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bridge of my nose HURTS!

Posted: Mon Aug 03, 2009 8:30 am
by Melne
I just got my machine a couple days ago, and after the first night of wearing the mask that goes over my nose and mouth, the bridge of my nose hurts and is very sore. I tried making the mask a little more loose on my face, but when I did that, air was leaking out of the top by my nose and eyes.

The next night i tried a different mask...same mouth and nose coverage but a different brand and different size. I made sure that this time it was a little bit looser on my face so that it wouldn't hurt the bridge of my nose...but it still did. Last night I couldn't even use the machine at all because it hurt so bad to even put the mask on.

I was contemplating asking my doctor for the kind of mask that just rests underneath your nose...but I am a mouth breather...and I have a deviated septum. I read somewhere that nasal only masks aren't good for people with deviated septums. Does anyone know is that is actually true? If so, can anybody give me advice on how to stop these masks from killing my nose?!

Re: bridge of my nose HURTS!

Posted: Mon Aug 03, 2009 8:42 am
by dels
I found by placing a small strip of a product called "tegaderm" like a second cushy skin barrier, just over the bridge of my nose it really helped heal and cushion it. Then I use on normal times a small piece of a thin transparent dressing called tegaderm"( there are many kinds, opsite is another same thing) and I cut a strip to fit over the bridge of my nose which helps alot.

Re: bridge of my nose HURTS!

Posted: Mon Aug 03, 2009 8:48 am
by Wulfman
WHICH full face mask(s) are you trying?

What you describe is representative of having it too tight. Masks like the UMFF and Quattro (typically) need to "float" on your face as the air from inside need to expand the seals to seal it to your face. I wear mine with no angle on the forehead piece and the top straps very loose.......any tension needed is on the bottom straps.

Den

Re: bridge of my nose HURTS!

Posted: Mon Aug 03, 2009 9:17 am
by vines
The bridge of my nose is dented and the skin stays irritated. I have my full-face Resmed so tight that my head throbs. If I loosen it even slightly it leaks. My pressure is 18 and I'm not overweight. I, too, am a mouth breather. I use a 2-inch wide chinstrap to keep it closed. This only adds to the throbbing. I have tried 2 other full-face masks, including the Quattro, and 3 different types of nose pillow masks with no reasonable improvement. Even though I don't like the nose pillows, I am thinking about ordering a CPAP PRO. If that doesn't work I might need a custom-made full-face mask. Anybody had a mask custom-made? Did it fix you?

Re: bridge of my nose HURTS!

Posted: Mon Aug 03, 2009 10:22 am
by LinkC
vines wrote: I, too, am a mouth breather ... I am thinking about ordering a CPAP PRO.
From what I've read the two would be incompatible.

Re: bridge of my nose HURTS!

Posted: Mon Aug 03, 2009 4:50 pm
by Jason S.
It may take awhile for your nose to "toughen". In the meantime you could try a simple fabric bandage, which provides some padding without so much to cause leaks. I have found that the Mirage Quattro is easier on the nose than the ComfortGel.

Re: bridge of my nose HURTS!

Posted: Mon Aug 03, 2009 5:18 pm
by mattman
I used a small piece of moleskin the first couple nights.

After that, I just dealt with it and in about 2 weeks my nose toughened up and it stopped hurting. Now it's not a problem at all.

I know that's not exactly the greatest answer but it did work for me.

It was bad enough at first that I couldn't even wear sunglasses it hurt so much!

Re: bridge of my nose HURTS!

Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2009 6:05 am
by WindFlyer
Another thing to keep in mind, Melne, is that a sore nose bridge could also be a result of the vertical position of the mask on your face- not just from strap tension. I've found that as I move the mask up vertically on my face, it lessens the pressure on my nose bridge. The flipside of this is that the higher up it goes the more it tends to leak. You need to find the sweet spot in the middle. Move it up, and if it starts to leak, nudge it down until the leak stops, etc...

Re: bridge of my nose HURTS!

Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2009 9:18 am
by belrad
I also just started on CPAP (about week ago) and had similar problem with my first gel mask (Resmed Profile Lite Nasal). My bridge was hurting in the morning and I had red marks for several hours. Two days ago I switched to "Mirgate Activa LT Nasal" that feels somewhat softer and better, I see some marks at the morning (but not red), and they go away in one hour. (but I still have see some peeling skin where my first mask used to press against bridge of my nose)

Not sure if this new mask is better, or I just getting used to CPAP and getting better at adjusting tightness of the mask.

Re: bridge of my nose HURTS!

Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2009 10:10 am
by WindFlyer
belrad wrote:I see some marks at the morning (but not red), and they go away in one hour.
That's pretty normal in my experience.

Re: bridge of my nose HURTS!

Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2010 8:54 am
by Guest
i bought makeup remover pads from the dollorstore (the really soft thick ones) and cut it to fit where my nose hurts. Then I used a reg bandaid to secure it. It helped but my nose still hurts some. I am going to try nothing for a few weeks and see if my nose toughens up. I have a quattro mask.

Re: bridge of my nose HURTS!

Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2010 9:56 am
by mattman
Put me in the camp of it hurt for a while but I just dealt with it and after a few weeks it went away and is fine now.

Re: bridge of my nose HURTS!

Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2010 12:14 pm
by irishgranny
I have a similar problem. I use the Mirage LIberty by ResMed. It is a hybrid and altough not as comfortable as some of the other masks I have tried this one does not hurt the bridge of my nose as it has nasal pillows and covers the mouth. I also tried the comfort care pad for the bridge of my nose but found I had leakage problems with that item.

Re: bridge of my nose HURTS!

Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2010 12:49 pm
by djr1215
If you can get it try the Hybrid mask. It has both oral mask and nasal pillows connected together but it doesn't go over the bridge of the nose (look on cpap.com for pictures and to buy it if your DME can't or won't get it). I have deviated septum so breathe through my mouth sometimes and this is what I use.