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+--- Thread: Nasal Pillows - Momentary Mouth Leakage Strategies? (/Thread-Nasal-Pillows-Momentary-Mouth-Leakage-Strategies)
Nasal Pillows - Momentary Mouth Leakage Strategies? - mark.apnea - 10-11-2024
I've been on CPAP therapy for a year. I'm a side sleeper and mouth breather. Lately, I've had irritating leakage/farting around my Evora hybrid mask. I spend way too much time futzing with the straps and/or swapping Med for Lg sized cushions at night. Very frustrating and is affecting my quality of sleep as these leakages wake me up.
Lately, I've been practicing with Evora Solo and P10 pillows after ~5am, swapping out my hybrid mask until ~8am when I wake. Initial trials were not great as a side sleeper, with the mask displacing and leaking badly. Turns out I may not have been properly/fully inserting the nasal prongs. Past couple mornings I have paid closer attention to inserting the prongs with great success (w P10 pillows). No mask leaks at all! Very comfortable. Nice.
I've also had pretty good success practicing/keeping my mouth closed while sleeping. Not perfect, but improving. No tape, no strap.
My current issue is momentary mouth leakage. With my mouth closed, I suspect my tongue is falling from the roof of my mouth, permitting air ingress, giving me a quick puff of air that escapes thru my closed lips (and chipmunk cheeks
). This seems to wake me, when I'll re-adjust my tongue position. Question: Any suggestion or strategies to keep my tongue in position? I've tried sucking my tongue up, but I when sleeping this relaxes. I've also tried to push my tongue forward against my teeth, but this also fails as I fall asleep.
Maybe it's a practice thing?
Ideas?
My pressure setting is 10/10, no EPR (suggested by my pulmonologist). Getting 0.8 to 1.8 AHI results daily, but ~poor quality sleep.
RE: Nasal Pillows - Momentary Mouth Leakage Strategies? - staceyburke - 10-11-2024
I had the same problem with my tongue. I kept practicing the placement all the time. Anytime I thought about it through the day I would put my tongue to the roof of my mouth and suck it in place. It took several weeks but now that is how my tongue naturally sits. You have to train the tongue to rest on the roof of the mouth.
RE: Nasal Pillows - Momentary Mouth Leakage Strategies? - DaveL - 10-11-2024
@mark.apnea
I know the feeling.
I have a love/hate relationship with the 3 Knightsbridge Dual Band caps I own. If I don't wear them, I wake up frequently at night to check for leaks. If I do wear them, I have mask marks forever. I put the nasal mask on first, then the cap. Mask is a medium. I bought a Large headgear N20i to put on over the Knightsbridge. Cost was over $300 Canadian. But that's not my size mask. I need a medium, or I get leaks.
I wish cpap mask selection was easy. AND my 10 year DME supplier got bought out. Now they don't loan masks; that means $300 to $350 depending on the mask I select. I had bought about 30 masks from them over the time I was a client.