solution for lifting straps away from cheeks?

[SenjiMom]

I have the swift FX for her nasal pillows interface. I feel like the straps push the pillows into my nares too far. this becomes uncomfortable and sometimes obstructs the flow. I feel like if there was something to space the area between my cheek and the straps, it would help this. this way the pillows would just "rest" in my nares. this would be in addition to the strap covers that come with the swift FX. any tricks out there?

[Pugsy]

Is the top strap too tight? The nasal pillow itself, perhaps too small?
Shouldn't be tight enough to go into nostril to cause pain or squish the pillows.
If you are wanting added padding of some sort on the side covers you could try a thick fleece to see if that helps with what you are wanting but when I added Padacheek fleece side covers I had to loosen the top strap a couple of notches.

[Janknitz]

The pillows should never rest IN your nares!!! They should rest lightly against the outside of your nares. Sounds like the pillows are too small and the headgear is too tight. Check out my fitting tips on my blog by clicking on the link in my signature below.

[SleepingUgly]

The pillows should never rest IN your nares!!! They should rest lightly against the outside of your nares.

To this day I still don't have a good visual of how far in they should go. Clearly the rim should not be in the nostril, but the tip of the pillow where the holes are and the air comes out must go in the nostril to some degree or the pillows would migrate around the face and the air wouldn't get in the nose. Is 3 millimeters of penetration right? A certain number of millimeters away from the rim inserted? No idea. Maybe some brave soul who has had success should post an closeup of just the nostril and the pillow of the FX showing how far in it is! (NOT me--both because I am not sure I've had success and because I am not brave! )

[Janknitz]

SleepingUgly, the only way to do this would be to have a crystal clear nose! Otherwise, all you're going to see is the outside of the pillows anyway.

It's too bad the illustrations on the Swift FX printed material don't show this--it would be much easier to show in a line drawing (but I can't draw ).

But yes, it is just a few milimeters. I say don't get hung up on how much goes IN the nose--it could be a tiny bit more or less depending on if you are using one size pillows or another. The key is that the OUTSIDE seals against the outside of the nose without any contact INSIDE the nose against the septum or the wall of the nostril. Imagine a bulls eye--the hole in the pillow should be (roughly) centered in the opening of your nostril. The only surface actually touching your nose is outside around the rim of your nostril.

[HoseCrusher]

With my mask (medium) the cone goes into my nostrils 1 cm. The fat part of the cone rests on the outside. When pressure is applied, the pillows inflate completing the seal.

The head gear is just there to hold the pillows close to the nose and only a very light tension is needed.

[SenjiMom]

Thanks Everyone!

When I first started wearing my CPAP in february I felt better about the fit. The tech set me up with the straps and pillows perfectly. Then one of my dogs decided to chew the pillows. When I got my replacement about a month or so ago, I fit the straps. I haven't felt the same since. I feel pressure and sometimes discomfort now, when I didn't before.

Janknitz - love your website & instructions, so cool & perfect for me, we have the same equipment. I purchased the pure lanolin stuff after reading about it on here. Have been using that as well.

ok, so tonite I will use the lanolin & loosen the straps. lemme see how it goes

[codinqueen]

You might need to see your DME's RT to have the straps done correctly. If it was up to me to do my straps right I would be up a creek without a paddle! The top strap (the silastic one that goes on top of head) doesn't even touch my head, and that is the way the RT set me up. The fabric covers the facial straps and these are the ones that hold the nasal pillows on my face, and I am fine with that. I have made marks on the straps where they are set, so when i wash it i can put it back together the way the RT at the DME set it up for me.

[Janknitz]

Beware that some DME's haven't a CLUE what they are doing when they fit the nasal pillow masks. We've seen some instances when DME's tell people they need to use the smallest possible pillows and cram them up IN to their nose! (I'd like to see those guys sleep with them that way a few nights!).

There was even a report of a ResMed REP at a patient support group meeting who fit someone that way!

Or they tell the user that the pillows must be very snug. And some DME's discourage people from using pillows above a certain pressure--when they are probably even better for people with higher pressures because they blow leaks as easily.