Nasal cushions-

[redbear]

I'm a new CPAP user and have been using the different size pillows for almost 2 weeks (with the Swift LT) to find a better fit. My nares squash the air holes and I don't feel enough air is coming in/out. So I keep pulling them away from my nose but for the last couple of nights my nostrils have been burning all night long. I have a humidifier and in order to make it through the night I keep using the incline to lower the pressure. I like the headgear but I don't think the pillows are for me but the pain is a bigger problem than the fit. Any ideas why they burn?

[Bookbear]

Two things come to mind. First, have you washed and rinsed the pillows thoroughly prior to use? Sometimes, some of the coating that is used to achieve a clean 'release' from the mold at the factory remains on the pillows. You might be reacting to that.

Second, allergies to medical grade silicone are rare, but they do exist. HAve you tried any other masks (I believe all the seals/cushions used in cpap masks are made from silicone). If yo don't react to those, then an allergy can probably be ruled out.

Is it possible that you have washed or wiped these pillows with something to clean them that itself has left a residue? The key here is to use as benign a product as possible (I use baby shampoo, others use Dr. Bonner's pure castile soap) and to rinse thoroughly.

Getting a good fit with a mask is THE key to successful cpap therapy, IMHO. Many people here have gone through multiple masks before finding The One That Works. Everyone's face shape (and nose/nares shape) is different. One size (or mask) does NOT fit all. Get back with your DME and remind them that Respironics has a 30 day mask return policy and aske to try another mask. There are several other nasal pillow masks that have had good reports by people on the forum, as well as the more common full face and nasal masks. cpap.com stocks most of these and they can be viewed on the web site.

Good luck!

[SaltLakeJan]

Hi redbear,

Some people on this forum swear by pillows masks. Couldn't find a better mask. My first mask was a Swift pillows mask. At first they caused a burning sensation in my nose that morphed into deep holes in my nares. I swore at them, and changed to a Zest Nasal Mask. No more burning. Good luck in determining if you need to change masks.

Jan

[pagebypage]

I'm a new CPAP user and have been using the different size pillows for almost 2 weeks (with the Swift LT) to find a better fit. My nares squash the air holes and I don't feel enough air is coming in/out. So I keep pulling them away from my nose but for the last couple of nights my nostrils have been burning all night long. I have a humidifier and in order to make it through the night I keep using the incline to lower the pressure. I like the headgear but I don't think the pillows are for me but the pain is a bigger problem than the fit. Any ideas why they burn?

I think you have the wrong size pillows. When I was on the Swift LT, I used the medium pillows. Worked great. Whenever I tried the small pillows, I got the conditions you describe: squashed air holes thus not enough air. Whenever I tried the large pillows, I got too many leaks. From this experience of mine, I would guess you need to be using the next size larger pillows.

I now use the Liberty hybrid and the Quattro, so I no longer need a humidifier. If I didn't use the humidifier with the Swift LT, I got too dry inside. If I understand you correctly, your burning is inside your nose. If this is so, you probably need to boost up the setting on your humidifier. If it is where the pillows rub against your nostrils, this is routine for newbies on this type of mask. It should have gone away after about a week, but if you continued to use the mask, your nostrils may not have had a chance to heal properly. If this is your problem, you need to take a couple of days break from the mask while you heal. Do you have a spare mask you can use for a couple of days? If not, I suggest you just take a break from the machine for one or two nights.