pressure feels higher with full face mask

[jbgilm]

Because of excess leakage, I recently switched from a nasal pillow to a full face mask. With a full face mask, the pressure seems much higher. This happened before with a previous experiment with a full face mask. Has anyone else experienced this? I'm afraid my doctor will think I'm nuts.

[khauser]

I bet that is common. Here's my theory:

A nasal pillow interface introduces pressure through the nostrils WITHOUT that pressure appearing outside, so there is a net positive pressure compared to external. A Nasal mask and a FF mask also introduce pressure through the nasal passages but they have that same pressure on the outside. For me, this added pressure definitely makes it feel higher. I hate it and since I luckily don't have leakage issues I went the pillow route (and now the Bleep DreamPort route, which is better than pillows).

As to how to get over it, I don't know .... you might have to just bear with it until your brain learns it is normal.

Are you sure the leakage was mouth breathing? If it wasn't you may not have to go the FFM route...

[LSAT]

I found just the opposite. When I wear a pillow mask, having the continuous pressure directed right up my nose feels very strong. Switching to a nasal mask improves it a little, but using a full face mask where the air pressure is dispersed within the mask allows me to inhale more comfortably.

[khauser]

Interesting! I guess that's another YMMV topic!

[Okie bipap]

To me, having the air blow straight up my nose from the nasal pillows was not really uncomfortable, but felt too strange for me. I liked the dream wear nasal mask, but I have too hard of a time keeping my mouth closed once I fall asleep.

[jbgilm]

I just explained this to my doctor. He didn't call me nuts, but he calmly explained why it doesn't make sense that the pressure would be greater with a full face mask. His theory is that with the mask being bigger it disperses the pressure over a greater area and thus the pressure should feel less. I agree that his logic is good, but it still feels much stronger. Fortunately he thinks I should adjust it anyway that makes me sleep better.

[palerider]

Because of excess leakage, I recently switched from a nasal pillow to a full face mask. With a full face mask, the pressure seems much higher. This happened before with a previous experiment with a full face mask. Has anyone else experienced this? I'm afraid my doctor will think I'm nuts.

Make sure that you set the mask type correctly.

A pillow mask setting has a higher pressure at the machine (but not by much) compared to the full face setting, because there is less back pressure with a full face mask compared to a pillow mask, so if you switch to a full face mask but don't change the settings on the machine, you'll get a little more pressure in the FFM.

Now, the *force* that's applied to your face is much more with a full face mask because force is pressure times area, and the area covered by a full face mask is much much more than the area a pillow mask covers.

[mper!?]

I found just the opposite. When I wear a pillow mask, having the continuous pressure directed right up my nose feels very strong. Switching to a nasal mask improves it a little, but using a full face mask where the air pressure is dispersed within the mask allows me to inhale more comfortably.

...exactly same experience down here. Love my FFM airfit f20 (educate me not mouth-breathing, together withe collar; more comfort for my nose; works much better for my slightly deviated septum; very, very rare congestion.... main drawback in my case: goes to to detrimental leaks above some 12.2 of pressure).

all the best