Getting Used to Nasal Masks

[Blaise]

Are there any tips to getting used to nasal masks? I tried the P10 last night for a while and just and could not do it after many attempts. I finally had to switch back to my F20. I found that I kept wanting to open my mouth ever so slightly even though I taped my mouth. As soon as my mouth opened just a little, even being taped, the pressure just leaked out my mouth. Are you supposed to use lower pressures with nasal masks? I set my AirSense 11 to the pillow setting.

I am new to CPAP - been using it for 19 days now. My original mask is the F20 and I have had very good luck with it so far with minimal leaks, low AHI and I find it very easy to breath with it. I really don't have any issues breathing through my nose and read that the nasal masks are the way to go if you don't have any nasal breathing issues. Maybe I am just not made for a nasal mask? Any tips or advise?

[SJ-Paddler]

I think I heard somewhere before that 85% of people can use nasal masks with no issue but that leaves 15% that don't have an easy time. It was natural for me so hard to say what could help other than keeping your tongue on the top of your mouth and back. I can't talk when it is on but I know there are people that can. Once the Dreamwear mask goes on I go silent. I am sure there are others here with more tips. Good luck to you, I did not like full face masks myself.

[Blaise]

I think I heard somewhere before that 85% of people can use nasal masks with no issue but that leaves 15% that don't have an easy time. It was natural for me so hard to say what could help other than keeping your tongue on the top of your mouth and back. I can't talk when it is on but I know there are people that can. Once the Dreamwear mask goes on I go silent. I am sure there are others here with more tips. Good luck to you, I did not like full face masks myself.

Thanks for the insight. Are you able to keep your mouth closed all night? I can't image myself automatically keeping my mouth closed tight all night while I sleep. I even taped my mouth last night and still had a hard time. I will try again tonight and see how it goes I guess.

[LSAT]

If this is the case....I am new to CPAP - been using it for 19 days now. My original mask is the F20 and I have had very good luck with it so far with minimal leaks, low AHI and I find it very easy to breath with it. ...Why switch????

[Blaise]

If this is the case....I am new to CPAP - been using it for 19 days now. My original mask is the F20 and I have had very good luck with it so far with minimal leaks, low AHI and I find it very easy to breath with it. ...Why switch????

Fair question. After listening to many YouTube videos from CPAP Reviews, TheLankyLefty27 and others, they all say that most people should use nasal masks or try to switch to them. I figured I would give it a try because I like the minimalism of just the nasal mask and really don't have any nasal breathing issues. Even when using my F20 I breath primarily through my nose and have even taped my mouth with the F20 with no issues. When I tried the P10 last night I had a hard time getting into the breathing rhythm and my mouth kept filling with air. Maybe I need to practice more with it?

[Pugsy]

When I tried the P10 last night I had a hard time getting into the breathing rhythm and my mouth kept filling with air. Maybe I need to practice more with it

When the air is going up the nose and then tried to exit into the oral cavity that means that the back door from the oral cavity to the airway has become open. Some people have had good luck keeping that door shut by keeping the tongue in the roof of the mouth. Takes a lot of practice though because while it is easy to do while awake once we are asleep the tongue gets lazy and drops...and opens that back door.

There's actually a valve back there that can automatically shut that door but it's a reflex action and I can't explain how to do it by choice. You know how when you blow up a balloon and no air goes out your nose. Same sort of reflex action.
With time and practice a lot of cpap users find that they are using that reflex action shutting the door and they don't know how it is being done. Took me about 6 months to realize that I can yawn a big yawn, talk, stick out my tongue and blow raspberries....all while on cpap with zero air entering my mouth despite it being wide open.
It all started with my keeping my tongue plastered to the roof of my mouth 24/7 to get the tongue used to staying in that position.

Practice during the day while awake and under no pressure to fall asleep. Eventually you will get in sync with the breathing. If you aren't using EPR you might also do some practice with it. It helps with the feeling of being in sync with the breathing. More natural feeling.

[cyberdreamer]

If this is the case....I am new to CPAP - been using it for 19 days now. My original mask is the F20 and I have had very good luck with it so far with minimal leaks, low AHI and I find it very easy to breath with it. ...Why switch????

It does sound like a case of "don't fix what's not broken" unless there are other reasons for wanting to switch masks.

[zonker]

If this is the case....I am new to CPAP - been using it for 19 days now. My original mask is the F20 and I have had very good luck with it so far with minimal leaks, low AHI and I find it very easy to breath with it. ...Why switch????

Fair question. After listening to many YouTube videos from CPAP Reviews, TheLankyLefty27 and others, they all say that most people should use nasal masks or try to switch to them.

let me say this about that.

this is YOUR therapy. and you want to do right by you. of course, you're going to want to hear all kinds of advice. that's natural. otherwise, you wouldn't be here.

but there is that old adage-"if it ain't broke, don't fix it." take a look around the forum. most of us have our equipment listed at the bottom of our posts. not everyone here uses a nasal pillow mask. people use what works for them and gets them the best therapy. it just so happens that i use a p10. long story behind that but simply put i'm a full bearded fellow and the p10 works for me.

on more thing, if you please. as you are brand new to the therapy, you are going to have many questions. could you please just create one topic and put your questions there? it could be blaise therapy thread as the topic. this will help the experts keep track of your unfolding story and make it easier to advise you.

thanks!

[Blaise]

Thanks for the advice everyone! Pugsy, I have my EPR set to 3 fulltime and I will practice holding my tongue up and using the nasal pillows during the day. Zonker and Cyberdreamer I hear you with "if it ain't broke, don't fix it".. I would like to give the nasal masks a fair shot though. Maybe I just need more time getting used to it.

[Pugsy]

Maybe I just need more time getting used to it.

Entirely possible you just need more experience and time with it.

I wish I could share with people how I keep that back door closed because it would help a lot of people but it's a reflex action that I just acquired with time and experience. I don't know exactly when it change but maybe around the 3 or 4th month of treatment when I quit taping and realized that my mouth breathing wasn't an issue any more and I think it was at around 6 months when I realized I could talk and not have air rush into my mouth. That reflex action is so ingrained in me now that I have to make a real concentrated effort to relax it and have air rush into my mouth.

Keep at it if you do like the nasal pillows overall and want to keep using them. Don't lose sleep over it though.
Keep that FFM next to your bed and handy if you need it. You got lots of time to practice. Rome wasn't built in a day and perfect cpap therapy is rarely obtained in a day especially when trying something new.

[Janknitz]

I wish I could share with people how I keep that back door closed because it would help a lot of people but it's a reflex action that I just acquired with time and experience.

Here's how I explain it. Put your tongue on the roof of your mouth, on the ridge behind the front teeth. Now plug your nose. Can you move air in or out through your mouth to breathe? If the answer is "no" that means you have a good seal on the "back door" Pugsy is talking about. Some people can't seal it off and they can still move air in and out when they try to breathe with the tongue in that position and the nose plugged. Those people probably won't do well with a nasal or nasal pillow mask.

If you CAN seal it off so no air moves in or out when the nose is plugged, then it's a matter of getting that seal to work when you are asleep. My recommendation is to practice all day by putting your tongue in that position and keeping it there unless you are speaking or eating. If you consciously practice for a few days, it will become habit when you are awake and carry over in your sleep. Some people describe a sort of "suction" that keeps the tongue in place, and it's the position of the tongue which is the key to keeping that "back door" closed.

[Blaise]

I wish I could share with people how I keep that back door closed because it would help a lot of people but it's a reflex action that I just acquired with time and experience.

Here's how I explain it. Put your tongue on the roof of your mouth, on the ridge behind the front teeth. Now plug your nose. Can you move air in or out through your mouth to breathe? If the answer is "no" that means you have a good seal on the "back door" Pugsy is talking about. Some people can't seal it off and they can still move air in and out when they try to breathe with the tongue in that position and the nose plugged. Those people probably won't do well with a nasal or nasal pillow mask.

If you CAN seal it off so no air moves in or out when the nose is plugged, then it's a matter of getting that seal to work when you are asleep. My recommendation is to practice all day by putting your tongue in that position and keeping it there unless you are speaking or eating. If you consciously practice for a few days, it will become habit when you are awake and carry over in your sleep. Some people describe a sort of "suction" that keeps the tongue in place, and it's the position of the tongue which is the key to keeping that "back door" closed.

Thanks... I just tried your test and I can keep the back door closed easily. I guess I just need to practice.

[Janknitz]

Blaise:

I hope it works for you. It's so much more comfortable to use a nasal type mask if you can keep the seal all night. But it's hard for some people--this isn't meant to be a "you're not trying hard enough" post! Not blaming you if you can't.

[RogerSC]

Thanks... I just tried your test and I can keep the back door closed easily. I guess I just need to practice.

Been using nasal pillows and now nasal mask for about 10 years now...started by consciously thinking about putting my tongue in position on the roof of my mouth just behind my teeth as much as I could. Walked around all day like that, as much as I could manage. A bit obsessive, but I really don't like the idea of full face masks. Although lots of people are fine with them, I've tried a few and can't get a good seal. On the other hand, the Dreamwear nasal mask works well for me now. By the way, still do the tongue thing out of habit *smile*.

The other similar thing was teeth-clenching and sensitive teeth. At one point, I was apparently unconsciously clenching my jaw as part of my effort to keep my mouth sealed at night, so was getting some painfully sensitive teeth. So, again, focused on keeping my teeth slightly apart as much as I could when not sleeping, and overcame that one as well. No more sore teeth. They also make mouthguards for that, but I have enough gear on at night.

Hope that this works out for you...if not, you can always fall back to the full face mask.

[kteague]

I am one of those who in the early years was unable to keep air from causing chipmunk cheeks or escaping from my mouth. Did all the usual tricks to try to control it because I couldn't stand a mask, either full or nasal, going across the bridge of my nose. Nasal pillows worked well for me except for the air issue. Once I read someone on here talking about keeping the tongue on the roof of the mouth I was obsessive with training my tongue. Eventually it began to be my natural tongue position whether awake or asleep. However, there were other simultaneous contributors besides my determination that helped me succeed. Sleep position was key. I mostly side sleep so my tongue doesn't collapse backward into the throat. A firm flat pillow will help prevent the jaw from dropping when relaxing because the pull of gravity is not on the jaw. Some use a cervical pillow to prevent jaw drop. I used to. Also, sleeping slightly off the edge of the pillow usually compresses the edge of the pillow a bit and allows the front of the face to angle slightly downward toward the mattress. This way when the tongue does relax it will fall forward and help maintain the seal instead of backward into the throat. Granted, we can't control what we do once we fall asleep, but when it works its worth the effort. Luckily you have a good option with your full face mask to fall back on if you find this all too much bother. Good luck with everything.