What level of humidification is best? Opinions?

[BP]

There's no medical requirement for a humidifier, it's a comfort thing for most people.

Over 2 years ago I decided I no longer wanted to all the hassle of humidification so I stopped using my humidifier. I think I breathe better without it, and I like the cool dry air much better than the warm muggy air, but ymmv.

-BP

[Guest]

Hello All,

I'm not sure what level of humidification to be using. "2" on the F&P150 feels fine, but it seems to me that the human body would probably be healthier with more humidity, like the max of "5". Then again, I think I read some forum folks advocating passover or low humidity, because it lowers apnea events.

(I generally have a problem with nasal congestion.)

Could you please share some opinions.
Thanks, Twilightcat

If you have nasal congestion, you might want to try "pass-over" mode (no heat). Don't know where YOU are, but here in the high mountain west, the relative humidity is very low and the air blowing through the tank picks up "some" moisture and the cool air keeps my nasal passages open to make it easier to breathe. I've only tried heated humidification once or twice when I started and have used "pass-over" mode for the last three years.....all year long.
"Heated" (or too much) humidity can actually have the effect of closing up your nasal passages.


Den

[Snoredog]

I don't use the heat on my humidifier, just cold or passover. I use a heated hose during the winter to warm the air but not add moisture,

if you are getting condensation in the mask or rainout you have it up to high or don't need the heat.

Too much moisture in the air can cause nasal congestion.

[Twilightcat]

Wow. Too much moisture in the air can cause nasal congestion? I'm learning alot today. By the way, I live in the NE USA in a very moist area. Thanks, guys, I think I'm going to be using less humidification in the future.

Thank you very much for all your replies, Twilightcat

[CompuTech007]

My top pressure is at 15 and I set my F&P150 to 2.5 -3 usually and I live in Northern Ohio. If I set lower I will have problems with nasal congestion. Sometimes the setting of 3 seems to be a bit hot to breathe but I get used to it and usually feel better and with minimal congestion.

[LDuyer]

I agree that humidification is an individual thing.
But with a pressure of 18, I'm sure that wind tunnel of mine is drying out my nose, my throat, my lungs and maybe even my toes.


But I do vary the humidification, even use it as cool passover sometimes. And it doesn't seem to be a seasonal thing, but maybe that's because I use air conditioning alot in the summer, don't know.

If I remember to think about it, I will turn on the bipap and heated humidification (usually around 2 or 3) a few minutes ahead of time, allowing it to warm up to the level before I don the mask, and see then if it's at a level of humidification that I want. I do admit to liking at least some heated humidification during the winter months when a cool room makes for a cold nose...... the mask and it's heated humidification makes for a nice comfortable nose cozy.


Linda

[Velbor]

"Heated" (or too much) humidity can actually have the effect of closing up your nasal passages.

It is clear that a number of people prefer, or report that they do better with, lower levels of humidity, or cooler airflow. No argument. Not a problem.

But I would be most interested in hearing a physiological explanation of how humidified air (up to fully saturated), and/or warm air (up to body temperature), might cause nasal congestion. This claim is counterintuitive for me, and I am having trouble accepting it as accurate.

Education beyond anecdotal reporting would be greatly appreciated.

[RonS]

I asked the sleep doctor about it and here is what he said:
"Some people report that heated humidity causes nasal congestion, but that usually passes in a few weeks."

I have just switched machines, had heated humidity and went to heated humidity, but I am struggling with a stuffy nose since. I turned off the heat and got a sore and dry throat. I increased the humidity, and the nose is still stuffy. I think I will be going back to passive and see how that goes again.

Things were just going too smoothly.

[Guest]

"Heated" (or too much) humidity can actually have the effect of closing up your nasal passages.

It is clear that a number of people prefer, or report that they do better with, lower levels of humidity, or cooler airflow. No argument. Not a problem.

But I would be most interested in hearing a physiological explanation of how humidified air (up to fully saturated), and/or warm air (up to body temperature), might cause nasal congestion. This claim is counterintuitive for me, and I am having trouble accepting it as accurate.

Education beyond anecdotal reporting would be greatly appreciated.

Should be fairly simple to understand. Heat expands and cold contracts. That's why warm air carries more water molecules. When applied to the tissues in the nasal passages, the cool air contracts the tissues and allows more air to be breathed in. Warm air (with more humidity) has the opposite effect. For those of us who already have narrow nasal passages (turbinates, septum issues and nasal congestion in general) it helps make breathing easier. And, that's what a lot of this therapy is about.....being able to breathe better through our noses and not through our mouths. If you're mouth-breathing, there's more probability of your tongue falling back or getting sucked back against the windpipe and blocking off our air flow......consequently causing apneas.


Den

[pmnorth]

I have mine on max. and after about 2 weeks of CPAP treatment I have only had 1 night where the humidity felt right, that night I didn’t wake up repeatedly with dry mouth & feeling like I was suffocating. On that one night it was raining and the humidity in the house was really high. All other nights the hose & mask have no vapors in them & I keep waking up with claustrophobia.

I don’t think the humidifiers on these things are very effective and neither does my supplier. She says mine is one of the better ones and only gives about 30% added to the ambient humidity.

I went out a couple of days ago & got a room humidifier that I located right near the intake port of the CPAP. Hopefully that won’t cause a problem with the machine. Since then I have had less nasal congestion and have been able to tighten the mask a bit thereby decreasing leakage. In my case ‘more is better’.

[GumbyCT]

"Heated" (or too much) humidity can actually have the effect of closing up your nasal passages.

It is clear that a number of people prefer, or report that they do better with, lower levels of humidity, or cooler airflow. No argument. Not a problem.

But I would be most interested in hearing a physiological explanation of how humidified air (up to fully saturated), and/or warm air (up to body temperature), might cause nasal congestion. This claim is counterintuitive for me, and I am having trouble accepting it as accurate.

Education beyond anecdotal reporting would be greatly appreciated.

I'd say these thoughts also contradict what the doc said about using a saline nasal spray to relieve congestion.

With regard to heat - I would say that any temp above or below the body's temp would be counter productive. You want it balanced - not hot but not cold either.

JMMO

[Captain_Midnight]

I found that passive humidification gives a teensy improvement over no humidification; however any heat, and my AHI goes skyward.

Using Encore Viewer to provide nightly feedback, I've continually observed the the same pattern (when I heat the humidifier). The first quarter of the night (with heat at any level other than zero) is just fine, then the events just start coming.

The results were startling, and not at all what I expected. Then, after giving it some thought, it made sense. We need just enough moisture to prevent membrane dryness. At least some of us will make therapy worse by heating the humidification, because really it causes some swelling just like if you were steaming a bucket of clams, or plugged your sinuses into a crock pot.

I often think that many folks who just can't get therapeutic relief from any kind of xPAP should really consider trying passive humidification rather than heated.

If you have data capability, this will help you determine what works better for you.

Good luck with humidification experiments.

[RonS]

My unscientific study from last night.

I started on heated humidification on level 3. Within an hour I was totally stufed up.

I shut it down, went downstairs to do some work, then returned. This time I left the heat off. I woke up a couple of hours later with a sore, sticky dry throat.

I turned the heat on to two and slept the rest of the night, so I really don't know...

I think I will try it on one to start with tonight.

I've begun to think about a new mask... would really like to try a nasal pillow model, as I wear glasses and would like to be able to read before bed, but fear I might need a full face jobbie to get around these stuffy problems.

The struggle continues.

[roster]

There's no medical requirement for a humidifier........

Disagree.

The optimal level of humidification has not been clearly delineated; however, we do know that an absolute humidity of 30 mg/L appears to attenuate increases in nasal airway resistance associated with simulated mouth leaks.21 Research also has demonstrated that increased nasal mucosal blood flow from simulated mouth leaks can be attenuated with inspired air warmed to 29°C and a relative humidity of 70%.12 Furthermore, it appears as if mucosal drying plays more of a role in increasing nasal airway resistance than does mucosal cooling.21 Therefore, delivery of air to the nose with an absolute humidity of around 30 mg/L and a relative humidity of around 80% to 90% at a temperature of around 30°C may be best.

Source: http://www.sleepreviewmag.com/issues/ar ... -05_10.asp