronic sinusitis

{{ voteCount >= 0 ? '+' + (voteCount + 1) : (voteCount + 1) }}

If he requires CPAP to breath during the day, he might not have just sleep apnea.   He can either have chronic sinus congestion which can cause swelling which in return cause decreased airflow, or he might have obstruction from enlarged turbinates or deviated nasal septum.   I would go see an ENT and get a sinus CT scan to see if he has infection or obstruction or both.


Bellevue Family Physician

CPAP is designed for use during sleep only

April 18th, 2016
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The constant positive airway pressure is designed for use to keep the airway propped open when relaxed.  Some people in a relaxed state will collapse the airway and can suffocate.  When awake, the obsctruction does not exist, we can voluntarily open the airway.

I would seek advice from the sleep specialist, but generally speaking if daytime airway is an issue, there may be more appropriate alternatives during the day (perhaps including an oral appliance).

Web reference: http://www.drtimmerman.com/services/sleep-apnea/tired-of-cpap/

Lance Timmerman, DMD, MAGD
April 18th, 2016

CPAP is designed for use during sleep only

{{ voteCount >= 0 ? '+' + (voteCount + 1) : (voteCount + 1) }}
The constant positive airway pressure is designed for use to keep the airway propped open when relaxed.  Some people in a relaxed state will collapse the airway and can suffocate.  When awake, the obsctruction does not exist, we can voluntarily open the airway.

I would seek advice from the sleep specialist, but generally speaking if daytime airway is an issue, there may be more appropriate alternatives during the day (perhaps including an oral appliance).

Learn more: http://www.drtimmerman.com/services/sleep-apnea/tired-of-cpap/

Lance Timmerman, DMD, MAGD
*Treatment results may vary

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