Heated vs. Unheated Hose
I have been off of my Bi-Pap for nearly 10 days as a result of a sawdust reaction that caused a very sore throat, chest congestion, and serious coughing. It was the sore throat that caused me to abandon the therapy simply because it further dried my throat to the extent that it was painful to swallow.
My sleep doc has ordered a heated hose (with a $40 co-pay) but now the sore throat seems manageable. I plan to use the Bi-Pap tonight to see if the throat issue is really gone.
My question is; how can the heated hose help, sore throat or not?
Phil
11-22-2014, 08:07 PM
(This post was last modified: 11-22-2014, 08:07 PM by me50.)
RE: Heated vs. Unheated Hose
Nasal congestion, dry sinuses and dry mouth is a complaint that some experience with apnea treatment. The heated hose helps with this and also can help with rainout. A few times I let the humidifier run out of water and woke up to a dry throat/mouth. This is just my opinion. Others may have a different opinion and/or experience. I know I wouldn't want to go without my humidifier and heated hose.
RE: Heated vs. Unheated Hose
My nose complains all day if I run out of water during the night. On the other hand my lovely wife does not even use a humidifier - so, each of us IS different. A heated hose allows more moisture to make it to you, the thinking being that dryness irritates a sore throat more.
It's your call completely...
*I* am not a DOCTOR or any type of Health Care Professional. My thoughts/suggestions/ideas are strictly only my opinions.
"Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you. Jesus Christ and the American Soldier. One died for your Soul, the other for your Freedom."
RE: Heated vs. Unheated Hose
That must have been some vicious sawdust. Was it from a wood that is known for causing problems? There are more than a few, most in the rosewood family, that are strongly associated with adverse reactions to the dust due to its chemical composition.
RE: Heated vs. Unheated Hose
Oddly, since I started on a heated hose three days ago, I have started to have throat problems - it may be unrelated, or the warm air exacerbated an incipient infection, or what - I have no idea - but I now wake up with what feels like a strep throat. Odd.....
11-23-2014, 08:34 AM
(This post was last modified: 11-23-2014, 10:36 AM by me50.)
RE: Heated vs. Unheated Hose
Isn't the water and air warm with a humidifier no matter what type of hose you use?
If your mouth drops open, that could also make your mouth dry and a chin strap might help out. As far as a $40 co-pay, I haven't heard of insurances that charge that much of a co-pay for supplies. Makes me wonder if your supplier charges an exorbitant price for the heated hose or they made an error in your co-pay amount. Check out the EOB and see what it says and/or check out if you have a flat co-pay or a % of the allowed amount. I have learned a lot about this because of crapria and their billing errors.
DocWils, hope you find the cause and feel better soon. I don't know what to suggest to you but I am sure that you have the resources to help you out being that you are a doctor.
RE: Heated vs. Unheated Hose
If one lives in a house with central heat where the temperature is always the same in all the rooms I personally wouldnt see the need for the heated hose. Unless one needs more humidity that is possible without one. Much greater humidity to the mask is possible with one than without no matter which machine you have.
There isnt anything about a heated hose that would cause throat problems etc. All its doing is warming the room air to the level you want just like your heating system in your home. The only way I could see it causing any problem is if you dont like much humidity, start running a heated hose with the same humidity setting. You will get more humidity to mask than without a heated hose so it might be feeding you to much humidity.
That said I have one and have since I started treatment. But our home is heated with wood heat. So the temps at night once the fire is shut down for the night tend to drop into the chilly side in the bedroom by morning. And I use quite a bit of humidity as well.
That said back in august I never turned the heated hose on. Didnt until it went into the 20s here. But its been a real help one the weather got chilly.
RE: Heated vs. Unheated Hose
(11-23-2014, 08:34 AM)me50 Wrote: DocWils, hope you find the cause and feel better soon. I don't know what to suggest to you but I am sure that you have the resources to help you out being that you are a doctor.
I am pretty certain that it is a coincidence of timing and that I picked up a bug somewhere (hardly uncommon in my line of work, and given how terribly bad the Swiss are at covering their mouths when the cough and the like - no one taught them it was not polite). But you never know - and perhaps someone here has had a similar experience. I find nothing in the literature archives on ORL (Ears. Nose Throat in German) on the phenomenon and relating it to a heated hose, and since the humidifier and the hose were new and in the bag, I assume it wasn't a bug on one of them.
Heated hoses are of use when your temperature difference between the humidifier water and the room temperature vary greatly. Or if you use a long hose (I don't) - otherwise, not much difference, so far as I know. We don't use them in the hospital for O2, but we pass the O2 through a preheater for anyone on long term ventilation. Keeps the pneumonia levels down.
RE: Heated vs. Unheated Hose
(11-23-2014, 11:28 AM)DocWils Wrote: (11-23-2014, 08:34 AM)me50 Wrote: DocWils, hope you find the cause and feel better soon. I don't know what to suggest to you but I am sure that you have the resources to help you out being that you are a doctor.
I am pretty certain that it is a coincidence of timing and that I picked up a bug somewhere (hardly uncommon in my line of work, and given how terribly bad the Swiss are at covering their mouths when the cough and the like - no one taught them it was not polite). But you never know - and perhaps someone here has had a similar experience. I find nothing in the literature archives on ORL (Ears. Nose Throat in German) on the phenomenon and relating it to a heated hose, and since the humidifier and the hose were new and in the bag, I assume it wasn't a bug on one of them.
Heated hoses are of use when your temperature difference between the humidifier water and the room temperature vary greatly. Or if you use a long hose (I don't) - otherwise, not much difference, so far as I know. We don't use them in the hospital for O2, but we pass the O2 through a preheater for anyone on long term ventilation. Keeps the pneumonia levels down.
Pretty much spot on Doc. You do get more humidity to the mask for any given setting with a heated hose.
Though ive experimented and the wife has a machine with no heat hose. Both PRS1 autos. Running with the heated hose off on System One humidity mode neither of us have ever gotten rain out. Even on cold mornings. But I do get more humidity to the mask per setting with the heated hose.
And if your bedroom is 60 degrees or less its pretty nice breathing warm air instead of ice cubes LOL.
RE: Heated vs. Unheated Hose
Regarding the sawdust; the wood was redwood (fencing), but I traditionally get a throat reaction from sawdust, just not this bad. By the time I get around to digging out a face mask, it's a bit late.
Regarding the mouth opening; I use a nasal mask and tape my mouth because the chin straps seem useless to me since one can breath and talk through clenched teeth. Also, even with my mouth taped, I still normally experience a somewhat dry mouth.
Regarding central heating, we do have a forced air system, but it is off at night. Bear in mind that it was the severe sawdust reaction that started all of this, and normally the un-heated hose at 2 or 3 (on a 5 unit scale) is sufficient.
Regarding the co-pay, the hose itself is cheap. It is the new humidifier that runs the cost up.
In any case, I've decided to go ahead with the new hose/humidifier so I'll have the equipment on hand in case of a re-occurrence.
Thanks for all of the input here, this has been helpful.
Phil
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