Throat infection in same place every month

[L_Armede]

Hello all. I hope every one is doing as well as possible. Are safe and warm, especially after Sandy. I have a quick question. I keep getting a throat infection in the same spot every month pretty much for the last 6 months. I'm beginning to wonder if it might be related to VPAP hygiene, or lack of. I've been on a CPAP of some kind since 92 and have gotten a little slack with my machine hygiene. A practice I'm going to stop right now. I was wondering if anyone has dealt with similar issues. I am waking up with terrible dry mouth and throat. I know dry parched nasal passages are breeding ground for infection. I'm going to start turning my humidifier up a little each night to find a level that doesn't dry me out. And doesn't make the hot plate smell. Thanks for your help, MM

[BlackSpinner]

What kind of mask do you use? If it is a nasal mask of some sort then it sounds like you are mouth breathing which would stress your throat and wreck your therapy.

[cherylann]

Why do you say mouth breathing would wreck your therapy? I am a mouth breather - always have been. Nasal passages are too narrow for nose breathing. I've been struggling with CPAP for a year and a half and it is still not working for me. Is it an impossibility for mouth breathers to be successful with it?

[L_Armede]

Thanks for responding Blackspinner. I forgot to mention it's a full face mask.

[Pugsy]

Why do you say mouth breathing would wreck your therapy? I am a mouth breather - always have been. Nasal passages are too narrow for nose breathing. I've been struggling with CPAP for a year and a half and it is still not working for me. Is it an impossibility for mouth breathers to be successful with it?

BlackSpinner was referring to mouth breathing in conjunction with a nasal mask. If mouth breathing a lot with a nasal mask the therapy can just flow out the open mouth if the mouth is not covered like with a full face mask.
Therapy pressure is not maintained well enough to keep the airway open.
Full face mask users eliminate the loss of therapy pressure and can and do have very successful therapy.

[L_Armede]

Hi Cherylann. Sorry to hear your treatment isn't working. I use a full face mask these days, but I started out using just the nose mask like you do. It took a long time for the nose mask to work for me also. I had to train myself to keep my mouth closed while using it. A chinstrap helped keep it closed until I got into the habit of using nose only. It worked fine for years. I eventually learned to keep my mouth closed on my own. I don't know who told you the nasal passage was too narrow to breath out of. The only reason that would be true would be if you had chronically inflamed nasal passages. For a CPAP or BiPAP to be successful, you must breath in through it. Otherwise the positive pressure won't be able to keep your throat open. Breathing through your mouth while using only a nasal mask is counter - productive. If you can not keep you mouth closed, you might want to talk to your Treating Physician about switching to a full face mask. Like I said, I was able to breath only through my nose while using a nose mask, successfully, for years. I had myself trained to keep my mouth closed. But then I moved back to an area that made my allergies go into full force. My sinuses got inflamed and I had to breath through both nose and mouth. I wish you the best. L_A

[Always tired]

I keep getting a throat infection in the same spot every month pretty much for the last 6 months. I'm beginning to wonder if it might be related to VPAP hygiene, or lack of.

Before I started a consistent cleaning schedule I was always having really sore throats and infections too.
I find that when I clean the mask with wipes daily and disinfect everything every 4 or 5 days I do much better. If I go 7 days without cleaning I am almost guaranteed of a throat infection. If I am religious about using my chin strap (I am getting better) my sore or dry throat days are much less frequent. Also nightly use of Biotene mouth wash rinse used to gargle with has helped too.

[chunkyfrog]

L_Armede:
I hope your doctor/ENT has looked at this spot that keeps getting sore for the last 6 months.
I really hate to ruin your holiday by mentioning what I fear it could be.
Please see your doctor--ASAP! I hope I'm wrong.

[makezmuzic]

Thanks for responding Always tired. And thanks for the "heads-up" & idea about using wipes. I'm going to step up my hygiene regime. I just bought some Biotene and will use it regularly. Take care, L_Armede

[makezmuzic]

Please see your doctor--ASAP! I hope I'm wrong.

[img]Thank%20you%20for%20responding%20Chunky%20Frog.%20I%20went%20to%20see%20my%20MD%20today%20and%20was%20immediately%20referred%20to%20an%20ENT%20Specialist.%20%20I%20have%20benign%20Mesothelioma%20%20-%20%20Mesothelioma%20"in%20Situ".%20%20And%20asbestoses%20from%2012%20years%20exposure%20to%20asbestos,%20acid%20fumes%20and%20silica.%20%20I%20am%20at%20very%20high%20risk%20for%20cancer.%20%20I%20must%20admit%20I'm%20somewhat%20%20anxious%20about%20this%20too.%20%20%20I'm%20in%20a%20lot%20of%20discomfort%20I%20haven't%20felt%20before.%20%20But,%20I'm%20going%20to%20try%20to%20keep%20things%20on%20a%20positive%20tip,%20and%20start%20with%20stepping%20up%20my%20hygiene%20routine.%20%20%20Thank%20you%20for%20your%20concern%20Chunky%20%20[/img]

[chunkyfrog]

I was worried about you. It sounds like you got it early.
One more thing for all of us to be thankful for.

[makezmuzic]

Ooops, looks like I made a mess of my post. I don't know where all those %20 came from. I think i hit "img" instead of size. Anyway, thank you for your thoughtfulness Chunky Frog.

[Always tired]

Another thought on a sore throat always in the same place...
About 8 months ago I had a sore throat and jaw discomfort always on the right side. It would last for a few days, back off, and then come back again. I finally put 2 and 2 together and figured out that my tongue was always going to the right side because of a new dental bridge. Bridges can be great places for bits of food to get trapped in and my tongue was unconsiouncly going there over and over to dislodge something. I went to my dentist and he opened up some areas, filed down some sharp edges, and i always carry some threader dental floss to get any food out as soon as I notice food caught in the bridge.

[chunkyfrog]

I am addicted to these things:
http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod. ... ase_filler

[newname]

Is it really an infection or just a sore throat? I ask this because I get sore throats in the same spot due to those nasty tonsiliths I always get.