"Balloon mouth"

2nd week on the box and I'm having a strange occurrence when I fall asleep on my back. I guess I am doing a good job keeping my mouth shut because as soon as I drift off (and my tongues falls back I guess), my mouth fills up with air like a balloon. Its very annoying. My pressures are 9-11 (90% ~ 10.0), and I do ramp from 6 on congested nights. I thought it may have been low pressure from the ramp up, but it occurs in the middle of the night and on straight pressure nights.

No problems if I sleep on my side, but I don't want a further restriction to falling asleep

Anyone else have this, or got suggestions... I guessing a higher presssure is needed but did not have any issues during titration of the first couple of nights

Thanks,
Fletch

ColCpap wrote:2nd week on the box and I'm having a strange occurrence when I fall asleep on my back. I guess I am doing a good job keeping my mouth shut because as soon as I drift off (and my tongues falls back I guess), my mouth fills up with air like a balloon. Its very annoying. My pressures are 9-11 (90% ~ 10.0), and I do ramp from 6 on congested nights. I thought it may have been low pressure from the ramp up, but it occurs in the middle of the night and on straight pressure nights.

No problems if I sleep on my side, but I don't want a further restriction to falling asleep

Anyone else have this, or got suggestions... I guessing a higher presssure is needed but did not have any issues during titration of the first couple of nights

Thanks,
Fletch

Hi Fletch, welcome to the forum.

What you describe is not uncommon if a person's tongue cannot maintain an airtight seal within the mouth.

I've read people (usually sleep techs, and usually techs that don't use CPAP themselves) say that if the pressure is right, that won't happen. I don't think that's necessarily correct, because I believe what they are actually seeing in the sleep lab study are people with OSA who have been mouthbreathing in a futile attempt to get more air. Then, yes, when the pressure is titrated up to a point where they can breathe easily during sleep, they do start breathing through their nose instead of through the mouth.

But, I think there are still some of us who, even when breathing through the nose exclusively, DO suddenly find the mouth filled with air because of CPAP air detouring in through the back of the mouth instead of being breathed straight down. In those cases, it's all about whether the anatomy of the tongue and the geometry inside a person's mouth allows the tongue to maintain an airtight seal. During the relaxation of sleep, my tongue doesn't maintain that seal, in any sleep position. Apparently at times yours doesn't either; but, lucky for you, the problem happens to you only when you're sleeping on your back.

Some here have had success getting their tongue into the habit of holding a seal. I've never had success with that myself.

Even though you said you'd rather not avoid sleeping on your back, which, according to your post, is the only time it happens to you, you might decide that will be the least annoying way of handling it, because other methods might feel more intrusive for you.

One way I've found to prevent air filling the mouth is to use a device to keep the tongue in an airtight position. A cheap way to do that is to fashion a DIY (do it yourself) thingy out of a couple of boil and bite mouthguards. A poster nicknamed frequentseeker came up with that idea. Worked for me:

Topic started by frequenseeker Dec 01 2004 subject: mouth leak solution, cheap DIY oral appliance
http://www.talkaboutsleep.com/message-b ... php?t=4750

Picture of snork1's creation:
viewtopic.php?t=3265

Pictures of a one piece design by freelans:
http://www.talkaboutsleep.com/message-b ... hp?t=10676

Another way to deal with air detouring into the mouth:
This won't prevent it from happening, but can reduce the sheer amount of air that comes in... wear a chin strap (can be homemade) to keep the cheeks flattened. The flatter the cheeks are, the less air that can fill the mouth. That might help since the most annoying, sleep disruptive thing about air filling the mouth is when the cheeks balloon out like a chipmunk cheeks. Also described as "blowfish" in some posts. Cheeks ballooning out is more noticeably felt and more likely to disturb a sleeper if he/she happens to be sensitive to that sudden "ballooning" feel.

Unless sleeping on your side causes pain, like shoulder or hip pain or something, that's your easiest solution, I'd think. The other two ways might be an annoyance to you.

Or, you might be one whose tongue, with a little "training", will eventually keep an airtight seal, even when you're sleeping supine.

Let us know how it goes!

Ok what about a full face mask, will that prevent balloon mouth?? I have the same problem.

Guest wrote:Ok what about a full face mask, will that prevent balloon mouth?? I have the same problem.

Not for me. I didn't have this much on my Quattro, but with my Quattro FX it is a bit of a problem..

katcw wrote:

Guest wrote:Ok what about a full face mask, will that prevent balloon mouth?? I have the same problem.

Not for me. I didn't have this much on my Quattro, but with my Quattro FX it is a bit of a problem..

I just got a Quattro FX, why is it a problem for you? I was told that because I would open my mouth during the night I would need a full face mask. I put in on the first night and I realized the hear gear was to small so Im waiting for the larger head gear. This is so frustrating, Im about ready to give up. I really don't want to put more things on my face and head if I can help it.
Thanks for your help

I had this issue, I'd wake up "motorboating" a lot. For me, switching to the hybrid was the way to go, but others in this forum swear by taping their mouths shut.

I've always heard the medical term is "chipmunk cheeks". But maybe that's just MY doc...

I do that a lot, but it doesn't bother me. In fact, it makes for a better mask seal.

OK whats a hybrid? thanks

Guest wrote:OK whats a hybrid? thanks

It's a kind of mask, it has nasal pillows but also a mouth-mask. There are a couple on CPAP.com

https://www.cpap.com/cpap-masks/hybrid-cpap-mask.php

You might try a FFM. I wouldn't think a pressure increase would be beneficial, but that's just a guess. Good Luck.

Thanks everyone... good info, and knowing I'm not the only one is encouraging.

No problems last night. Finally got my pillow-ology down and found a great position. Of course the impending head cold played havoc with nose breathing, but that's another post all together.

For The Record: A full face mask = no therapy ( too many bad memories of wearing mask for hours in flight! )

Fletch

Oh, no – don’t give up. It will take thinking and trying and patience, many herein have come a long way practising those.

As for sleeping on your back, that worsens OSA, because the tongue is more likely to fall into your air passage, though hopefully your prescription is for high enough pressure to prevent OSA then.