Can nasal blockage be the reason for below average tidal volume?

[Michaely6]

Can nasal blockage be the main reason for consistently below average tidal volume (for my height and weight of course). I'm 6'1" (6'2" on a good day lol) and weigh 200 lbs. At least one of my nostrils are Always blocked and sometimes both and it's been like that since I was a child. My tidal volume is almost always between 380 - 420 ml. My numbers always look good as far as AHI goes (usually below 1.5) but some days I wake up with a slight headache and I believe it may be due to oxygen desaturation that I'm unaware of as I don't have a oximeter so I figured the below average tidal volume is an indication that I'm not getting enough oxygen in for my height and below. Should I be concerned with my below average tidal volume and do you think it's due to nasal blockage (I'm a nose breather and not a mouth breather) What are your thoughts on this?

Thanks

[mesenteria]

Yewbetcha, especially if the reduction in effective aperture is rather severe.  Our breathing when we sleep is generally 'exaggerated' in amplitude, meaning we really suck, wheeze, and blow if we're having a good one.  Substantial occlusion of the breathing passageway is going to impart a restriction and a resultant strain in an effort to breathe.

Note that tidal volume isn't the same for everyone.  There is variance.  What you would want to look for is a reduction that persists and that is significant from a previous 'normal' volume average.

[Michaely6]

Thanks for the reply!

[Sleeprider]

Michael, any upper airway restriction may be seen as flow limitation and will affect any of the triad of tidal volume, minute vent or breaths per minute. Many potential solutions, and my favorite is a nasal pillows mask, assuming you can tolerate that without mouth leaks. Surgical solutions are a distant second. Keep in mind full-face and nasal masks impose pressure on the sinuses that make this worse, while nasal pillows are the only therapy that directly stents the nasal openings without applying pressure to the frontal sinus cavities.

[Michaely6]

Michael, any upper airway restriction may be seen as flow limitation and will affect any of the triad of tidal volume, minute vent or breaths per minute.  Many potential solutions, and my favorite is a nasal pillows mask, assuming you can tolerate that without mouth leaks.  Surgical solutions are a distant second.  Keep in mind full-face and nasal masks impose pressure on the sinuses that make this worse, while nasal pillows are the only therapy that directly stents the nasal openings without applying pressure to the frontal sinus cavities.

Thank you. I have and tried the P10 But cannot get a good seal from it no matter which nasal size I try. I haven't tried the large size yet since my nostrils are a little on the smaller size so I got the for her version but have been unsuccessful on getting a good seal compared to my airtouch 29 full face mask. Any luck with a Navage nasal irrigation or neti pot to increase nasal air intake?

[Michaely6]

Also the p10 leaks are not mouth leaks either as I am very good with keeping my mouth closed and also use tape around my mouth to ensure that it stays shut