Need for humidifier

[warrain]

I'd appreciate thoughts on the need for a humidifier. I was convinced I should use one so I bought it with the CPAP in November and have used it each night since.

I live in a sub-tropical climate in southern hemisphere where it is summer now.

Has anyone lived happily without a humidifier?

Reason for asking is mine started to develop mould. I'm terrified of this stuff. I rinse out the water each day and twice a week clean it with a solution of water and 10% vinegar. This is what the CPAP people told me to do. Despite this it developed mould. I've managed to remove it all and will change the cleaning solution to borax and vinegar which I read was good for killing the stuff and keeping it at bay.

Thought I'd go it without the humidifer for a while. Friend of mine here has used CPAP for 15 years and never used a humidifier. He hasn't had any adverse reactions from not using one.

Only benefit I'm aware of is it might stop dry sore throats.

thanks
Warren

[Fred D]

I can only speak from my experience. I have used a bipap for 12 years without one. I can't say if my quality of sleep would have been better with it or not. I don't feel I have suffered as a result but I will be able to know about that soon. I have a new ASV machine supposed to be here next Friday for me and it has a humidifier supplied with it so I will give it a shot to see if it helps or makes a difference.

Fred

[builta]

Hi,

I know of no requirement that makes it necessary to use a humidifier with CPAP. A CPAP humidifier is considered to be a "Comfort item."

I personally live in an area that is typically somewhat dry and it is very unususal for my "In Home" humidity to exceed 40 percent relative humidity. So, adding humidity is a comfort for me that makes my nose and throat feel better.

When I travel to more tropical areas where humidity is typically higher (like Florida in the USA), I find hat I have no need for the humidifier. There seems to be more then enough humidity in the air. Actually I've found that in these more "tropical areas" that I would suffer more from "Rain out" and find that I wake up alot during the night because of water in the hose or inside my mask. I found that when that happens, I am much more comfortable totally turning off the humidifier. My humidifier is an integrated model so, I would turn it ff and not fill it with any water.

[JohnBFisher]

I sometimes use a humidifier. I sometimes do not. It helps some to have the humidifier (less of a sore nose in the morning), but I've lived a long, logn time without it.

Do you use distilled water? Mold normally only grows if there is a food source. Distilled water has NO food sources.

But yes, if you don't need it, you don't need to use the humidifier.

[Snorkler]

I found that being in a area with higher humidity (over 80 percent most of the time) means that I can turn the heater off and just use the humidifier without the heat (passive humidifier). In a higher humidity location if I use heat, even on the lowest setting, then I get too much rain out.

[DaveMunson]

Last summer we had a very WET summer. A LOT of rain. Very humid and mild temperature (left the windows open). For the first time since 2005, I disconnected and turned off my heated humidifier and ran the cpap without it until the humidity went down. I ran it for a while with water but no heat (as Snorkler did) but removed the tank to see if it made a difference.

Try it and see how it goes. I was comfortable without a humidifier. If you air condition your bed room to the point where the ambient room air is dry you may need it but otherwise....

[sleeplessinaz]

Hello--I live in a dry climate so yes--a humifier is a must for me. I have the setting on 2 and sometime go up to a 3 when it is summer here and we have our air on. So it all depends on your climate and your comfort whether or not you need one,

Carrie

[warrain]

Thank you all for your generous responses. You have been very helpful. In fine weather, humidity here this time of year is around 60-65%. I'm sure the mould problem is because I haven't used distilled water. It wasn't even mentioned by the therapist when I was trained to use the gear. It is on my shopping list today! I tried CPAP without the humidifier last night and, strangely, found the air delivery to be much much louder. Plus I had a very dry mouth. Probably is a comfort thing so I'll try the distilled water tonight and see how it goes.

Thanks again everyone.

[AirBreather]

I didn't use a humidifier during my first few months of CPAP usage many years ago and the result was almost nonstop sneezing and other sinus problems during the daytime. MY GP prescribed a variety of nasal sprays and oral medications over those months that did nothing to cure the problems. Finally I realized that the CPAP might be drying out my nasal passages. I went back to my sleep doctor. He agreed that was the likely cause and he prescribed a humidifier. My nasal problems almost immediately disappeared when I started using the humidifier.

I have almost always used a humidifier since, but on rare occasions when I haven't for one reason or another I have invariably spent the next day constantly sneezing. In my case, a humidifier is much more than a comfort item. It is a necessity.

However, there is little doubt that the need for a humidifier depends in part on local climatic conditions. The humidity here in Utah tends to be very low compared to most parts of the world and sometimes drops to less than ten-percent in the summer. The need for a humidifier with very dry air coming into a CPAP machine obviously will be much different than in areas where the incoming air is moist.

[FinceMgr]

Need no, desired, yes. I live in the dessert so I have had a humidifier since day one. It is a passive or non-heated device. At first I thought to buy a heated device, and still may. But I am having none of the rainout problems frequently associated with a heated device, and appreciate filling it just once a week not daily as required for a heated device. While somewhat peripheral to the humidifier conversation the other night when too lazy to clean the humidifier I found that the noise at my mask was much increased without it. Needless to say I cleaned the humidifier attached it and went to sleep. Also recognize the Devilbiss 9100D passover device has a highly baffled reservoir which likely contributes significantly to the noise attenuation characteristics. The inside looks like a muffler.

I'd appreciate thoughts on the need for a humidifier. ...