Head colds / sinus infection

jgriddle · Post by **jgriddle** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 7:03 am

Does anyone else find it hard to use your CPAP when your sick. I cant wear mine when i have a head cold. It seems like it makes it worse.
Please let me know what you think
Jerry

ozij · Post by **ozij** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 8:17 am

The instruction manual on my cpap states the following:

Clinical research indicates that CPAP therapy may be contraindicated for patients with any of the following pre-existing conditions:

<snip>

Acute sinusitis (inflamation of the sinus cavity), otitis media (earache), or perforation of the tympanic membrane (eardrum).

<snip>

O.

Hurricane · Post by **Hurricane** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 10:35 am

[quote="jgriddle"]Does anyone else find it hard to use your CPAP when your sick. I cant wear mine when i have a head cold. It seems like it makes it worse.
Please let me know what you think
Jerry

Vader · Post by **Vader** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 10:49 am

I guess it may depend on the symptoms you're having, but I've found that using my cpap actually helps me somewhat. Going without it would no doubt make me feel a lot worse the next day .
I wear a full face mask, and I usually have to raise the humidity level a notch or two when I'm sick.

*edit* : I forgot to mention in my original post that in my experience, too much humidity can actually make the problem worse. So finding the right setting is definitely important.

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betty303 · Post by **betty303** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 11:30 am

If my humidity is set correctly (low - on 1 or 2) then it seems that it helps my chronically low level stuffy nose). When I raise the humidity up higher - it makes the stuffiness much worse. So it is a dance to get the humidity just right.

For a bad cold - especially at that can-hardly-breathe stage - I can't tolerate having a mask on. Still working on how to make it all work during those times.

ozij · Post by **ozij** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 12:02 pm

Just to make things clear: A cold and a sinusitis are not the same thing.

Any kind of congestion - allergies, colds - make cpap treatment more problematic. I too find myself more congested with too much humidity - but very happy with some (there's very little natural humidity in the air where I live).

O.

Head colds / sinus infection

Head colds / sinus infection

Re: Head colds / sinus infection

Re: Head colds / sinus infection

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