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virus nose to lungs from cpap

Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2012 2:21 pm
by nobody
Do you think that the cpap could push a virus from your nose to your lungs? I have a bad cold or flu and last night tried to sleep with my mask on. I slept a few hours with it and now today I'm wheezing, rattling and coughing. It's went into my lungs. Do you think the cpap could have pushed it in there during the night from my runny nose? or is it just a coincidence. Maybe I shouldn't use the cpap when sick???

Re: virus nose to lungs from cpap

Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2012 3:16 pm
by Julie
I can't remember ever getting a cold that didn't end up in my lower respiratory system (bronchi or lungs), so I think it's just a coincidence, and if anything, Cpap could even be helping it not to be even worse, especially if you possibly have some form of pneumonia (it happens ).

Re: virus nose to lungs from cpap

Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2012 3:17 pm
by Pugsy
Just a coincidence. Pulmonary symptoms most likely would have happened anyway. It is the nature of upper respiratory infections. Any germs or viruses in the oral cavity during the day...make their way to the lungs when you inhale during the day anyway. They go to the lungs all on their own and don't need to be pushed anywhere. You should continue to use your machine even when you have respiratory illness...just be sure to wash things really well when the illness has passed.

Re: virus nose to lungs from cpap

Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2012 3:45 pm
by BlackSpinner
nobody wrote:Do you think that the cpap could push a virus from your nose to your lungs? I have a bad cold or flu and last night tried to sleep with my mask on. I slept a few hours with it and now today I'm wheezing, rattling and coughing. It's went into my lungs. Do you think the cpap could have pushed it in there during the night from my runny nose? or is it just a coincidence. Maybe I shouldn't use the cpap when sick???
When you are sick you need your cpap more not less! It does not "push the virus into the lungs" It is the same air that you breath without cpap. The pressure is only slightly higher, any more then taking a big deep sudden breath would do it.

Turn your humidity way up and use your cpap.

Re: virus nose to lungs from cpap

Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2012 4:02 pm
by Janknitz
Take a nice, hard deep breath through your nose. Did you just push virus into your lungs? It's an open system, and CPAP will make no difference--it's probably not as much force as that deep breath.

Usually when people get lung symptoms like that it's NOT an infection in the lungs, it is caused by your body's immune response to the virus in your system. You may cough because your lungs fill with mucous, just like a runny nose, and your bronchioles may spasm. Sometimes all that mucous in your lungs creates a nice breeding ground for bacteria so a secondary infection is possible, but it's usually not because some "virus got pushed into your lungs".

When I have an URI, I make extra efforts to clean my CPAP equipment, especially if I've been coughing or sneezing in it. I usually don't use the CPAP if I'm in that really "gooey" stage of a cold, simply because it's very unpleasant to deal with a runny nose and sneezes in the mask!