Using Nose Pillows with a Head Cold

I was concerned that my nose pillows would not work when I would get sick this winter. I've managed to use them for two nights with severe nasal congestion. It seems the continuous pressure creates an opening for air to get through. That is, duh, what it is intended to do. It takes a few seconds when I first lie down or change position, during which I need to breath through my mouth, but in little time I am back to using the nose pillows to breathe through my nose. I still wake up a lot (which is normal when I am sick), but my wife says my breathing does not sound heavy and I just woke up feeling rested, albeit sick.

Suggestion: if nose pillows do not seem to work when you are sick, try breathing through your mouth and waiting to see whether your nose opens up after a while to allow the nose pillows to work.

I'm fighting my first head cold with CPAP and nasal pillows too. Maybe not quite so much nasal congestion as you, though.

Like you, I find that if I give the nasal pillows a bit of time, the pressure seems to cut through the congestion. To help this process along I have been doing the following before bedtime:

1) I make generous use of a saline nasal spray: I use it several times in the evening to really help loosen stuff up and soothe the mucous membranes in the nasal passages.

2) I try to blow my nose really well right before I go to bed and after I blow my nose, I do one last saline nasal spray in each nostril.

3) I take an OTC antihistamine (zytec) if I'm feeling really, really stuffed up. May not really do anything, but I don't dare take an OTC decongestant with the current insomnia battle I'm in. But if OTC decongestants don't keep you awake, try that instead of the antihistamine.

I have also noticed that during the day, my nose seems less stuffy, but the sinuses a bit farther back (like those in my cheek and above my eyes) have a bit more pain and the throat is still saying there's a nasty post-nasal drip coming from somewhere ...

Good luck with the head cold.

Hi, i think you will have no problems with your pillows working. I don't have a cold but I have severe allergies and at times my head runs constantly. i have found that c-pap actually helps the runny nose!
I just got cleared up from a 3 month battle of everything running and honestly,sometimes during the day the running was so bad I would go and hook up my c-pap for a few minutes to get some relief!
I don't know if it will work for you but it sure does for me.
Best of luck to you and I hope you feel better soon.
GOD BLESS YOU!