changing pressure going to the mouth , with a nostrol mask

[Tzvidvo]

I have a ResMEd S8 cpap Machine, with a nostril mask However I have one major problem with it. Occasionally the air goes into my mouth instead of the nose, forcing me to open my mouth. This also happens, apparently during my sleep. The result is I awake with a very dry mouth. I have been to all the "experts" and none has any answer for this problem.

[khauser]

Great experts, huh?

Things to consider:

• Chin Strap
• Full Face Mask
• Check your data ... maybe you're not getting adequate treatment. This will cause the mouth to open too. But your "awake" experience counters this....

Good luck!
-Kevin

[DreamStalker]

CPAP therapy works by stenting your throat open kind'a like inflating a balloon. Beacuse our nose and mouth are connected to the airway in out throats the focus of our CPAP therapy, if air leaks out of your mouth, the therapy is compromised. So leaks need to be managed.

As Khouser suggested, you can change the mask type to a full face mask or use a chinstrap or train yourself not to leak from your mouth.

You can do a search on any of those approaches or you can wait and get an ear (screen) full of opinions and suggestions.

Regardless of which approach or approaches you decide to try, don't give up on the therapy --- it is more than well worth the end result of making it work right.

[Pugsy]

Do a forum search for chipmunk cheeks...air goes up the nose and down the airway but tries to exit at the first opportunity and that would be the mouth and when lips are shut cheeks inflate...feels weird and we have to open mouth because we don't want our cheeks to explode Actually the lips are the path of least resistance and we just can't seal well enough against that force when asleep.

The solution..easier said than done....train the tongue to act as a barrier or door so that the air going down the airway can't exit prematurely at the mouth level. With proper tongue placement most people can block the air from ever entering the mouth. Awake it is easy...play with tongue positioning in the roof of the mouth behind the front teeth and you will see what I mean. Problem is once we go to sleep the tongue gets lazy and doesn't stay in position like it is supposed to....so it drops down and opens the door for the air to enter the mouth.

During the retraining process (practice nose breathing only with tongue in roof of mouth as much of the day as you can)
people have to sometimes go to some extra measures to keep the cheeks from inflating....pressure chin strap with extra tension on the cheek area..tape on the mouth to force the air back down the airway...
For some people its a relatively easy retraining and for some people they never get it mastered. Those people either have to use a FFM or continue taping with pressure wrap on the cheeks...and I know one prominent forum member who prefers just that (tape and pressure wrap) and that's after years of trying to teach the tongue to stay in place.