Mouth breathing and UARS

[kal81]

I've been having nasal congestion problems...
Tried nasal strips..nosineta...nasal saline rinse
I was tested at my ent doctor..I can't breath much through my nose..had a septoplasmy last year improved a little but not enough..
My doctors are reluctant to try again..

I have a full face mask..and have noticed that if I only breath through my mouth I Reach higher pressures quicker and don't feel my breathing is obstructed like through my nose.

I need a high pressure..sometimes as high as 18..I have a Apap machine..

Does anyone have any experience with only mouth breathing with c pap..also having UARS..?

Can the treatment still help..or when a person has UARS..should they deal with nasal breathing only?

Does a person lose pressure because air goes through the nose also?

when I breath through my nose I wake up before the machine reaches a higher pressure...

[49er]

Hi kal81,

I am so sorry you are having so many difficulties. Did the ENT doctor explain why things only improved a bit and why he/she is reluctant to try again? Would a 2nd opinion be a possibility?

What about trying another full face mask? Personally, the Quattro FM that you are wearing was horrible for me as it pressed on my nasal area.

I love the Fit Life Total Face Mask but unfortunately, I have never been able to get the leaks under control. But would something like that be an option for you?

Hang in there as I hope something works for you.

49er

I've been having nasal congestion problems...
Tried nasal strips..nosineta...nasal saline rinse
I was tested at my ent doctor..I can't breath much through my nose..had a septoplasmy last year improved a little but not enough..
My doctors are reluctant to try again..

I have a full face mask..and have noticed that if I only breath through my mouth I Reach higher pressures quicker and don't feel my breathing is obstructed like through my nose.

I need a high pressure..sometimes as high as 18..I have a Apap machine..

Does anyone have any experience with only mouth breathing with c pap..also having UARS..?

Can the treatment still help..or when a person has UARS..should they deal with nasal breathing only?

Does a person lose pressure because air goes through the nose also?

when I breath through my nose I wake up before the machine reaches a higher pressure...

[kal81]

I had a second opinion but they all say it's not that great of obstruction..

So should I avoid the mouth breathing?

[Julie]

Sure, it's why anyone wears FF masks - you lose all the Cpap air that way... that's supposed to go further down and keep your airway open. Also try lowering your humidity setting if you're congested.

[kal81]

Sorry Julie I didn't understand..
I where a full face mask..but still I should avoid mouth breathing?

Just trying to make sure so I don't waste anymore days..

[Julie]

Sorry! Of course you can breathe however you like with that mask, but you're less likely to dry out of course if your mouth is closed... but it won't affect therapy if it isn't.

[Pugsy]

In theory it shouldn't make any difference in therapy if the air goes to the airway via the nose or the mouth when using a full face mask like you do and leaks aren't an issue.
Now, there are some doctors who think that nasal is still the "best" way to get the pressurized air into the airway.
They say nature intended us to use our nose to breathe so it is the "best" way to do it but sometimes we can't do it.
Maybe nasal only is better but I don't see it being hugely better..if it is better anyway.
If you read up on it...you will find quite a difference of opinion.

Mouth breathing does have some known, not so great, side effects regardless of cpap therapy.
Dry mouth is main one and dentists say that dry mouth is not good environment for the teeth and gums to be in.

Is mouth breathing why you aren't feeling good with your therapy? I doubt it. IMHO

Now there are quite a few people who have found that when they made the switch to a full face mask from a nasal interface mask that they needed a little more pressure.
I know you can't see your data on your machine....and to be honest...if you do have UARS issues that data probably wouldn't help you all that much anyway. UARS therapy can't be evaluated by the AHI anyway.
I do wish you had at least leak data to evaluate.

From what I have heard from a few people with likely UARS issues...they seem to need more pressure beyond what the AHI data shows as acceptable reports. That they feel better with a couple more cm of pressure.

[avi123]

If you use a full face mask why are you troubled by the way that the air goes into your lungs? Why don't you just breathe without thinking which way the air is going? For the APAP machine it makes no difference if you breathe thru the nose or the mouth as long as you use a full face mask. UARS (Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome) could come from other parts of the airway besides the nose. Why don't you see a sleep doctor besides the ENT? There are several posters in this forum who are mouth breathers and use a special mask for it, but then you need to block your nose:



Check here about it:
http://www.directhomemedical.com/hc452- ... wPb4WeYZLM