Too much humidity causes plugged sinuses?

[CPAPSteve]

Okay so I have this issue where my sinuses like to randomly block up and switch between nostrils. I live in Alberta and being the fall here that the air is getting kinda dry. My sinuses don’t feel dry per se but they tend to block up more now than ever. Been fiddling with the humidity settings but I think when I bump up the humidity levels that they plug up more! If I turn down the settings the sinus plugging is less severe but then it feels too dry.

Any suggestions on what else I can do to open up my sinuses without drying mucosa out?

I find if use my ffm that it is worse and if use a p10 nasal pillow that I can breathe but there is a fair bit of sinus pressure (blocked) that sometimes makes sleeping difficult.

[Pugsy]

You might try adding something like Simply Saline nasal spray before bedtime and again when you get up in the morning to help with the dry feeling.

[Julie]

Get Xylimelts from the drugstore - they help with the dryness (but won't add to the congestion like the hum. does).

[CPAPSteve]

Pugsy I have tried saline with limited success.

@ Julie it isn’t the dry mouth at this point (that recently got solved with a chinstrap) but rather that too much humidty causes plugged sinuses and too little results in super dry nose.

There is no win in with my nose it seems. First fall/winter using a CPAP and it is makin sleeping not so great.

On the bright side my AHIs are still good and I still feel mostly rested

[Muse-Inc]

I too get more plugged up when humidity is too high. Just now getting cold weather so I turned on my humidifier, set to 1.5 which is too high for my in-bedroom levels (rainy here for the past few days). I will dial back to 1 tonight. I usually check the weather channel for relative humidity, if high, I turn down humidifier and if dry, turn it up. My sinuses are just wacko from years and years of sinus infections, damaged tissues means congestion that periodically shuts down my nose hence hybrid FFM.

I have found the Grossan Nasal Irrigator helpful for major congestion or colds. I use his packettes for solution. I use Ocean spray in the can to wash out my nose and sinuses, just enough pressure to work. NOT within a few hrs of sleep or nose leaks all night.

[Captain_Midnight]

CPSteve writes...I think when I bump up the humidity levels that they plug up more! If I turn down the settings the sinus plugging is less severe

Yes, this has been my observation as well as from some other veteran posters hereabouts. (Including, IIRC, from the one-and-only Wolfman Den).

For some of us, a little humidity might be a good thing, but too much, and it's like steaming a kettle of clams, you get swelling and expansion (not what you need for breathing passageways.)

I used to use passover humidity only; and now that I've moved to an arid climate, only the first level of heat. Any more, and it works against me.

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