Nasal Pillow Mask Users!!

So, I am going in for my mask fitting and to get my machine in 13 days. I am super excited but still so confused at the same time. Here's why:

So when I had my Titration part of my sleep study, they initially gave me a nasal pillow mask, the Airfit 10 for her. So I initially thought, wow... ok, I could do this one. Simply from the appearance that it doesn't have a whole mess of straps all over the face, and it seems like it would probably be the most comfortable. Well, when she put it on me, the air flow shooting directly into my nasal cavities almost burned. It definitely was uncomfortable.

I ended up sleeping the night away with a Wisp Nasal Mask, and actually slept pretty well with it. It seems comfy, didn't move really, didn't have any leaks.

Before I go into this thinking the nasal pillow is not for me, I wanted to know if the burning or stinging sensation goes away at any point. Did it take getting use to having that stream of air straight into the nose?

I don't know what to tell you because I've never experienced the burning and stinging you are talking about. With nasal pillows I really can't feel the airflow in my nose at all--I have to put my hand over the exhaust to see if it's really flowing or not.

But if you had a great night with the Wisp, I'd start there. The Wisp is a great mask and you already know you're comfortable with it. Once you get more used to all this, you can experiment with nasal pillows, but I'd start out with something that is most likely to give you success right out of the gate.

Thanks for the advice!! I was sent home with both of the masks from my study, so I do have them both as back ups so am thinking I should try something different just to see. It makes me wonder though, if my nose was just sensitive that day or something. I for sure could feel the air. I wonder what that is about. Maybe when I do the fittings I can try a different pillow and see if it is just that one in particular. This whole thing just fascinates me. I have literally been sleepy every day of my life that I can remember. I literally slept through all of my high school classes, and easily fall asleep sitting up at my desk. I can't wait to see if that goes away and what I feel like with a good nights rest.

My guess is that ANY first experience with a mask is at least startling, if not downright scary. During my titration study, the tech first had me put on a full face mask. While fitting it, she asked me questions and I answered. Then she switched me to a nasal mask, again asked questions, and when I tried to answer a huge whoosh of air came out my mouth. It startled me so badly that I yanked the mask off and almost threw it back at the tech. It was just a matter of not being told what to expect, but in the moment it was rather frightening. So don't give up on the idea of nasal pillows, just give yourself time to get used to the one that worked.

iluvminpins wrote: Did it take getting use to having that stream of air straight into the nose?

There is no "stream of air straight into the nose". When the CPAP system is working properly, it just creates a gentle pressure in the nasal passages and airway.

I guess what I am trying to describe as a "stream of air straight into the nose" is because in the pillow mask, it was like ear buds that go into the nostrils so the air is actually coming through the small holes in these "nasal buds" so to speak. The full nasal mask the air comes into the part that goes over the whole end of your nose so it seems dissipated. To me, it's like a water hose in a sense, when you turn it one way it is a "stream" of water, and when you open it up wider it becomes a "spray" of water. The pressure of the stream feels stronger than the spray, even if it is the same amount of water shooting out at a time. Does that make sense?

Sorry if I am not describing it in a medical way, but this was my experience when I tried one versus the other. I'm guessing that no one else felt that?

Like CGranny said there really should not be any stream of air, other than maybe during the first few seconds when you put the mask on and before you get a seal.

Once you have a seal, the movement of air through your nostrils should be the same. I'm not sure how you would be getting a different stream vs spray feeling if you have a good seal.

One thing might be that you are a little bit sensitive to humidity. That can give you a burning feeling if too dry. From what I have seen the machines used for titration often don't have a humidifier or may not be set at a setting that suits you. A nasal mask might pick up a little more moisture from the skin surrounding your nose than the nasal pillows. Perhaps try the nasal pillows with a bit more humidity and see if it is still an issue.

iluvminpins wrote:I guess what I am trying to describe as a "stream of air straight into the nose" is because in the pillow mask, it was like ear buds that go into the nostrils so the air is actually coming through the small holes in these "nasal buds" so to speak. The full nasal mask the air comes into the part that goes over the whole end of your nose so it seems dissipated. To me, it's like a water hose in a sense, when you turn it one way it is a "stream" of water, and when you open it up wider it becomes a "spray" of water. The pressure of the stream feels stronger than the spray, even if it is the same amount of water shooting out at a time. Does that make sense?

Sorry if I am not describing it in a medical way, but this was my experience when I tried one versus the other. I'm guessing that no one else felt that?

That's exactly why I like my FF mask better than pillows.

I have actually had that burning happen a couple of times. It's been a long time ago but was related to the positioning of the nasal pillow at least for me.

Start out with what you know works and as you gain experience and confidence you can always revisit the nasal pillows later.
When you do decide to try them just play with them while awake and watching TV and under no stress to "get to sleep".
That way you can try various sizes and fittings to see if it helps or not.

iluvminpins wrote: Does that make sense?

Whatever. You just need to figure out which mask you can live with. That is often the biggest hurdle.

So, don't get discouraged if you have to do some experimenting with different masks. And continue to ask as you have more experiences. There are users here of every mask on the market. They have good experience with learning to use their mask.

I never felt what you are describing. I love my pillow mask--as much as I can love anything that is strapped to my face. At first that initial burst of air when I put it on was startling, but it's second nature now. I actually don't feel the air going up my nasal passages at all--but I sure feel it if it leaks!

It's trial and error with masks. I went through three before I settled on the Nuance pillow mask. That works great for me.

What place exactly is burning? Is it the little patches of mucosa right next to the openings in the pillows? Or is it a big area inside the whole nasal passages?

If it's the first case, the problem is probably that the openings of the pillows are too close to the nasal mucosa. You might be able to fix this by using larger pillows that don't protrude so far into the nostrils. They barely need to protrude at all.

In both cases, more humidity may help. You can do this with both a room humidifier and a humidifer attached to the CPAP machine.

When I first started using different masks, I would get a burning more so with different masks. I have used 10 different masks and have ended up with 2. My burning was eliminated by increasing the humidity. It felt like breathing cold air but the air wasn't cold. I may be like Pugsy as I need a lot of water going into my nose....