Nasal Congestion

Lee Lee · Post by **Lee Lee** » Fri Mar 24, 2006 3:42 pm

I wake up every morning with one nasal passage slammed shut. Once I take off my mask, get up and move around, it opens up and stays that way all day.
I have my humidifier on medium, but it really doesn't matter what I have it on. I still have a clogged nasal passage. I use a saline solution before bed, also use Astelin. Nothing helps.
Is this from therapy, I wonder?

Linda3032 · Post by **Linda3032** » Fri Mar 24, 2006 5:33 pm

Hi Lee. I don't know how normal that is, but I have the same thing. I've been checked and discussed it with an ENT doctor, and he said that's not uncommon. And as long as it's not always the same nostril that's plugged, or as long as it doesn't stay plugged all the time, then he wasn't concerned about it.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Mar 24, 2006 5:40 pm

Linda,
He wasn't concerned, because HE probably doesn't have to sleep with with a mask and machine!
I guess I have to live with it, but I swear, I think it makes my pressure go up, because the air has nowhere to go except up that one poor little nostril. And my APAP thinks my airway is closed.
I still feel thousands of times better than I did before, so I won't whine.
Thanks.

Snoozin' Bluezzz · Post by **Snoozin' Bluezzz** » Fri Mar 24, 2006 6:23 pm

I have the same problem and just this morning was thinking about starting a thread on this. I have had it for years though, on and off xPAP. I irrigate, use Flonase, Astelin and humidity and none of this seems to make a difference for me either. It has always seemed weird. It clears after rising and it isn't always the same nostril though it is most commonly the left (which is opposite my deviation).

With humidity, irrigation and the two sprays my daytime congestion is much less than it used to be. I would often have 1 side or the other blocked during the day as well.

It is encouraging to hear that your ENT is not too worried about it. The ENT I saw seemed way too eager to operate and perform multiple diagnostics on me given the level, or lack thereof, distress I was reporting. I have since decided to forgo pursuing a septoplasty and turbinectomy, at least for now.

SB

dsm · Post by **dsm** » Fri Mar 24, 2006 7:52 pm

My 0.2c worth (as a regular nasal congestion sufferer)

My nasal challenges are probably twofold 1=nose blocking up when I get into bed & 2=what happens when I switch to a nasal pillows mask

My post is to offer my observations re 1 and to also seek others advice re 2.

For nasal congestion I have several approaches & tend to vary them based on what I think best at the time ...

NASAL SPRAY
For a stuffed nose when getting into bed I will (as little as possible) use a nasal spray such as Otrivin - I regard this as my backstop approach as it is well known that nasal sprays only work for so many days then usually reverse the problem.

FULL FACE MASK
Mostly I use a F/F mask & if I have to can & will breathe through my mouth. My Ultra Mirage F/F mask is my life saver but I prefer using my nasal pillows mask.

NASAL PILLOWS
This mask nearly always seems to get around the nasal congestion but I have woken up with one blocked nostril even with this mask. After experimenting with a few Nasal Pillows mask I settled on a Malinkrodt Adams Circuit mask - I have a couple *but* I recently learned they are not made any more - yet to me they were the best!.

My downside with the Nasal Pillows masks is that they tend to be noisier (according to my spouse) and she also claims my breathing is no where near as consistent. Also I will often get woken up with air escaping from my mouth despite the fact that I always wear a Respironics Premier chinstrap done up tightly. I do like Nasal Pillows, a good one fits well & stays there.

One other downside I have noticed, is that often I will wake up and my throat & nasal passage in the throat seems to be full of thick mucous, not really a big problem but I am wondering why this happens & if others using Nasal Pillows have this issue as well ?

SALINE NASAL RINSE
When my congestion seems to be regular I have a primitive method of rinsing out my nasal passages, I 'sniff' salted water while having my daily shower.

a) I use common kitchen salt put in a plastic bowl & mixed with warmish water (temp needs to be just right)

b) The salt mix needs to be just right as to much salt causes me to gag

I have been doing this for many years & it seems to work well. When I 1st started doing it I seemed to end up with pockets of water still in my nose & any time I would lean forward out would come a tablespoon of salty water, but, that doesn't happen to me now.

MY QUESTION
Does anyone else using Nasal Pillows masks get this mucous build up - I have wondered if it is related to alcohol consumption as I am sure it is worse when I have had a drink with dinner the night before.

Cheers

DSM

notsorested · Post by **notsorested** » Fri Mar 24, 2006 8:50 pm

I suffer pretty much the same, worse in Spring, but still all year. I've done every anahistamine and such that I could find. . . astalin, afrin, menthol sniffer. . . . I also have a waterpik with a special nasal tip that helps clear the sinuses, but the pump went out. My usual is flonaise and alegra, but that's not working right now. So, I get hooked on the Afrin, which the ENT and my primary physician give me a speech about every time. (I've been on oral steroids to get off many times too--works well.) In the end, the Afrin is the absolute only thing that works for me, though I then get the rebound effect, requiring more, the chewing out from the Dr., and then I get off of it until I can't stand it any more. I'm awaiting a heated hose, as the heated humidity seems to help, but I can't use the heated humidifier with my Aura, as i get too much rainout. (Anyone know where to get the M adapter--I have a Remstar II, and Radio Shack is out of that plug-in.) I think my allergies have made me go backwards. The Cpap helps, but then my allergies keep me sleepy during the day.

ozij · Post by **ozij** » Fri Mar 24, 2006 9:45 pm

Very familiar to me too, and had been for years.

I found the following very helpful:

1. Nasal rinses, usning the technique (not necessarily products) described in http://www.sinucleanse.com/why_video.htm

2. Adding a fine filter to my already humidified system.

O.

jkeene · Post by **jkeene** » Fri Mar 24, 2006 10:19 pm

I managed to clear up my congestion issues by learning Jala Neti from
http://www.jalanetipot.com/
Once you get over the thought of it, and try it, it works. The point about the salt is important, they recommend one teaspoon per half liter.

kteague · Post by **kteague** » Fri Mar 24, 2006 11:40 pm

Just want to offer an alternative to the medicated nasal sprays... I don't use cold/sinus medications due to conflicting with other meds I'm taking, particularly for PLMD. I keep a tiny bottle of tea tree oil (have used the same bottle for years). I pour just a few drops in the cap, and suck it up into a container of saline only nasal spray and shake well. Caution - add a drop at a time because it's potent and will burn like the dickens. The tea tree oil is menthol as well as reported to be antiseptic. Not real long acting, but will loosen things up for those who for whatever reason need to refrain from other meds.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Mar 25, 2006 2:26 am

I used to have severe congestion problems--no more. I had two coblation treatments to reduce the size of the turbinates in the nose (like somnoplasty). Then, I used sinus rinses several times daily to clear up sinus infections (antibiotics had not worked).

I really think regular sinus rinses worked better for me than everything else.

Now, I use a regimen of one or two sinus rinses/day, plus nightly use of Flonase. I use the http://www.neilmed.com bottle and packets of salt/soda solution (also in many pharmacies). You can also use a Waterpik plus special sinus rinse tip to do the rinse, if you don't like the squeeze bottle.

Denis · Post by **Denis** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 5:47 pm

I have been struggling with the closing nostril dilemma since I started CPAP 6 months ago. I'm a side sleeper and the down side nostril always shuts completely. Worse yet, after a 2-3 hours the other nostril is about half shut, making a nasal mask useless. I tried going from a nasal mask to a full face mask, but it didn't work out. Last night I just discovered if I lay on my back, the nostrils both stay open!!!! I have never slept on my back and I will need to teach/force myself to do it, but I think I have found the solution.

hecate · Post by **hecate** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 5:55 pm

Denis wrote:I have been struggling with the closing nostril dilemma since I started CPAP 6 months ago. I'm a side sleeper and the down side nostril always shuts completely. Worse yet, after a 2-3 hours the other nostril is about half shut, making a nasal mask useless. I tried going from a nasal mask to a full face mask, but it didn't work out. Last night I just discovered if I lay on my back, the nostrils both stay open!!!! I have never slept on my back and I will need to teach/force myself to do it, but I think I have found the solution.

Same here, but unfortunately on my back I have more events my pressure goes up and I get leaks out my mouth. Chinstraps don't work for me. I'm loathed as a congested person to tape my mouth up. I would love to try the F&P oracle, but I've not heard good things about it to spend my own money on. My main concern is my oxygen level going down when i have sever problems so I'm going to try getting another prescription of a oximetery test.

bikeopener · Post by **bikeopener** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 6:51 pm

This seems to be a major issue for me. I have just started to use nose drops when my congestion is bad. There are times when I go to bed, I have to open my mouth and take several large breaths of air to feel like I'm not suffocating (I use a nasal mask). When I use a nasal spray (generic for afrin) it seems I sleep longer, wake up less due to air leakage, I don't toss and turn so much and wake up more refreshed. What are the dangers of using nasal sprays daily? I think I'm already addicted to my CPAP machine. Do I need to get addicted to nasal sprays also?.

Mike

Denis · Post by **Denis** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 6:58 pm

The only successful sleep I've had to date with my CPAP has involved Afrin. That decongested me when no other pill or remedy would work. (Haven't tried Flonase, though) My problem with Afrin is that after 3-4 days, I get the "rebound effect" and I end up completely stuffed up for a couple of days and my nasal CPAP is useless. Not only that, but with regular use it seems to become less effective over time. I think that's why the docs discourage it's use for any more than a couple of days at a time.

Moogy · Post by **Moogy** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 7:18 pm

The prescription nasal sprays like Flonase and Nasacort don't have the kind of rebound that you get with Afrin. You can use them daily--I have been using them twice a day for several years. If I run out and have to do without for a couple of days while ordering a refill, I can tell the difference.

Moogy
in the allergy capital of Texas (aka Austin)

Nasal Congestion

Nasal Congestion

One nostril clogged

Nasal Congestion

Nasal Sprays

Machine	Mask	Humidifier

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