Nasal vs. Face mask question

I have a nasal pillow mask and a mask that covers both mouth and nose. When I am congested I use the one that covers the face more because I will mouth breath. Whenever I use the nasal pillow mask, I feel better the next day. Even if I have one come off my nose and mouth breath some I still feel better than the mouth and nose mask mouth breathing. Are nasal masks supposed to be better for apnea than face masks?

ProblemSleeper wrote:Are nasal masks supposed to be better for apnea than face masks?

Not really, both treat OSA very well when used properly and comfortably.

Perhaps the one that covers the mouth and nose is more uncomfortable or even leaks more and this might disrupt your sleep more. Ending up with feeling less than optimal the next day.

Worst experience I ever had was with a full face mask. Aerophagia really bad, neck straps hurt my neck, headache. Felt awful the next day. Promptly went back to my nasal pillow mask and have never tried another FF mask. Just don't want to.

the face mask leaks less. that's why I don't get it.

Do you have the software to see if there is any correlation as far as data goes with feeling worse?

Interesting question and individual experience reports.

I recall seeing a post a few years back from a patient who observed that (for him) the full face mask pushed his lower jaw back and thus had a tendency to occlude his airway more easily. I don't recall if he stated whether he had an overbite, but one might suspect the possibility.

In any event, some folks hereabouts swear by their full face masks, others don't like them. (Aren't choices and self-determination wonderful?)

I got a full face mask over a year ago as sleep insurance for the possible event of a severe cold that prevented nasal breathing. I've never used it, (I have fewer colds since beginning xpap, and they are of less severity than pre-dx). So when the time comes that a URI prevents all but mouth breathing, I can do my mask experiment. And coincidentally, I happen to have a yucky cold as I type this, so this could be the night to try that mask.


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After writing above that my congestion is such that I might just need the full face gear tonight, I located the mask, fitted it, and (for the first time) tried it on the xPAP. Whoa, so that's what a puffer fish feels like, eh?

No worries, I believe that we can get used to things more easily than we first suspect. My only, teensy concern is that if the air doesn't go in via the nasal passage, it could be drying (and I usually don't humidify).

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