[Treatment] Do Full-Face Masks with PAP Reduce Mouth-Breathing?

[Netskier]

I got a full face mask because without a mask and PAP I am a mouth breather, at least while on my left side. I am a nose breather on my right side, and I suspect that a deviated septum explains the difference.

I have noticed that I have become a nose breather on my left side while I am using my full face mask with APAP, independently of whether or not I am asleep or awake.

I conjecture that my APAP is keeping my nasal airway open in the same way that it keeps my oral-throat-bronchial airway open.

Has any one else experienced something similar? This might be common knowledge, but I am going to create a poll to measure this.

[greatunclebill]

I got a full face mask because without a mask and PAP I am a mouth breather, at least while on my left side. I am a nose breather on my right side, and I suspect that a deviated septum explains the difference.

I have noticed that I have become a nose breather on my left side while I am using my full face mask with APAP, independently of whether or not I am asleep or awake.

I conjecture that my APAP is keeping my nasal airway open in the same way that it keeps my oral-throat-bronchial airway open.

Has any one else experienced something similar? This might be common knowledge, but I am going to create a poll to measure this.

i have a deviated septum and choose not to go to surgery. i have other medical issues besides apnea and deviated septum. having said that, my nose at least on one side always seems plugged. when i try nasal anything, it is uncomfortable because the one side takes between very little and no air. all the air is just too strong for the other side. it would be like you closing your mouth, blocking one nostril and having all the pressure going thru one nostril. i have tried all the different sprays. nothing has changed forever. the full face mask has not changed anything. inside my mask i am still a mouth breather. since i was very little i still remember every adult saying, billy close your mouth. nobody ever understood it had to be open. alot of nose breathers think you can make yourself adapt to nose breathing. not so.

[zonk]

I have a deviated septum and my nose can,t cope with pressured air and have decided to do the surgery (Septoplasty and turbinate reduction).
My ENT think it would be beneficial and might make CPAP experience more comfortable and quite possible some pressure reduction as well .

[zimlich]

I was told I'm a mouth breather during my first sleep study. I chose to go with a FFM, though I have tried nasal masks with a chin strap and one of the hybrid masks. I was told by my doctor that my pressure was too high for the nasal pillows. My roommate sleeps very soundly and with my mask on wouldn't be able to tell me even if she were awake if I still primarily mouth breathe at night. I am not conscious of the fact. I did not like the nasal pillows, but may give them another try. Anyone know how to determine if I mouth breathe during the night? I go to sleep breathing through my nose, except the rare occasion when I am congested.

[Netskier]

I was told I'm a mouth breather during my first sleep study. I chose to go with a FFM, though I have tried nasal masks with a chin strap and one of the hybrid masks. I was told by my doctor that my pressure was too high for the nasal pillows. My roommate sleeps very soundly and with my mask on wouldn't be able to tell me even if she were awake if I still primarily mouth breathe at night. I am not conscious of the fact. I did not like the nasal pillows, but may give them another try. Anyone know how to determine if I mouth breathe during the night? I go to sleep breathing through my nose, except the rare occasion when I am congested.

Not during the Night, but when you wake up, you can sort of tell what you have been doing recently.

I tell by noticing that when I wake up that my mouth is not dry, and that I am breathing through my nose, despite being on my left side where this was previously impossible.

Another piece of evidence is that my Autoset does not take me back down all the way, but only to about 7.5 or so when I wake up and just lie in bed. It could take me down to 5, but it does not. I will keep observing this to learn more.

[shutterbug sue]

I got a full face mask because without a mask and PAP I am a mouth breather, at least while on my left side. I am a nose breather on my right side, and I suspect that a deviated septum explains the difference.

I have noticed that I have become a nose breather on my left side while I am using my full face mask with APAP, independently of whether or not I am asleep or awake.

I conjecture that my APAP is keeping my nasal airway open in the same way that it keeps my oral-throat-bronchial airway open.

Has any one else experienced something similar? This might be common knowledge, but I am going to create a poll to measure this.

I've noticed that I'm more congested when I don't use my humidifier at night (just when I travel). I'm almost always congested during the day due to seasonal allergies so I turn the apap humidifier up as high as it will go at night and my nasal passages are usually clear in the morning.

I notice you don't use your humidifier. I would suggest that you give it a try, see if it doesn't help decrease your nasal congestion so you can breathe through your nose.

Also, do you have inflammation inside your sinuses? If so, has your doctor tried a steroid nasal spray (like Nasonex or Flonase) to help decrease the swelling so you can breathe easier?

[Netskier]

I got a full face mask because without a mask and PAP I am a mouth breather, at least while on my left side. I am a nose breather on my right side, and I suspect that a deviated septum explains the difference.

I have noticed that I have become a nose breather on my left side while I am using my full face mask with APAP, independently of whether or not I am asleep or awake.

I conjecture that my APAP is keeping my nasal airway open in the same way that it keeps my oral-throat-bronchial airway open.

Has any one else experienced something similar? This might be common knowledge, but I am going to create a poll to measure this.

I've noticed that I'm more congested when I don't use my humidifier at night (just when I travel). I'm almost always congested during the day due to seasonal allergies so I turn the apap humidifier up as high as it will go at night and my nasal passages are usually clear in the morning.

I notice you don't use your humidifier. I would suggest that you give it a try, see if it doesn't help decrease your nasal congestion so you can breathe through your nose.

Also, do you have inflammation inside your sinuses? If so, has your doctor tried a steroid nasal spray (like Nasonex or Flonase) to help decrease the swelling so you can breathe easier?

I usually breathe fine through my nose during the day, so I think that my allergies problem is slight, if any. I generally only have trouble when lying on my left side, and this takes about ten minutes to develop. Switching to my right side typically clears my nose in about ten minutes. So I think my problem is mechanical, and my ENT said I had a deviated septum,and would do surgery to repair it.

That said, I can breathe fine with the APAP running, even on my left side, so I think the pressure opens up my nasal airway just as it does my throat airway. The air-filter might also help with any low level allergies.

As for the drugs, they would surely help, but I am a drug minimalist. I studied a lot of Pharmacology while in grad school, and this turned me into a drug-conservative, particularly for medical drugs, because of the awful problems with side effects. New side effects, and complicated interactions are being discovered continually

Plus, nasal sprays are known to be addictive, and the withdrawal syndrome includes the very symptom the drugs fight, namely nasal congestion.

Thanks for the suggestions.

[zonk]

My doctor prescribed Nasonex used 2/3 months didn't help - Sinus Rinse is much better
NeilMed NasoGel drip free Gel Spray reviewed by HeadGear
[Product Reviews Forum]

[iSnooze]

I voted yes although the answer should have been "yes and no." Due to a very deviated septum, I've been a mouth breather since the beginning of time. When I first got my cpap machine, I was shocked that I didn't wake up with a stuffy nose. I thought I slept with my mouth closed for the first time in my life. However, over time I've noticed that certain sleeping positions affect whether I can keep my mouth closed or not. When I sleep on my right side, I can breathe through my nose. Sometimes when I sleep on my left side I need to open my mouth because the pressure makes it difficult for me to breathe out through my nose. This open happens sometimes and I'm usually too tired to notice when I need to mouth breathe on my left side and not at other times. If I sleep on my back, which is rarely, my head drops back and my mouth automatically opens.

In general I notice that I sleep with my mouth closed more often with my cpap than before I used cpap. I will repeat what Shutterbug Sue said, using a humidifier makes a huge difference. If I have my humidifier setting too low, I always wake up with a dry mouth from mouth breathing.

[Dreamcatcher]

Since wearing my quattro F/F I have noticed that I go to sleep breathing threw my nose, Im not sure if this is a new thing as my mrs always said I snored but not anymore. Will have to look into it more...