Talk:Mask Primer

First let me start by saying that I applaud the effort that you put into putting this together. I am a wiki editor also and in the spirit of teamwork would like to get your agreement before any changes are made. To that end I am suggesting changes in the following paragraphs. A few of these are statements in the wiki that are repeated several times. Tell me what you think. I have put the excerpts from the wiki in bold and where there is just a word or two change, I have italicized the word(s). I originally made this more easily recognizable but the editor here is very limited.

First, all masks can and do handle all pressures associated with PAP therapy machines, this is from 3 to 20 (CPAP) or 25 (BiLevel/BiPAP) cmH2O.

Some masks do not handle pressures above 20 cm/H2O for instance Resmed P10. disagree - I do want to keep this portion of the article general. While rated at 4-20, I have used them at 25

First, even a mouth breather can use ANY style of mask

First, even a mouth breather may be able to use ANY style of mask

There are ways (chin strap, cervical collar, tape) to eliminate mouth breathing and allow you to use this type of mask.

There are ways (chin strap, cervical collar, tape) which may eliminate mouth breathing and allow you to use this type of mask.

This is because they have more area to seal.

This is because they have more area to seal and more force trying to push the mask off your face at any given pressure.

These masks are bigger than most other masks and because of their size have more area to seal.

These masks are bigger than most other masks. Because of their size have more area to seal and more force trying to push them off your face

Generally the bigger the mask the higher the mask leak will be.

Generally the bigger the mask the greater the potential for leaks.

One specific FFM I will call out is the Amara View.

I would not call the Amara View a FFM. I would call it a hybrid mask but that may just be me.

MOUTH BREATHING/LEAKING

There is only one way for most people to control mouth breathing/leaking unless one’s pressure is quite low and that is the tongue trick. The purpose of the chinstrap is to make it easier for the tongue trick and to remind your body that you want to maintain the tongue trick all night long. I can not speak to taping because I have no first hand experience but my feeling is that the purposes are the same as for the chin strap.

I actually did a little experiment. When I was still using a nasal mask, I woke up in the morning to find that air was leaking out of my closed lips. I thought OK that is just because my lips are only loosely closed. So I let it happen again and as soon as it started leaking from my lips, I tightened my jaw and lips as hard as I could and kept them clamped shut. Guess what. The pressure still built up in my mouth and forced my lips to leak. I repeated this experiment a number of times with the same result. This is why I make the statement that I did at the beginning of the previous paragraph.

NASAL BRIDGE LEAKS Pushing the seal at the nasal bridge up as far as it will go works for some masks but not for all. The PR Simplus is a notable exception. It is meant to be worn further down the nose and so far seems to work better for a number of people that way. Kinda like wearing your reading glasses at the end of your nose but not quite that far down. The Airfit F20 works best the seal at the nasal bridge pushed all the way up against the brow and the Mirage Quattro is kinda in between the F20 and the Simplus.

Yes I am sensitive to the silicone seal getting too close to my eye and sliding the cushion up my nose to my brow does keep the cushion away but then one must fasten the bottom straps which puts uneven tension on the mask and can undo some of that careful positioning. That is where my comment about tucking the cushion under came from. Only problem was-I do it with my finger not my thumb usually.

Well this is probably enough for one sitting and I think it covers most of the things that I thought might be a little more explanatory (Is that actually a word??).

Best Regards,

PaytonA

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