Art to choosing Nasal Pillow Size

Hi All

Would like to check with fellow maskers, how do you determine the sizing for the nasal pillows?

i tried all 3 and frankly, I could not tell which ones I should be using? Partly, I'm not sure how should the nasal pillow feel when I put on the mask.

I was using the PR Nuance Pro. Recently, I've purchased the Airfit P10 to try out as well.

Any tips?

I figure bigger is better (easier to breath) as long as it's comfortable.

Pretty much what he said. The larger size will allow more air flow but will still be smaller than you nares and restrict some airflow. So with nasal pillows always start with the largest and work towards the smallest until you get leaks.

Keep in mind the nasal pillows will seal around the outer edge of the pillow to the nare. The pillow should not enter the nostril for any reason.

Using a dab of Lansinoh around the nare will help any irritation that newbies may experience whether its from pillow movement or chemical irritation from the silicone. It also provides some sealing effect while not being overly slippery.

IMO nasal pillows are by far the easiest cpap mask to seal as it has less surface area in contact with the skin to leak from. And despite what many DMEs might tell you nasal pillows can be used on cpap pressures above 14 and even up to 20cm of water.

sgcpapuser wrote:Hi All

Would like to check with fellow maskers, how do you determine the sizing for the nasal pillows?

i tried all 3 and frankly, I could not tell which ones I should be using? Partly, I'm not sure how should the nasal pillow feel when I put on the mask.

I was using the PR Nuance Pro. Recently, I've purchased the Airfit P10 to try out as well.

Any tips?

I agree that the larger the size that you can tolerate, the better chance that you will have with success. Be mindful that the large size could cause on the inside of the nostril and even at your columella (the little piece of cartilage/skin that separates the nair). What type of nasal pillow mask are you considering?

Just remember to reseat the mask to center the pillows on the nares. A little dab of lanolin will help prevent or treat wind burn from when the pillows are not seated well. The pillows rest on the nares, not inserted, so bigger is better.

Pap-Daddy wrote: . . pillows will seal around the outer edge of the pillow to the nare. (My note below)
The pillow should not enter the nostril for any reason. . . .

Just in case "outer edge" sounds cofusing, the thick rim of the pillow should lie outside of the nostril;
while the edge of the nostril will rest on the curved part between the rim and the hole.
If it is too close to the hole, the hole might squeeze closed, and no air is allowed to flow.
Everything else pap daddy said is right on point.

hotshot429 wrote:

sgcpapuser wrote:Hi All

Would like to check with fellow maskers, how do you determine the sizing for the nasal pillows?

i tried all 3 and frankly, I could not tell which ones I should be using? Partly, I'm not sure how should the nasal pillow feel when I put on the mask.

I was using the PR Nuance Pro. Recently, I've purchased the Airfit P10 to try out as well.

Any tips?

I agree that the larger the size that you can tolerate, the better chance that you will have with success. Be mindful that the large size could cause on the inside of the nostril and even at your columella (the little piece of cartilage/skin that separates the nair). What type of nasal pillow mask are you considering?

I'm trying out the airfit P10 currently. I've been using the medium for the past 2 night. My nostrils feels a bit sore after the second night. I'm not sure if I'm not sure will it go away eventually

The pillows are a bit different from the nuance pro. The P10 pillows are conical shaped. So some part of it will enter the nostrils. But I'm just not sure how much of it is supposed to enter it.

I'll try the large tomorrow night

With the P10, I tried smaller, larger, smaller, larger and finally threw in the dice with the smaller because I had fewer leaks after about 5 days of usage vs. the larger. I think some of us are just between sizes.

I am on oxygen day and night and my nose gets really sore at times. I like to use the large pillows and a cloth stretchy headband to help keep the mask in place. I don't have a big nose. It is just pretty average in size. I can use the medium and the small just fine but I just like the feel of the large better.

sgcpapuser wrote:My nostrils feels a bit sore after the second night. I'm not sure if I'm not sure will it go away eventually

Lansinoh can be found in most places where baby bottles are sold. It is pure lanolin for Breast feeding mothers. You can try chapstick or vaseline but it may be too slippery. Or try washing the pillows to see if it is from chemical irritation or friction from movement. If it moves each time you breath it will be many hundreds or thousands of times each nite. Roughly 345k breaths if you sleep 8hrs. @ 12 breaths per minute which most here don't sleep exactly 8hrs. In combination with the Lansinoh your nares will toughen up in time but don't let them get too sore either.

so i tried the large pillow last night and this is what i found out.

- the pillow is larger, so the tip barely enters the nose.
- my nose don't feel sore, as compared to the medium

However, it gets knocked out of place a lot more compared to the medium. As the tip of the medium pillow enters the nose, the nose adds an additional point to keep the pillows in place.

so... i'm not sure. should i use the medium or large (or rotate among them)