nose stuffs up - air can't go in...

[dougndoug]

hi,

i'm only a few weeks into using CPAP, and i have both a nasal and pillow mask. i've been switching off trying to get my nose used to the pillows. not sure if this is a coincidence, but when i've been using pillow type recently, my nasal passage gets fully clogged half through the night, and no air gets in. could this be the pillow type exacerbating this?

i know my nasal passages are somewhat small. and not sure if i have allergies have made things worse, but have people mentioned this as something that affects some people? anything i can do about it?

[jencat824]

Some people need more humidity, some less. You may try turning up your humidity to see if that helps. If not, try going with less humidity.

Also, I would try aromatherapy, cpap.com carries Pur-Sleep & I would recommend the 'Sinus Blaster' its a combo of scents that gently open the nose with a scent kind of like a menthol, only gentler.

As a 'on-the-spot' nose opener, there is a very old product I use, made by Vicks, called a 'Vapor Inhaler'. Its a small stick like device that you hold up to your nose & smell it to open nasal passages. This is to be used only temporarily & occasionally. If you use it too much, it will have the opposite affect, as you will get addicted, then it kind of 'kicks back'. Many people say not to use this, I've had good luck with this as a once in a while trick to open my nose in a stubborn moment. I don't use it regularly, just once in a while. IMHO its better than trying something like Affrin, which is also addictive, but it takes several sprays to open your nose & I think Affrin is more addictive than the old-school Vicks Inhaler.

Another method for nasal management which I recommend you also use, in addition to those above, is nasal rinsing. You can use a Neti-Pot or Neil's Sinus Rinse. Just get one of these at the drugstore & use as directed every night. This will take several days, to a couple of weeks to begin to show results. This is an important step to manage nasal congestion & many forum members will swear by it. I've found if you skip a night, once you set up a routine, you can tell by increased stuffiness.

Hope this helps,
Jen

[milhead]

I've used a nasal mask for about 8 years and am about to try the nasal pillows..

Anyway I get stuffed up every once in a while and find that turning on or up my humidifier sometimes helps (normally I have the heat all the way off but sometimes put some distilled water in to get a little moisture.)

In the end It leads me to some middle of the night nose blowing sessions or once or twice a hot shower when I've actually had a cold and things are seriously plugged.

Good Luck.

[Journey1968]

I am a new member to the forum and find the information very helpful. I have the same nose congestion and have just adjusted the humidifier, which helps a little.

[Joyful Sleeper]

You are not alone in this experience. I, too, have experienced more congestion with nasal pillows than I do with a nasal mask.

I'm new and in the process of sorting out what works for me, but here are my thoughts:

1) It may get better with time. At the beginning I got congestion with a nasal mask and had to use a full face mask; now I can use a nasal mask just fine without congestion.

2) It may have to do with humidity settings. While still using the nasal mask, I found that with less humidity I had less congestion, but there are many people for whom the opposite is true. This is an area to experiment with on yourself; see if changing humidity one way or the other helps.

3) I tried the nasal rinse for the first time last night but didn't sleep with the nasal pillows. I'd had three rough nights with the AirFit P10 pillows where the congestion had inhibited my sleep so I needed a break from them and went back to my nasal mask so I can't yet speak to whether or not nasal rinsing is effective for me, but many board members suggest it.

Would also love to hear if others have additional tricks for dealing with nasal pillow induced congestion (in my case I get some congestion while using the pillows and then worse congestion after taking them off)!

[Suzjohnson]

This may sound like a total no brainer but I have found I get congested if the pillows are too tight against my nostrils. Another thing that might help is using a saline spray liberally prior to going to bed to moisten those cranky nasal tissues. Mine don't seem to need much of an excuse to slam shut. I agree with all of the above suggestions too!

[archangle]

There's a product by NeliMed called "SinusRinse." It's a miracle cure for some. It's cheap and easy to find, so try it.

Nasacort or prescription inhaled corticosterioid sprays can help. Other over the counter sprays can make things worse if you use them more than a few days.

Some people simply have to use a full face mask and mouth breathe.