Nasal mask and mouth breathing

[monk]

I'm new to all of this. I recently received a prescription for a CPAP machine and nasal mask. I'm just wondering what happens if I start breathing through my mouth if I have a nasal mask? Will I receive any benefit or do I neutralize the nasal mask when I open my mouth? Is a full face mask a better option?

Thanks.

John

[swede]

Yes John you will get no benefit from the input pressure if you open your mouth. I am a confirmed mouth breather. I have learned how to keep my mouth closed and was successful using only a nasal mask. I know some people struggle with that. My bosses wife got some type of slightly elastic strap to assist her. I think if you stick with it, your brain will adjust to it as long as you are feeling satisfied for air... that is my two cents Swede

[linagee]

My 2 cents - FFM is easier. (But everyone has their own preference.)

[sleepnationtv]

Usually the Full face Mask is the best option.

Here is a video that shows a few of the best options. http://www.sleepnation.tv/post/942170110/episode2

Good Luck.

Dane

[jweeks]

Hi,

I simply could not find a way to run with a full face mask. Due to my face being somewhat rounded, I could not get the top and bottom to stop leaking without tightening it so much that I got blisters along the sides of my nose. I found a nasal pillow mask to work the best. The trick was finding a way to keep my mouth from opening up. I initially used a chin strap, but moved to tape when I found that the chin strap was causing my jaw to get sore.

If the original poster likes the mask that he or she is using, then my suggestion is to deal with the problem as it is presented -- which is stopping the mouth leaks.

-john-

[jonnybee]

I tried the FFM (horrible), chin strap (nightmare), tape (jaw still drops down), and anything else I could think of. The only thing I have found that works pretty well for me is a 3 1/2 inch foam cervical collar (about $12 at Walgreens; many different models on ebay) which holds my chin up 95% of the time. If I end up on my back I still sometimes breathe thru my mouth but all in all the collar works better and is less uncomfortable than anything else I've tried. It's pretty comfortable. As others have pointed out, I think my brain is slowly being trained as I am experiencing less episodes of mouth breathing as time goes on.

Curious if anyone else has tried a collar and if it helped?

[cortez356]

Is anyone else having trouble opening that video from Sleep nation. I get the video but the sound is not there. Just noise???

Bob

[Big Stevoreno]

I'm new to all of this. I recently received a prescription for a CPAP machine and nasal mask. I'm just wondering what happens if I start breathing through my mouth if I have a nasal mask? Will I receive any benefit or do I neutralize the nasal mask when I open my mouth? Is a full face mask a better option?

Thanks.

John

If you are on a nasal mask like I was for years, had to wear a chin strap too, was also a bad mouth breather, any benefits from my CPAP therapy went right out my mouth just as soon as it came open. I'm on a high pressure, 18 and just recently switched to a full face mask after having worn many nasal masks since the late 90's. I'm still getting use to the full face mask, I have to now crank my humidifier up to max because I still mouth breath even with the full face mask which makes things very dry inside my mouth and tongue but nothing escapes out, I'm no longer tired during the day or sleepy like I was all those years kidding myself using a nasal mask but in the early years it took me some time to get adjusted to wearing anykind of a mask since I was somewhat claustrophobic back then.