Headaches from CPAP

[dinojr38]

Hi, I am on my first week of CPAP treatment and I have been waking up with awful headaches in the middle of the night. I generally get a lot of nasal congestion as I have a deviated septum so my left nasal passage is very narrow and I often struggle to breath through it. For this reason I feel like the pressure from the mask is causing a build of pressure in my sinuses and giving me same type of headache at the front of my head that you get from have one too many drinks the night before. It really sucks and I am trying to figure out how to stop this as I am just feeling worse each morning now that I have started using it. My pressure settings are currently 4 - 20. And I set my humidity to 4. My bedroom temp drops pretty low at night lately since I am on the east coast and I don't run the heat at night. So I am sure I just need to figure out the right settings to alleviate this problem. I am wondering if anybody has any suggestions as to what might be causing this to happen. I appreciate any tips you may have. 

Many thanks!!!

[staceyburke]

You will get much more in help if you supply data.  The data we use is from OSCAR - a completely free download and use from the top of the site.  With that data we can see what might help.  In info you gave makes it hard to help.  With that being said, sometimes the problem with headaches is not enough oxygen being delivered.  You do not show what your min is set at but I need around a min of 9 or I have problems.

[Deborah K.]

I'm sorry you are having headaches.  I can't say what is causing them, but I see one change you can make that will result in better sleep, possibly helping with the headaches too.

Raise your low pressure setting to 7.  4 is a setting for a child, so you are probably feeling air starved.

Please post an Oscar chart.  That will give us way more information so that we can offer better advice.

Again, welcome, and good luck with your new therapy.  It takes adjustment but is more than worth it!  

[G. Szabo]

Indeed, it is a good idea to see your data so we can help you better. 

I had a headache after the nights when my XPAP treatment failed, i.e. when it was littered with obstructions and flow limitations.

The high moisture content mitigates my nasal congestion. I need to use the heated hose at 30 C and the moisture setting at 7 or 8. I also have low temperatures in my room overnight, so I use a double thermal covering on my hose (one for the slimline and one for the standard hose diameter) to prevent condensation and deliver all the moisture feasible into my nose.