Do Full Face masks help with nasal congestion?

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paradiddle
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Do Full Face masks help with nasal congestion?

Post by paradiddle » Fri Jan 22, 2010 12:53 am

I was looking at FF masks online because I've been having a problem with dry mouth. I think I may be mouth breathing at times and I have tried a chin strap. While reading the ad for a FF mask it says "If you have frequent nasal congestion or just want a mask that you can wear when you have allergies or a cold, the Ultra Mirage full face mask is the answer."

I battle nasal congestion all the time. I have done everything else except for a mask change.

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barry15
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Re: Do Full Face masks help with nasal congestion?

Post by barry15 » Fri Jan 22, 2010 1:49 am

I used a nasal mask (Ultra Mirage) for many years, and I have always battled nasal congestion. Recently I got a Quattro full face mask, and it does indeed seem to be helping with the nasal congestion. I am not sure why it helps. I think I still breathe through my nose when I sleep, but when I am awake in the night, and my nose is congested, I breathe through my mouth for a while, and the nasal congestion seems to get better after a few minutes. I don't understand why that happens, and I am still doing various tests (Claritin, Flonase, Patanase, saline spray, different humidifier settings, etc), but for now, the full face mask gives me my most restful sleep. I think my AHI might be a little higher with it, compared to my nasal mask, but most of my events come when I am awake during the night and trying to get back to sleep, so I am not concerned about the AHI, which runs from about 2 to about 7, but mostly about 3 to 4.

I don't know what I will end up with, but for me, the full face mask was a big help with nasal congestion.

Incidentally, I have found that lower humidifier settings are also helpful, which is the opposite of what I expected when I recently got a heated humidifier, after using a passive one for many years. My pressure is pretty low (right now I have it set at 6 to 8.5), and leaks are worse for me with the full face mask, so that might be a consideration for you, if your pressure is high. On the other hand, I suspect that most leak problems are caused by mask fit, and you might have to just try different masks until you find one that suits your face.

Best of luck with it. Nasal congestion is the pits, when it comes to CPAP use.

Barry

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Julie
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Re: Do Full Face masks help with nasal congestion?

Post by Julie » Fri Jan 22, 2010 4:51 am

Lower your humidifier settings and see if that doesn't help. I use an UM FF too but don't think mask type is directly responsible for congestion or lack of it.

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Re: Do Full Face masks help with nasal congestion?

Post by greyhound » Fri Jan 22, 2010 8:47 am

I've found that nasal pillows work well as long as there's some air that can get through the nasal congestion. On the other hand, if your nose is 100% congested, a full face mask may be your only alternative.

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Re: Do Full Face masks help with nasal congestion?

Post by BlackSpinner » Fri Jan 22, 2010 8:58 am

A full face mask helps not so much your congestion but your cpap therapy because despite your congestion you keep breathing with open air passages wheter you breath through your nose or not. You may still have a dry mouth but at least you are still breathing.

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Re: Do Full Face masks help with nasal congestion?

Post by Wulfman » Fri Jan 22, 2010 9:02 am

Even "hard core" nasal mask/pillows users (who have been on this therapy for any length of time) will admit that they have a full face mask tucked away for those times when they have colds or other varieties of nasal congestion.

In my opinion, the UMFF is the best.


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Komodo
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Re: Do Full Face masks help with nasal congestion?

Post by Komodo » Fri Jan 22, 2010 9:36 am

I switched (for a short time) from a nasal to fullface because of nasal congestion, and, because of mouth breathing. Pretty much what you're talking about.

In my case, I had mixed results. My leak rate went to ~Zero~, which is good. I had no problem breathing through my nose or mouth with the FFM, which is good. The bad, was very bad. My AHI went through the roof!!! The FFM pushed on my chin slightly, but enough to push my jaw backwards and blocked off the airway. NOT good.
Another "bad" was severe dry mouth in the morning. That doesn't bother me, but you did mention it, so I thought I'd bring it up.

There are a LOT of people here who have ~Zero~ problems with a FFM, I'm the exception. I would highly reccommend you at least TRY a FFM, it may solve all your problems. While I can't use mine every night (I WISH I COULD!!!), I do use it when my congestion is really bad. A little therapy is better than none at all.

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cpapper
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Re: Do Full Face masks help with nasal congestion?

Post by cpapper » Fri Jan 22, 2010 11:01 am

I was looking at FF masks online because I've been having a problem with dry mouth.
In regard to the dry mouth problem.... my experience is that I still get a dry mouth with the full face mask, as I did with the nasal mask. But my A1H numbers are much lower (from a 5+ to 2 or lower) with the FF mask and better over all results. I would assume that if you still are occasionally mouth breathing with the FF mask, that your mouth will still get dry. And I think age has something to do with dry mouth....I'm in the older category.
To breathe or not to breathe.......

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paradiddle
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Re: Do Full Face masks help with nasal congestion?

Post by paradiddle » Fri Jan 22, 2010 11:30 am

Some good comments !! It looks like a UMFF may be worth a try. At least as a back up when I am freaking out with complete occasional congestion at bedtime.

Last night I tried another method - I raised pressure from 13.0 to 13.4 (that was setting after last titration on my Respironics).
That small difference seemed very good. I also raised my head with more pillows. Raised humidity to III. I also cranked up on lower straps to help any leaks
Slept pretty good until major t-storms came thru Orlando at 5 am.
I have just started checking my data and my leak went up to .8. ?? I will need more data over time to get a sense.

Things I have tried: no/passive humidity, very low settings etc., Saline spray, Q-tips and nasal gel, Q-tips and antibiotic cream, loratadine 10mg, Nasal spray ( sometimes I alternate one nostril for another), Flonase,

Dry mouth I can deal with but the nasal congestion drives me crazy.

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Re: Do Full Face masks help with nasal congestion?

Post by Muse-Inc » Sat Jan 23, 2010 12:09 am

Try the mask I wear: RespCare Hybrid, comfort of pillows, security of not losing therapy air, and can mouth breathe for nights of major congestion. It's the original hybrid-stype mask (ResMed makes one called the Liberty).
Image
Here's the description: https://www.cpap.com/productpage/RespCa ... -Mask.html

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paradiddle
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Re: Do Full Face masks help with nasal congestion?

Post by paradiddle » Thu Jan 28, 2010 1:07 pm

paradiddle wrote:Some good comments !! It looks like a UMFF may be worth a try. At least as a back up when I am freaking out with complete occasional congestion at bedtime.

Last night I tried another method - I raised pressure from 13.0 to 13.4 (that was setting after last titration on my Respironics).
That small difference seemed very good. I also raised my head with more pillows. Raised humidity to III. I also cranked up on lower straps to help any leaks
Slept pretty good until major t-storms came thru Orlando at 5 am.
I have just started checking my data and my leak went up to .8. ?? I will need more data over time to get a sense.

Things I have tried: no/passive humidity, very low settings etc., Saline spray, Q-tips and nasal gel, Q-tips and antibiotic cream, loratadine 10mg, Nasal spray ( sometimes I alternate one nostril for another), Flonase,

Dry mouth I can deal with but the nasal congestion drives me crazy.
Just to update my status now that I am following my RESMED data every morning
1) I taped my mouth plus a chin strp and leak went down to .06.
2) I have been using just a chin strap and leak is still under .1
3) I used a neti pot last night and it seemed to clean me out and I didn't have as much trouble with closed nostrils
4) Humidity is set at 2.5.
5) AHI has been under 4.0 all the time.
6) EPR raised to 3.

Even though my data looks I have good days and bad days with energy level.
Tracking my O2 would be the next thing for me to look at with an oximeter

I had a bid on CPAP auction on a FFM mask but lost. I still want to try one

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grady61
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Re: Do Full Face masks help with nasal congestion?

Post by grady61 » Thu Jan 28, 2010 2:13 pm

Just to add something as far as nasal congestion. Whatever you do try to avoid using afrin type sprays unless you just plan to use it a few days. Otherwise you could end up with a condition known as rebound congestion and will be addicted more or less to nasal spray which is bad juju imo. I fell into the rebound congestion pit and can be a real bear to break the habit.

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Re: Do Full Face masks help with nasal congestion?

Post by fidelfs » Thu Jan 28, 2010 9:31 pm

I have so much trouble with congestion and mucus, I used afrin and I have never had any problem with rebound for several years. When my cold or allergy is gone, then I stop Afrin and no rebound. Well that is a different subject, if it causes rebound or not.

I tried everything to eliminate the congestion, nasonex, neti pot, allegra, etc. Nothing seemed to help. I also used Walgreens Nasal Spray (copy of Ocean from Flemming pharmaceuticals) and it didn't help. Every time I blew my nose I had blood on my mucus. I live in Houston, TX and work in Denver (for 15 days and then I fly back to Houston for the weekend). The dryness in Denver plus the CPAP therapy is causing the congestion.
I decided to try the real thing Ocean Saline spray, WoW, WoW. It has cleared my congestion, keeping my sinus moist. Blood has almost gone, I stopped Afrin cold turkey (I told you I have never had any rebound problem) and I breathe with my nose again. Hurray for Ocean!

Maybe your case is different but for me, it was the dryness in Denver compared to Houston that was causing my congestion.

Well back to the topic. I dread the Full Face Mask because I cannot have a good seal ( I am fat and my NEW DME, told me the problem is the extra meat in my cheeks cause the seal to break and the leak starts). The Ultra Mirage Full Face has been the worst mask I could ever tried. It didn't let me sleep with the flatulent noise and leaks, so I couldn't rest. I am trying the the Respironics ComfortGel Full, well the word comfort should be eliminated from the mask, but the leaks are 80% less than the Ultra Mirage. I just wake up a few times to re-accommodate the mask.

I can say that the Full Face mask does not help nasal congestion, the difference is that it does not exacerbate the problem, so Ocean Nasal Spray is doing its job plus the Full Face mask helps not causing more problems.

My problem is my nose is not ready for direct CPAP therapy provided by a nasal pillow, and I don't know if it will be any day.I don't know if a Hybrid can help my case because my nose problems.

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Re: Do Full Face masks help with nasal congestion?

Post by Muse-Inc » Thu Jan 28, 2010 9:39 pm

fidelfs wrote:...I don't know if a Hybrid can help my case because my nose problems.
I have 30+ yrs allergies, chronic sinusitis, vasomotor rhinitis, gustatory rhinitis (in my case from eating wheat), Hybrid works great! I can breathe thru mouth if nose gets blocked from congestion. It comes with 3 sizes of oral cushions and 3 sizes of pillows so that might make getting a good fit easier for you; the oral cushion surrounds your mouth, doesn't really sit on cheeks.

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paradiddle
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Re: Do Full Face masks help with nasal congestion?

Post by paradiddle » Thu Apr 08, 2010 7:25 pm

well I have tried my new FFM a couple of times now. Poor results.... not leaking but I find that I get chipmunk cheeks if I relax my mouth. I was hoping that I could use FFM for the bad nights with congestion.

Back to congestion or should I clarify, swollen nasal passages. I get up in the morning and when I make my coffee I clear right up. Breath just fine. I have been reading that the "inferior" turbinates get swollen with blood as it pools while lying on your back. They say if you sleep on your side that one nasal passage will be clear.

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