dirty filter cause headaches?

[newname]

I keep forgetting to change the filters in my cpap and was wondering why I had headaches all the time. When I remembered to change the filters I saw that my white filter was gray. How does a dirty filter affect treatment? Seriously, does any one know? I always thought a dirty filter would be bad for the lungs, but why a headache? Or is this just a coincidence?
I also was waking up with very very dry mouth even though I had the humidifier on 5.
In the sleep lab they claimed I was not a mouth breather, but do they really have any way to check for this?

[Ineedanap]

Looking forward to the answer to this one, I havent changed my filter either.

[ThirdOutOfFive]

This is strictly a guess. . . Maybe the filter has all it can hold, and particulates are getting through that wouldn't otherwise? Or, maybe the air flow is disrupted by the full filter? Or, maybe, it's just this awful allergy season that much of us are suffering through? Does the answer really matter? Change (or clean) the filter & see if the headaches stay away.

[davelikesbeer]

I can't see a dirty filter causing headaches.

I imagine when a filter gets full, it creates more resistance so the blower must work harder to maintain the correct pressure. Alternatively, it could force the air to go around the blocked filter some how letting particles in. In any case, I doubt very much the amount of dust in the filter would do too much damage to your nose or lungs. I suspect if you breathed through such a filter during the entire day, you'd see lots of gunk in there.

[Snoozie]

Well, I only know that EVERY time my filter is dirty, I get a migraine and feel just out of it and not alert. However, I was first diagnosed as NEEDING CPAP because I was getting constant migraines, and once I started therapy they disappeared. If your filter is dirty, you are not getting maximum air. There is a reason we have a filter on these things!

[islandboy5150@yahoo.com]

I haven't changed my filter but once in five years, no headaches no problems either. Filter was a tad bit grey, but not bad. Didnt really need changing i don't think.

[chunkyfrog]

When we were remodeling, my filter clogged up fast--now, not so much.
I look at the filter periodically, shake the dirt out, and if it's still nasty, change it.
--whenever I think about it.

[BlackSpinner]

I keep forgetting to change the filters in my cpap and was wondering why I had headaches all the time. When I remembered to change the filters I saw that my white filter was gray. How does a dirty filter affect treatment? Seriously, does any one know? I always thought a dirty filter would be bad for the lungs, but why a headache? Or is this just a coincidence?
I also was waking up with very very dry mouth even though I had the humidifier on 5.
In the sleep lab they claimed I was not a mouth breather, but do they really have any way to check for this?

You could be allergic to the dust and a clean filter works better.

If you are waking up with a dry mouth you are opening your mouth. You only slept a few hours in the lab and it was not representative of your regular sleep patterns, losing therapy through your mouth is far more likely to be causing your headaches.

[sleeplessinaz]

It is not a dirty filter causing you headaches --it is probably the humidifier on 5!! If I have mine turned up too high --I get morning headaches. Try turning it down to a 4 or even a 3 --I bet the headaches go away--:)

Carrie

[Alshain]

I've been having headaches the last few days, but it's the sinus pressure.

Humidifier settings wouldn't cause headaches.

[JointPain]

You might not have been a mouth breather at the sleep study, but that can change. I didn't when I had mine, but now I do often enough to wear a chinstrap every night.

Try a chinstrap and monitor your leak data and see if there's any correlation with your dry mouth and headaches.

Unless the filter is preventing the CPAP from delivering enough pressure, I don't see how a dirty filter could be an issue. I would hope (perhaps unwisely) that that would cause error messages and alarms.

I wouldn't rule out incorrect-for-you humidifier settings causing headaches, but I think mouth breathing is more likely based on what you've said.

[Sheriff Buford]

I may be strange (everybody watch it!!! ), but I change my filter around the first of every month (the 1st helps me remember). It may be too much, but to me, the consequences of either not swapping them out or waiting too long, are more important to my well being. I searched the web and found cpapfiltersand supplies.com had the cheapest filters. I don't want the cost of a cheap filter to prevent me from breathing fresh air into my lungs, approx. one third of my life.

Sheriff

[Sheriff Buford]

I may be strange (everybody watch it!!! ), but I change my filter around the first of every month (the 1st helps me remember). It may be too much, but to me, the consequences of either not swapping them out or waiting too long, are more important to my well being. I searched the web and found cpapfiltersand supplies.com had the cheapest filters. I don't want the cost of a cheap filter to prevent me from breathing fresh air into my lungs, approx. one third of my life.

And I don't smoke like the REAL Sheriff Buford did...

Sheriff

[newname]

BlackSpinner: I have reason to believe I am a mouth breather, but the sleep lab keeps saying I'm not. How do I get an accurate sleep study?

[newname]

sleeplessinaz: why would the humidifier set at 5 cause a headache? I turned it up that high to try to prevent dry mouth.