Please chime in..Should I get a nasal pillow or nasal mask?

[LarryPer123]

I have tried 4 full face mask including a Liberty and because of loud leaking , air blowing into my eye and ice cold sensitive teeth, I think I would like to try either pillows or a mask just for the nose. I borrowed a Zest for a night and even though I am a mouth breather it was allot better.
I thought a pillow would be better because of minimal surface area.

Please give pro's and cons and maybe model suggestions

Thanks in advance
Larry

[msradar65]

The two most popular nasal masks are Swift LT/Swift LT for her and the Swift FX and Swift FX for her. The difference between the masks is the color of the headgear between the regular model and the for her models as well as the for her models come with X-tra small nasal pillows.

I use the Swift LT for her. It was the mask I used in my study and have been using since I started with excellent results. I would try it and see how it goes.

There is also a thread here somewhere from Sleep Nation where you can borrow a mask to try and see if it works for you.

[Pugsy]

I prefer the nasal pillow mask over the nasal (covers the whole nose mask). Less on the face. More comfortable for me personally and the fact that there is less surface to mess with means less potential for leaks.

I used the Swift LT when I first started treatment (with some brief interludes with other nasal pillow mask experiments). Never had any problems with it, experimented to satisfy curiosity about the other masks. There are always pros and cons to any mask. When the Swift FX was released I went to it because even less on my face. Perfectly satisfied with it.
The Swift LT with the firmer side pieces may be just a tad more stable but the sheer comfort of the Swift FX makes up for any minor stability issues I might have had.

Either one would serve you well. I have tried the Opus 360 and it was very comfortable but it was harder to keep the headgear stable. The Repironics Optilife simply the headgear was too large for my small head. Never could get it to fit comfortably and way too much "stuff" on my face. It does have a chin strap but the chin strap was not really designed for use as a tool to keep mouth closed. It is for mask stability though for someone with minor mouth opening issues it could possibly work for that goal.

If mouth breathing is significant enough to impair therapy there are various ways to limit that problem. If you can normally breathe through your nose just fine during the day and night, then the nasal pillows or the over the nose mask can work with either chin straps, pap cap or taping the mouth shut. Some people that used to do some mouth breathing at night have learned to breathe only through nose at night don't have to tape any more. I did.

There are many to choose from and what works for one often does not work for the next person. There are pros and cons to each mask. Some more than others.

Only discomfort from nasal pillow mask type might be tenderness at the nostril area. Mainly because the area is just not used to having anything rubbing against it. There are ways to limit this should it be a problem. I never had anything other than very minor tenderness unless I had the straps too tight. They do not have to be extremely tight to get a good seal. If they hurt, something is not right with the fit. Either straps too tight or wrong size nasal pillow. Only the very little tip of the pillow is inside the nostril. The larger rim area rests against the nostril.

There are a wide variety of comfort items. Extra padded fleece for the side straps and even a thinner felt like barrel cozy to cover the nasal pillow itself so that only the soft material is touching the skin. I use the barrel cozy myself and while I bought it for prevention of condensation in the pillow itself, I found the extra comfort was so worth it. Not that I needed it for pain relief, just that it was a nice feeling against my nostrils.

A person can bury their head in the bed pillow with these masks and sleep quite well that way, on their stomach or side.
Pillow life seems to be a problem for some people but not all. I get months and months out of one and just the other day in another thread others joined in that they also used the same one for months. Just another cpap YMMV thing.
Good luck on your choice.

[sister]

Hi, I also prefer the nasal pillows over the nasal mask.I can't take anything on my nose and the pillows hardly even touch my face at all.
Good luck in finding what works for you!

[dtsm]

I migrated over to nasal pillows after trying the nasal masks first. It took a few days to get used to. Getting the right size is key, and you might have to wear it only for a few hours when you first start as they might cause some initial soreness.

I tried the LT, Fx and finally settled on the Headrest. Most folks do well with either the LT or Fx, they are the favorites. The downside is the nasal pillows for these two models don't last very long. With the Headrest, they're indestructible. I'm on the same set for over 8 months now.

[jimnsc]

Like you I started with FFM's and migrated over to first pillows and wound up with a nasal mask. I'm one of the unlucky ones that pillows won't last for. I got sore nares from pillow use and just to get some relief I bought the new Mirage FX nasal mask and I can't say enough nice things about it. Best leak rate I have ever enjoyed - comfortable with no marks on my face - unbelievably small - and have achieved the best AHI's I have ever had.

Am I trying to sell you on it? Absolutely not for I have learned that what is great for some turns out to be a bummer for others. I am trying to get you to try one before you cross nasal masks off your list. I'm sure you are aware you can return Resmeds to DME's withing the first 30 days if they don't work for you. You can also buy return insurance from our host's site if you do business with them. Guess I'm saying there's really no good reason not to try one! JMHO

[CrazyOldCatLady]

I love my Swift FX pillows. Had minor irritation to the nostrils for a few nights. That was fixed when I learned about Lansinoh (which I use daily). The sleep lab let me try a hard nasal mask and the pillows. For me there was no contest. The pillows won easily.