Chin Strap with beard

[jsielke]

OK, after all the great suggestions I got here, I got a chin strap to stop leaks..and it works great. Hardly any leakage. However, to keep the mouth shut, I have to have it pretty firm. This morning I woke up and my chin was really sore. I do have a beard. Is there any magic trick to wearing a chin strap without irritation?  This was my 3rd night with it, and first with sore chin. The strap itself is pretty soft, and feels comfortable when I put it on. I'll try the obvious (loosening it up more) but when I tried it looser before, I ended up with mouth leaks.

[Gideon]

When I used a chin strap (with a beard) even when extremely tight (I know) I couldn't stop my leaks.  I just over powered the chin strap and opened my mouth anyway.

This does work for some, but not all.  

Wearing the chinstrap helped me train myself to keep my mouth closed, better, but not all the way there,  What works for me is to tape my lips, contraversial, but it works for me.

Read the Mask Primer (in my sig) for ways to manage mouth breathing.  A fairly new "discovery" is a surgical colar worn loosly

[Leemax]

I had a real problem with mouth leaks. A chin strap would hold my mouth shut but the air would still leak out. I taped a few times, but I don't like to do that, and I also wanted to grow my beard back. I got one of the Ultimate Chin Straps and that has been working really well. It holds my mouth closed and also keeps my lips shut, and doesn't bother my beard. Give it a shot!

[farmapnea]

Ultimate Chin Strap huh? I've seen the guys' commercials, they're hilarious.

I've had a stuffy nose for about 10 years. I hate to admit it, but I am addicted to Afrin... without, I cannot use a CPAP. I will workout that issue later, but for now I need it.

Curious -- if say during the middle of the night my nose stuffs up, could I still breath through my mouth with the Ultimate Chin Strap? I don't want to suffocate! lol

[Leemax]

Ultimate Chin Strap huh? I've seen the guys' commercials, they're hilarious.

I've had a stuffy nose for about 10 years. I hate to admit it, but I am addicted to Afrin... without, I cannot use a CPAP. I will workout that issue later, but for now I need it.

Curious -- if say during the middle of the night my nose stuffs up, could I still breath through my mouth with the Ultimate Chin Strap? I don't want to suffocate! lol

For about the past two years I've had a chronically congested schnozz and rely on the nasal sprays to get me through. I've had times where I've been pretty clogged up at night, and the Ultimate CS doesn't stop me from breathing through my mouth at all. Although it keeps your mouth and lips closed it's not like they're taped shut. You can open your mouth enough to breath with no trouble at all. Breathing through the cloth takes more effort, as you would imagine, but you're definitely not going to suffocate. Also, it takes about a second to pull it off, so you'd probably be able to do that before you passed from this vale of tears.

The ads are kind of funny, and the thing does look goofy, but I like the fact that it's a cottage industry and that you can speak to the owner and inventor right on the phone when you place your order. Also I like the fact that it works!

[farmapnea]

Ultimate Chin Strap huh? I've seen the guys' commercials, they're hilarious.

I've had a stuffy nose for about 10 years. I hate to admit it, but I am addicted to Afrin... without, I cannot use a CPAP. I will workout that issue later, but for now I need it.

Curious -- if say during the middle of the night my nose stuffs up, could I still breath through my mouth with the Ultimate Chin Strap? I don't want to suffocate! lol

For about the past two years I've had a chronically congested schnozz and rely on the nasal sprays to get me through. I've had times where I've been pretty clogged up at night, and the Ultimate CS doesn't stop me from breathing through my mouth at all. Although it keeps your mouth and lips closed it's not like they're taped shut. You can open your mouth enough to breath with no trouble at all. Breathing through the cloth takes more effort, as you would imagine, but you're definitely not going to suffocate. Also, it takes about a second to pull it off, so you'd probably be able to do that before you passed from this vale of tears.

The ads are kind of funny, and the thing does look goofy, but I like the fact that it's a cottage industry and that you can speak to the owner and inventor right on the phone when you place your order. Also I like the fact that it works!

Thanks Lee!! I might have to try this out. I enjoyed the nasal pillows the most, but I would wake up with air shooting out of my mouth haha.

[silversnore]

Most over the counter nose sprays should not be used more than three days in a row.  Look at the directions for terms of use, continueded use causes REBOUND and increases the difficutly to breath through the sinuses. 

"If the decongestant sprays are used for more than 3 consecutive days, cellular and histologic changes in the nasal mucosa will result.   Once these changes occur, the nasal turbinates become abnormally enlarged once the last dose of the medication wears off (typically 6-9 hours later.)  It is this swelling of the nasal mucosa that the term Rebound Congestion refers to"

I have had terrible sinuses since i was a kid.  Alternate treatments, saline spray, antihistamines, steroidial nasal sprays, neti pots, etc.

Using nasal pillows and a humidfier with my therapy has had the added benefit of opening my sinuses (the additional pressure helps as well).  I have never been able to breath as well before using xpap therapy!!

                     

[Leemax]

Most over the counter nose sprays should not be used more than three days in a row.  Look at the directions for terms of use, continueded use causes REBOUND and increases the difficutly to breath through the sinuses. 

"If the decongestant sprays are used for more than 3 consecutive days, cellular and histologic changes in the nasal mucosa will result.   Once these changes occur, the nasal turbinates become abnormally enlarged once the last dose of the medication wears off (typically 6-9 hours later.)  It is this swelling of the nasal mucosa that the term Rebound Congestion refers to"
                   

True enough, but what can you do about it? The longest I've tried to power through without using the spray was about 4 days, and it's hell not being able to breathe through your nose. Also, mouth-breathing is not only uncomfortable and almost impossible to sleep with, but it has its own health implications, since we're not really meant to breathe through our mouts. I've done the nasacort, decongestants, neti pot, saline rinses, nasal strips, etc. to no avail. It does help to use the humidifier on my machine, so I'm able to cut back some on the spray, and perhaps wean myself off of it completely. Fingers crossed.

[silversnore]

Perhaps consult with an ENT doc.  I find that if i dont use my steroidal spray and Clariton I am in trouble, have been doing this for years (I have experienced rebound, I get really claustophobic and go crazy until i can get my sinuses clear).  The steroidal sprays reduce the inflamation and swelling in the sinuses.  I would check and see
if you could use the steroidal spray to help ween off the Afrin.   Rebound takes a few weeks to go away!!

[jasonarmstrong]

When I used a chin strap (with a beard) even when extremely tight (I know) I couldn't stop my leaks.  I just over powered the chin strap and opened my mouth anyway.

This does work for some, but not all.  

Wearing the chinstrap helped me train myself to keep my mouth closed, better, but not all the way there,  What works for me is to tape my lips, contraversial, but it works for me.

Read the Mask Primer (in my sig) for ways to manage mouth breathing.  A fairly new "discovery" is a surgical colar worn loosly

I read the links in your signature great work   .....for the mouth tape what brand do you use?
I have the full face mirage quatro pro, mouth breather never tried a chin strap and looking at cervical collars as well.