Help with bridge of nose?

[Caseous]

Hi, everyone. I'm a nasal mask user looking for one that won't hit me so hard on the bridge of the nose. I've tried pillows but they don't work so well for me. Is there a mask out there that people like that is easy on the bridge (my nose has a little bump on the bridge and the mask really hits it hard.) .

Any thoughts would be much appreciated!

Thanks.

[Miss Emerita]

Welcome, Caseous. Could you fill out your profile with information about your machine and your mask? That will make it easier for people who come along to look at your question.

A couple of things might help your nose problem: a bit of moleskin to protect the sore spot, or a mask liner, if one is available for your particular mask.

Aside from the sore spot, do you like your mask?

[klm49]

Hi, everyone. I'm a nasal mask user looking for one that won't hit me so hard on the bridge of the nose. I've tried pillows but they don't work so well for me. Is there a mask out there that people like that is easy on the bridge (my nose has a little bump on the bridge and the mask really hits it hard.) .

Any thoughts would be much appreciated!

Thanks.

https://www.cpap.com/productpage/respir ... -cpap-mask

[CPAPforever]

I have never had nose issues with ResMed Airfit F10 full face mask.

[b01000100]

I'd second the ResMed Airfit F10 mask. It has worked really well for me.

[chunkyfrog]

Has Caseous lost his/her way back?
One post, then a ghost.

[Okie bipap]

He made his first post almost 4 years after joining the forum, so maybe we should wait until sometime in 2024 to look for his response.

[Caseous]

Hi, everyone. Thanks for your replies and sorry about the time it takes me to get back to them: Had a crazy stretch there but I will be more active and better participant from now on. My first post, 4 years ago was at the beginning of things and tried for a while and gave up after I couldn't make it work. I'm ready to try again.

I have a Res Med Air Sense 10 with the following masks (Will put all this in profile):

ResMed Mirage Micro: That's the one that's crushing the bridge of my nose
ResMed Swift FX pillows: Falls off my face and does a number on my nostrils.
ResMed Airfit P30I: Love that the hose attaches to the top of the head...but, it's still killing the insides of my nostrils.

Since none of these works consistently for me, I switch between them so that nothing gets too irritated too consistently.

What I'm wondering is that 4 years ago, I was given a nasal mask & then the FX pillows and was left in the wilderness, a bit. I notice that people seem to switch between nasal and fill face masks -ist that something that happens a lot. I've only been looking at nasal masks/pillows but I don't know if I'm a candidate for full-face. Are they that interchangeable? Maybe I'd be better off with a full face?

If I stay with nasal, maybe something that blows air into the nose but no part that sits inside of it or goes over the bridge. If it comes off the top of the head, that sounds like a winning combination.

Thanks, and, again, apologies for the delay: I appreciate your thoughts and I'll get better at this!

C

[Pugsy]

Nasal pillow masks shouldn't "kill" the inside of the nostrils. If they are causing extreme pain, sores, abrasions or blisters then they are either the wrong size or fitted improperly.

[Revived1]

If I stay with nasal, maybe something that blows air into the nose but no part that sits inside of it or goes over the bridge. If it comes off the top of the head, that sounds like a winning combination.

The mask I'm using is like that....link to it below. The other one, that worked better for me personally, is similar, and I'm going back to it in a few weeks. It's this one:- https://www.cpap.com/productpage/resmed ... -cpap-mask
Check it out. You really have to try them on, if possible. I thought the one I have at the moment might be better than the n30i, but after using it, I find the n30i is a better fit for me. It's a very individual thing.
Good luck.

[Caseous]

I understand this. However, I've tried the various sizes and played with the straps but I still end up with irritated nostrils where the pillows make contact with the inside. Not sure why.

[Caseous]

Thanks!

[Pugsy]

Nasal pillows shouldn't be touching anything inside the nostrils. The only thing that actually goes inside the nostril is that tiny inner cone tip and it doesn't touch anything or shouldn't.
The ONLY part of any nasal pillow mask that touches anything is the outer rim edge area that sits against the outer nostril skin area.
It should rest GENTLY against that outer nostril skin area. It shouldn't press hard on the skin and it shouldn't displace the nose and people shouldn't get piggy nose syndrome from the placement.

The most common error made with nasal pillow masks is they are simply too tight. Too tight will force parts of the nasal pillow into the nostrils and then you have trouble with skin irritation, blisters and the like.

Take a nasal pillow all by itself and place it gently up against the nose and breathe. That's how it should rest with the straps holding it against your nose. It does not have to be horribly tight to seal. It needs to be able to inflate to seal and when it is too tight it can't inflate. This is true of all masks...when they can't inflate they can't seal.

Nasal pillow masks shouldn't ever cause anything but maybe a very minor tenderness at the outer nostril area which is pretty much virgin skin and simply not used to anything touching it. For that tenderness we recommend Lansinoh lanolin ointment/cream be applied liberally during the day and sparingly at night. It will help heal that tender area more quickly.

[Caseous]

Thank you. I've wondered if I had it too tight so I loosened it, causing it to become pushed off when I move a bit. However, based on your advice and now knowing how it should sit, I should try it again. I'll look for the lanolin you mention.

I'll update soon. Again, many thanks!

[Caseous]

OK, so went back to the pillows with it all set much looser on my head. It definitely helped. Nostril irritation is no longer an issue. It can still slip off, but if I stay on my back and not my side, I'm OK. Checked my O2 last night and was 97%-98% most of the night, with only 2 quick drops to 91% that were not in any way sustained (with no mask, I tend to drop to 87% for extended periods).

I'm still curious if people who are initially prescribed a nasal mask can move back & forth to a full face if they find the nasal difficult. Do people wait for a sleep doctor to make that prescription because I get the sense that people are moving between mask types until they find what works in somewhat disregard for the initial prescription? Just trying to understand if this is a norm.

Thanks again for all your suggestions!

C