Nasal mask effects sense of smell?

G'day!

My doctor recommended briefly when I saw him at my sleep study that I switch from a full face mask to nasal only with chin strap because I have okay nostril airways (probably from years of picking my nose! Joke!). I just wanted to check, using the Nasal mask doesn't lower your sense of smell does it from the pressure in through the nose and other factors? I remember reading something but I can't remember where I read it.

Regards,

Matty

I've never read that anywhere, but some over the counter steroid nose sprays now off the market have been known to do that. My sense of smell has been returning slowly after trying one of those, some years back. The CPAP in the nostril type mask is probably helping that not hindering it by keeping congestion down.

ALSO: my nasal airways are not all that great, owing to a lifetime of allergies, but when you have positive pressure going directly into the nose via the nostrils, then you have no pressure on the outside of the nose, which has the effect of OPENING your nasal airways. Even if I'm completely stuffed up, I can put my cpap on and breathe without taking a Claritin. Which is good because I can't afford Flonase at the moment. Although I may break down and get some anyway--it is pretty cheap at costco. (and you don't have to be a member to use the pharmacy)

funny you bring this up... i'm not sure when, but a couple years ago, not sure exactly when, i completely lost my sense of smell. i have a deviated septum and could never adjust to a nasal mask. i always use full face. i did try flonase steady for a couple years about ten years ago. it didn't help. i still try it now and then, but not much.

my feeling is that my smell loss had nothing to do with cpap or flonase. loss of smell can be a bleessing in that you can't smell certain things, but a curse because you can't smell things like smoke, gas leak or spoiled food. one day the air handler had an internal electrical fire that contained itself. everybody except me smelled the wires burning.

Matty332 wrote:G'day!

My doctor recommended briefly when I saw him at my sleep study that I switch from a full face mask to nasal only with chin strap because I have okay nostril airways (probably from years of picking my nose! Joke!). I just wanted to check, using the Nasal mask doesn't lower your sense of smell does it from the pressure in through the nose and other factors? I remember reading something but I can't remember where I read it.

Regards,

Matty

Try the Hybrid by respcare. Much safer and more comfortable then a chin strap. It hasn't changed my sense of smell, except when I first take it off in the morning I can smell the dust in the air and other VOC's more intensely

No problem with my sniffer.
I knew right away that a mouse had perished in the heat duct that vents behind the nightstand.

My sinuses were finally open for the first time in YEARS since I started with a nasal mask. I was bothered somewhat by the INCREASED sense of smell--not only for good things but yucky things as well. It's a mixed blessing!

The trick is to have the humidifier adjusted properly so that you have enough humidity to keep your nasal passages from drying out from the direct air blowing in, and not too much humidity that it INCREASES your nasal congestion. That takes a bit of experimentation at first.