Mouth breather

Miller2626 · Post by **Miller2626** » Sat Jul 18, 2009 8:54 am

Should you definitely use a full-face mask instead of just nose mask?

roster · Post by **roster** » Sat Jul 18, 2009 9:24 am

When a sleep apnea patient using a nasal mask, breathes or leaks through the mouth while asleep, the air pressure splint in the airway is not maintained. The patient will have some combination of apneas, hypopneas and snores.

Gerald · Post by **Gerald** » Sat Jul 18, 2009 9:27 am

Many of us use a nasal mask (generally more comfortable) and we tape (seal) our mouth.

"Nasal + tape" or "full-face" It's your choice.

Either way, the mouth has to seal....or the therapy is ineffective.

Gerald

roster · Post by **roster** » Sat Jul 18, 2009 9:53 am

One thing about mouthtaping, if you have any nasal obstruction from a deviant anatomy or simple transient congestion, you may need the additional air you get from mouthbreathing. Mouthtaping will not allow this additional air but full face masks will. Consider mouthtaping as a last resort.

GKevinK · Post by **GKevinK** » Sat Jul 18, 2009 3:28 pm

It might be worth mentioning that when I was getting started I was quite worried about mouth-breathing, as I always seem to have some base level of nasal congestion and I thought there would be many nights when I would not be able to get sufficient air using only the nasal pillows which I prefer for comfort and fit. What I did not anticipate was that the positive pressure helps very much in keeping my nasal airways clear. So far, with about 3 years gone by now, I've only had insurmountable nasal congestion on 2 or possibly 3 nights that forced me to try and sleep very upright mouth breathing without the machine. (not super dangerous for me, as most nights I'm only running at 7-9 psi pressure)

I also seem to have trained myself to seal mouth leaks by keeping my tongue against the back roof of my mouth, so I don't need to mouth-tape.

Kevin

harry33 · Post by **harry33** » Sat Jul 18, 2009 4:57 pm

everyone would have better health from being a nose breather but sadly it seems sleep labs generally pay no interest to mouth breathers and dont bother to work out why they do it

if congestion or mucus is the cause, the best long term treatment isnt drugs but nasal or sinus irrigation to wash the mucus out using a nettipot or other things available on the net, look up sinus or nasal irrigation on the net

karessamom · Post by **karessamom** » Sat Jul 18, 2009 5:08 pm

Can a partial colapse or obstruction somehow between your nose and your main airway cause you to breath out your mouth?? just curious because i always start breathing out of nose and somehow alot of times end up breathing thru mouth as I constantly wake up to cotton mouth. just curious--i'm having a sleep study next week as I haven't been dxed yet with SA--but i have some symptoms.-just wondering if I do have SA if being treated for it with CPAP would stop my breathing thru mouth??

roster · Post by **roster** » Sat Jul 18, 2009 5:37 pm

karessamom wrote:Can a partial colapse or obstruction somehow between your nose and your main airway cause you to breath out your mouth?? ......

A small obstruction or a small amount of congestion or a little blood settling when sidesleeping with a less than perfect jaw anatomy (and most people's are less than perfect) can certainly cause mouthbreathing. You would do well to have a nasopharyngoscope done by an ENT. I had one done on my initial visit to an ENT. He did it in his office in five minutes. It was quick, easy and the doc and I clearly saw my septum, my nasal turbinates and vocal cords. I paid $50 co-pay and it was well worth it.

Tightly controlling nasal congestion can also help in a big way to prevent mouthbreathing. There are some good post by Dr. Falcon and me at viewtopic.php?f=1&t=36483&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=15 .

Gerald · Post by **Gerald** » Sat Jul 18, 2009 8:08 pm

Rooster...........

How long have you been using the "Hybrid"?.....and can you recommend it for "side sleepers"? I'm experiencing some congestion that I think is causing me to have great AHI scores....but bad O2 saturation levels.

Also, is there a way to rig the hybrid so that the hose goes overhead?

I may have to abandon my Aura Headrest and mouth tape for something like what you're using.

I'm asking because I respect and value your opinion..........

Gerald

cflame1 · Post by **cflame1** » Sat Jul 18, 2009 8:33 pm

I use one as well Gerald... and I sleep on my sides at times.

Over your head? Not directly (without noise and blockage) as the vent holes are directly above where the hose elbow attaches to the mask. I run mine down and over (usually over my shoulder).

Been using it now for a couple of years (I think... time sometimes slips away from me)

roster · Post by **roster** » Sat Jul 18, 2009 8:57 pm

Gerald wrote:Rooster...........

How long have you been using the "Hybrid"?.....and can you recommend it for "side sleepers"? I'm experiencing some congestion that I think is causing me to have great AHI scores....but bad O2 saturation levels.

Also, is there a way to rig the hybrid so that the hose goes overhead?

I may have to abandon my Aura Headrest and mouth tape for something like what you're using.

I'm asking because I respect and value your opinion..........

Gerald

I will have been using it three years in August. I cannot sleep on my back because it takes a pressure of 19 to control the apnea. So I sleep on my tummy most of the night (wondeful Falcon position) and then maybe the final hour will be on my sides. A pressure of 8.5 works well on my tummy and sides.

I place the machine on a wooden desk chair just beside my head. The machine is about six inches below the top of the mattress. The hose then comes in at chest level and up to the mask. When I face away from the machine, the hose comes in at head level, is routed on my pillow over the top of my head and down to the mask. It will connect to the elbow in either the up or down position. In the up position, the elbow does not block the vent but the flow from the vent will make noise on the elbow. That doesn't bother me but you can just rotate the elbow down if it bothers you. All this is done with a six-foot hose. Now if you want to sleep in the middle of a king or queen mattress, you will need a longer hose. I sleep on one side of a queen mattress.

I have always thought that people who use hose hangers and stuff really don't have it figured out. When the hose lays there in the bed with me, I am getting it heated free without messing with those damned expensive, cumbersome Aussie heated hoses and another device to plug into an outlet. And the dratted Aussie hoses don't even have an off switch. Whose bright idea was that?

Gerald · Post by **Gerald** » Sat Jul 18, 2009 9:31 pm

Thanks Cflame.....thanks Rooster.

I'm going to give the Hybrid a try.

Gerald

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