Headgear is changing my skull???

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samofny
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Headgear is changing my skull???

Post by samofny » Sun Aug 23, 2009 6:51 pm

I've been using the Respironics ComfortLite 2 for over a year now. After a while, I started noticing that my skill had indentations where the headgear and straps touch my head, especially where most of the energy is dispersed. This is troubling and hope that it's not causing damage in some way. If I switch to another system, will my skull return to its original shape? Have others experienced this?

Sam

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Maple Leaf
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Re: Headgear is changing my skull???

Post by Maple Leaf » Sun Aug 23, 2009 7:14 pm

I've never heard of headgear causing impressions of the skull.... but I guess anything is possible? The headgear is worn nightly for approximately 8 hours, construction workers wear a heavy hardhat for 8 - 10 hours daily and I've never heard of the hat band causing impressions. Maybe someone else can answer your question.

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jnk
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Re: Headgear is changing my skull???

Post by jnk » Sun Aug 23, 2009 7:19 pm

Well, this is just off the top of my mis-shaped head, but are you sure it is the bone, your skull, that has changed? Or is it the flesh and skin?

I admit that I do seem to feel a slight indentation where my straps go, but I assume that is a good thing (maybe that is why my leak line is so low?). I doubt it is anything permanent. And I doubt anyone besides me would be able to notice it or feel it. I assume I can feel it because of how sensitive my fingers are at feeling my head.

I would assume an adult would have to wear pretty tight straps for a long, long time to actually change the skull much, if at all. But that is just an assumption on my part. I'm thinking the cowboys had to wear their hats pretty tight out on the windy plains, and in the pictures I've seen, none of them ended up looking like cone-heads.

I could always pad my straps for a while to put my squeezed mind at ease about it, and see if that makes a difference. Or I could use another mask with different headgear. But I'm thinking I wouldn't worry about it if I'm not getting headaches or being used as a professional head model. Bald heads that I've seen all seem to have some indentations and lumps and it just gives them character.

jeff

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Georgio
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Re: Headgear is changing my skull???

Post by Georgio » Sun Aug 23, 2009 7:48 pm

I am quite pleased with the effects CPAP has had on my skull!

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GumbyCT
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Re: Headgear is changing my skull???

Post by GumbyCT » Sun Aug 23, 2009 7:53 pm

samofny wrote:I started noticing that my skill had indentations where the headgear and straps touch my head, especially where most of the energy is dispersed. This is troubling and hope that it's not causing damage in some way. If I switch to another system, will my skull return to its original shape?
You say this like its a bad thing? I think it's a NO Brainer....but then what do I no??

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Julie
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Re: Headgear is changing my skull???

Post by Julie » Sun Aug 23, 2009 9:18 pm

Try feeling the indentations late in the day and you might realize they have disappeared - only last for a short time.

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DreamDiver
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Re: Headgear is changing my skull???

Post by DreamDiver » Mon Aug 24, 2009 7:16 am

You need to consult with a phrenologist - I'm sure a consulting phrenologist would tell you it could be aliens or vampires coming out at night to do the things they do.

I've noticed for myself that sometimes indentations from my mask last half the morning, especially when I sleep on my belly, and the mask is pressing against the bed. I'm inclined to guess you're noticing the same kinds of temporary indentations. How tight is your mask strapping?

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Rustyolddude
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Re: Headgear is changing my skull???

Post by Rustyolddude » Mon Aug 24, 2009 7:42 am

samofny wrote: After a while, I started noticing that my skill had indentations where the headgear and straps touch my head, especially where most of the energy is dispersed.
Sam

You mean index marks The indentations insure you get the same consistant fit each night

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Re: Headgear is changing my skull???

Post by jnk » Mon Aug 24, 2009 7:56 am

samofny wrote:I've been using the Respironics ComfortLite 2 for over a year now. After a while, I started noticing that my skill had indentations where the headgear and straps touch my head, especially where most of the energy is dispersed. This is troubling and hope that it's not causing damage in some way. If I switch to another system, will my skull return to its original shape? Have others experienced this?

Sam
For the record, samofny, I think your question is a very good one. The main reason I answered is that I have wondered about the same thing myself. So maybe it's a NY thing!

For me, it is the back of my head, just behind my ears, where I notice that the bottom straps of my LT seem to have made their mark. Or maybe I'm just imagining it. I don't know. Either way, I'm not sure any changing of my head shape would be a bad thing. It might be an improvement for me. Is that the same part of the head you are talking about?

Has anyone else noticed it, thought about it, wondered about it? Or am I and samofny the only ones? Straps affecting the head, not just the face?

Anybody . . . anybody . . .

jeff

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BleepingBeauty
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Re: Headgear is changing my skull???

Post by BleepingBeauty » Mon Aug 24, 2009 8:14 am

jnk wrote: Has anyone else noticed it, thought about it, wondered about it? Or am I and samofny the only ones? Straps affecting the head, not just the face?

Anybody . . . anybody . . .

jeff
I haven't noticed any indentations on my skull from my headgear, but I sure do have them behind my ears, where my eyeglasses hug my head. But whenever I've changed eyeglass frames, those previous indentations disappear and new ones are formed. Not a bad thing, IMO.
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carbonman
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Re: Headgear is changing my skull???

Post by carbonman » Mon Aug 24, 2009 8:20 am

Get a Papcap.
Anatomically correct shaping.
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Georgio
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Re: Headgear is changing my skull???

Post by Georgio » Mon Aug 24, 2009 8:41 am

Samofny.........you may be on to something. I was sceptical yesterday when I first read your post. This morning I reached around and felt the back of my head. Sure enough about 1-2 inches behind the tops of my ears I have grooves or indentations that feel like their at least 3/8 inches deep! Right at the strap location. No wonder my mask is staying put more!

The indentations actually seem to be in my skull, and not just the tissue on top. I guess this shouldn't be surprising considering I'm wearing a rather snug elastic apparatus strapped around my head 33% of the time. In my case at least this part of my head is still covered with hair. I may try to back off on the rear strap and snug up the top one to even out the pressure some. I snugged the top a little last night, it had started to loosen up some, and my leak rate went down last night.

Anyway, the subject deserves more attention, since wearing these constricting apparatus as much as we do is akin to the custom of binding women's feet as was done in China.

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DreamDiver
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Re: Headgear is changing my skull???

Post by DreamDiver » Mon Aug 24, 2009 2:17 pm

Georgio wrote:... wearing these constricting apparatus as much as we do is akin to the custom of binding women's feet as was done in China.

Georgio
Maybe it's more like a wedding ring, eh? A wedding band makes an indent in on your ring finger exactly like what you're talking about with the straps on your skull. Apparenty, the body is a pretty adaptable thing. Rustyolddude has probably gotten it right with the suggestion of 'index marks' to make it easier to stay put. Similarly with BleepingBeauty and her glasses. These seem more like adaptations of the scalp tissue than the skull. I have to admit, Georgio, it seems a little harder to accept that the bone of the skull may be actually forming indentations, but I won't discount the theory until it's either proven or disproven.

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samofny
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Re: Headgear is changing my skull???

Post by samofny » Wed Aug 26, 2009 8:33 am

Georgio wrote:since wearing these constricting apparatus as much as we do is akin to the custom of binding women's feet as was done in China.
That's exactly what I was thinking about when I posted this. I didn't want my head to turn into an unnatural shape like those women's feet. I decided to switch to a different mask with wider straps to see if that helps. I figure since the straps are wider they will distribute the energy over a greater surface, therefore reducing the force on a single area.

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Re: Headgear is changing my skull???

Post by Pugsy » Wed Aug 26, 2009 8:52 am

samofny wrote: Georgio wrote:since wearing these constricting apparatus as much as we do is akin to the custom of binding women's feet as was done in China.



That's exactly what I was thinking about when I posted this. I didn't want my head to turn into an unnatural shape like those women's feet. I decided to switch to a different mask with wider straps to see if that helps. I figure since the straps are wider they will distribute the energy over a greater surface, therefore reducing the force on a single area.
I can't see the comparison to the binding of young Chinese girls feet. If you read up on that practice it was started at a very young age (3 to 10 years) while the bones were still forming and the toes were actually forcefully broken and bent backwards, then bound. The strap pressures on an adult skull are nothing when compared to the binding technique.

Most likely the soft tissue has adjusted to the slight pressure of the straps dissipating normal bodily fluids. Ever see someone remove their eye glasses and see the indentations on their nose from the little pads? Tis really no different with the straps. The nasal structure is not altered but the soft tissue structure can be.

Of course it hurts nothing to change mask straps to help alleviate the tissue pressure. If a person was really concerned they could get a skull x-ray. Soft tissue changes (i.e. wedding ring or pad marks on the nose) can take a very long time for the body to change back to the way it was.

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