Air Leaks - Are they important to eliminate?

marqisme · Post by **marqisme** » Thu Jan 28, 2016 1:51 pm

How important is it to eliminate air leaks? I am new to all of this and last month I started using a mask (nasal, Swift Fx) and except for high air leak (46 m/l) all seems to be doing well: AHI, AI, and Central AI are .2 or .1. Events per hour are under .4. But the Mask Seal indicator on my Resmed Air Sense 10 shows .

I believe the leaks are from my mouth, I use a chin strap and that takes care of the leak awaking me, but the leak number is still high.

Should I care about the air leak number?

palerider · Post by **palerider** » Thu Jan 28, 2016 2:02 pm

marqisme wrote:Should I care about the air leak number?

yes, you should. if the leaks are too high (much above 24lpm, the machine starts to progressively lose it's ability to differentiate what kind of events you're having, and even to detect events.

pull up your data in sleepyhead and start looking at your leak graph, and let's see what's going on.

a single number, or frowny face tells little.

Julie · Post by **Julie** » Thu Jan 28, 2016 2:33 pm

Chin straps don't keep your lips closed.

palerider · Post by **palerider** » Thu Jan 28, 2016 2:52 pm

Julie wrote:Chin straps don't keep your lips closed.

they just keep your teeth together, and teeth aren't air tight

chunkyfrog · Post by **chunkyfrog** » Thu Jan 28, 2016 3:26 pm

This is why some folks tape, much to the horror of providers, and others.
Chin-up strips are a reasonable compromise, but costly.
I have cut my own out of wide masking tape, but I wish they made a nice paper tape 2" wide.

marqisme · Post by **marqisme** » Thu Jan 28, 2016 10:18 pm

Thanks all, very helpful... especially the sleepyhead site as it gave detailed information on causes and problems with leaks. I'll be looking at the data and figure out what's up. I'll try taping and if that doesnt work a ffm and see what happens.

blownaway · Post by **blownaway** » Thu Jan 28, 2016 10:43 pm

chunkyfrog wrote: I have cut my own out of wide masking tape, but I wish they made a nice paper tape 2" wide.

3M makes a 2" paper tape but I wouldn't call it nice. Its thin and hard to use, curls around on itself and gets stuck together. Sticks to skin ok.

Air Leaks - Are they important to eliminate?

Air Leaks - Are they important to eliminate?

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