- Do you wake up with a stuffy nose, sore eyes, a dry mouth or throat?
- Are you still tired after a night using your CPAP machine?
These problems could be caused by unintentional air leaks. More than 40% of all CPAP users experience problems because of air leaks1.
So what causes leaks?
- Mask not sealing properly
- Mask doesn't fit your face correctly
- You breathe through your mouth (often while using a nasal mask)
- Incorrect cleaning and mask care
Mouth breathing and nasal congestion go hand in hand, each making the other worse. As you breathe through your mouth, the airflow dries out your mucous (internal nasal passage) membranes. The membranes become inflamed, leading to increased mucous production, resulting in congestion of the nose. This means you breathe through your mouth even more.
You wake up with symptoms such as a sore throat, a dry mouth and a blocked nose. Mouth breathing also has a negative effect on the quality of your sleep. It is associated with frequent waking during the light stages of sleep, which prevents you from progressing to deeper sleep. It also leads to reduced ventilation2,3 Unfortunately mouth breathing can be intermittent, therefore it is not always obvious, even to an observant partner. You will need to pay close attention to the symptoms to decide whether this is a problem for you. It also pays to keep an eye on the leak indicator on your CPAP flow generator if it has one.
Three ways of breaking the vicious cycle of mouth breathing - with correct equipment.
- Full Face Mask - these have been radically redesigned and improved over recent years to provide maximum comfort and seal. A full face mask can completely eliminate the problem of mouth leaks
- Newer positive pressure device - automatically measure and compensate for unintentional leaks. This ensures the correct pressure is always maintained
- Heated humidifiers - greatly reduce the effects of mouth leak and nasal congestion
Incorrect cleaning and mask care
Masks need to be cleaned correctly to ensure a good seal. The cushion should be wiped daily with a damp cloth/flannel to remove any residual build up of grease which is deposited overnight. The mask should be washed at least once a week in hot water and plain original washing up liquid, rinsed in fresh water and allowed to dry naturally on a towel, not on a radiator or in direct sunlight. The headgear should be washed in the same way and always by hand.
Mask cushions do deteriorate over time and will cause a poor seal with age. ResMed cushions require replacement annually although some may have a longer or shorter life dependant on usage and care.
Never use soaps containing moisturisers to clean a mask as it builds up on the cushion causing it to slip on the face resulting in a poor seal. Facial creams should also be avoided immediately before using your mask.
For further information on mask fitting, care and cleaning contact our customer care team.
There is a range of masks that can reduce leak and improve comfort. Your supplier can help you resolve these problems.
References
1. Richards et al. American Journal of Respiratory Citical Care Medicine, Vol 154, 1996
2. Teschler et al. European Respiratory Journal, Vol 14, 1999
3. Meyer et al. Sleep Vol 20, 1997