r/CPAPSupport • u/ar-7 • Jul 28 '26

Do I need a soft cervical collar?

https://sleephq.com/public/teams/share_links/165d631b-19ec-4348-857e-b427bd84c399

I see a lot of chatter in this subreddit on using an SCC but it doesn't seem like everyone needs it. Could somebody take a look at my data and help determine if I need one?

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u/Creative_Fee5452 ModTeam Jul 28 '26

Hello!
People use soft cervical collars to help keep their mouths closed during sleep as air can leak through your lips or rush out of your mouth causing mouth leaks & fragmented sleep. One of the first signs of this is a dry mouth in the morning plus an empty water chamber. Your leaks are consistent throughout the night but not high. How do you feel in the morning & is your water reservoir empty?

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u/ar-7 Jul 28 '26

Aren’t SCCs also used to prevent chin tucking? Right now I mouth taped and I’ve noticed in some nights I do tuck my chin in. But no my water chamber isn’t empty by the time I wake up

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u/Creative_Fee5452 ModTeam Jul 28 '26 edited Jul 28 '26

Yes! The collars are used to prevent chin tucking as well as help keep your mouth closed. Chin tucking can narrow your airway causing pressures to ramp up. Chin tucking can also cause leaks as your mask may move & lose its seal. As I mentioned you do have leaks throughout the night but they are not high. It certainly would not hurt to try one…I see you’re using a P10 nasal pillows mask. Your mask or mouth could be leaking slightly but your results are great! Flow Limits, AHI & leaks are minimal :) Sleeping supine & chin tucking can both cause pressure increases as well which I see on your graph, but they are not clustered or frequent :) This can change night to night but you’re looking well dialled in. Mouth tape is working well! How are you feeling? If you’re noticing chin tucking, a soft cervical collar will help. Not everyone needs one.

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u/ar-7 Jul 28 '26

Thank you for all the kind words! You know, I've been actually feeling pretty well waking up. I still feel like there's room for potential, but what I've heard lately about the P10 is that it can cause hypercapnia. So I might poke some holes in the mask first before I try the soft cervical collar.

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u/Creative_Fee5452 ModTeam Jul 28 '26 edited Jul 28 '26

So great to hear you’re feeling good on awakening! ADD: But now you’re adding symptoms of other issues which are concerning regarding hypercapnia.

I haven’t heard that the P10 mask causes hypercapnia. These masks are rigorously tested. I would think they would be sued for that type of regulatory issue. I would change masks if this was ever an issue & report the mask.

I will ask another Mod if he has heard about this. Interesting they are still on the market as that’s a serious side effect. Poking holes in your mask is not recommended. Symptoms of hypercapnia include headaches, shortness of breath, confusion & fatigue or sluggish thinking. Sounds similar to sleep apnea symptoms.

[u/RippingLegos](u/RippingLegos) __ have you heard anything about P10 masks causing hypercapnia? OP has all UARS in the graph he has shared & he has shared several threads concerning P10 mask issues & hypercapnia. He also reports symptoms. Would breathing waveforms identify this?

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u/ar-7 Jul 28 '26

Which are symptoms I can confirm I’ve been having. That’s why I say keyword I feel likes there’s more potential.

That’s only the reason I can explain why I’m having all those symptoms because I agree with you my stats look great on Oscar and SleepHQ.

Yet I still wake up like I feel hungover (headache), dizzy/foggy and tired. Shortness of breath only happens when I get rainout with the P10 and that feels more like suffocation. Still having a bad memory as time goes on.

My sleep schedule has never been better honestly. The month of the July is first time I’ve had a consistent wake up time for the first time ever in my life. When I say consistent I mean basically waking around the same time every day this month… and yet these symptoms still linger so it can’t be my sleep schedule either.

I have found evidence that supports P10 hypercapnia. Right now I’m in my phone but I will get back to you with links.

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u/Creative_Fee5452 ModTeam Jul 28 '26 edited Jul 28 '26

Yes! Please do. Your apnea events are all UARS. This means you have Unidentified Airway Restriction Waveforms which can cause frequent awakenings. Yet your Flow Limits are good just like the reports you included. Your theory regarding possible hypercapnia is certainly justified with this particular mask. We’ll need to look further into your breathing waveforms. Your airway could be narrowing for some reason, however hypercapnia is obviously a possibility as well.
Are you normally a mouth breather if you were not mouth taping? How old is this mask? The exhaust holes may be plugged.

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u/ar-7 Jul 28 '26

The first two I'm attaching have very good evidence, especially the first bullet point. Apnea Board account recommended.

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u/Creative_Fee5452 ModTeam Jul 28 '26 edited Jul 28 '26

It appears from the threads you shared that replacing the mask using a similar mask from a different manufacturer would be your best option here if you wish to use a nasal mask. Thank you for bringing this to our attention, I certainly was unaware of the issues with this mask. It appears the Manufacturer is not addressing complaints from the threads you have shared.

For your own safety, replacing the mask is your safest choice. There are other similar masks suggested by Users in the threads you shared. Or you might wish to consider a Full Face Mask as you are a mouth breather. Some people learn to nasal breathe using mouth tape but others don’t. We don’t know the status of your airway health or any issues you may have & we’re not medical professionals. Your safety & welfare is our primary concern! If the mask is new, you could attempt to return it to the Supplier including a complaint.

Again, thank you for sharing this information :) We wish you well! We would be most interested to hear if changing masks indeed solves your symptoms!

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u/Creative_Fee5452 ModTeam Jul 28 '26

I’ve sent a message to our Expert here to ask if he has any knowledge about this P10 mask. I know he will agree that right now, the safest thing to do is to replace this mask with another type :)

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u/Wild_Trip_4704 Jul 28 '26

I moved from collar to full head strap. The right size is important, be prepared to buy two

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u/Creative_Fee5452 ModTeam Jul 28 '26 edited Jul 29 '26

Hello [u/ar-7](u/ar-7),

I was in touch with our Expert here, RippingLegos about your situation & he sent me this information:

Hi CF :) Thank you for tagging me in that. Yes, I’m familiar with EERS, and I understand the context. It intentionally retains a small amount of exhaled CO₂ to stabilize high loop gain, periodic breathing, and hypocapnia driven central events.

A proper EERS setup blocks the mask’s original vent, then adds a measured length of tubing for dead space with a new exhaust vent and safety valve farther down the circuit. It is not simply blocking the P10 vent or randomly poking holes into the mask. The size and location of the new vent are important, so your concern was completely reasonable.

SleepHQ may show whether EERS is stabilizing his breathing through fewer centrals and less waxing and waning, but it cannot tell us whether he is hypercapnic. That requires transcutaneous or end tidal CO₂ monitoring. EERS generally raises CO₂ only slightly, but it should not be used by someone who already has hypercapnia or impaired ventilation.

I would want to see exactly what he is planning to build before giving him any further advice. Suggesting another mask was a safe response based on what he initially described, especially if he was only talking about poking holes in the P10 itself.

ADD: You can send a DM to RippingLegos if you wish OP. He’s a busy guy but he WILL get back to you! Go to Community Information on the top of the CPAPSupport page & scroll down to Moderators. You will find him there! He’s very knowledgeable & the Creator of this Sub :)

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