Developing allergy to CPAP

[amess]

You may have vasomotor rhinitis like I do. That is a sensitivity to things like smells, cold air, warm air perfume and any other things. This (warm moist air) makes my nasal membranes swell and causes headaches. This mostly happens to people that already have some other allergy. I have every prescription spray there is and none help. Seeing the doc (pulmonologist) to see what can be done. Yes I already have an allergist for my many allergies like mold.

[kell420]

You may have vasomotor rhinitis like I do. That is a sensitivity to things like smells, cold air, warm air perfume and any other things. This (warm moist air) makes my nasal membranes swell and causes headaches. This mostly happens to people that already have some other allergy. I have every prescription spray there is and none help. Seeing the doc (pulmonologist) to see what can be done. Yes I already have an allergist for my many allergies like mold.

I don't have any known allergies and I don't have the problem during the day in fact I used the Cpap for over a year without any problem with the same mask this problem started up about 4 months ago.

[skylark40]

Hold on. Actually increased stuffiness IS listed as an adverse effect of Afrin. It could be causing a problem.

Yes but normally if the issue is the Afrin it won't just come on out of the blue 10 minutes after putting the mask on.
And it won't go away when the mask gets removed.
Afrin congestion is there because the nasal mucosa have learned to only respond to the chemicals shrinking the mucosa to relieve the congestion. They want more drugs..like drug addicts.

What I described...had nothing to do with Afrin but I can see someone using Afrin thinking it might help and thus start a nasty little Afrin circle. They don't realize it is the tiniest of pressure on the turbinates causing the congestion.
I had it happen with the Wisp nasal mask...and it wasn't too tight. So even a teeny amount of pressure from a very light nasal cushion can cause it to happen to some people. Take the Wisp off and the congestion goes away in about a minute.
I knew what the problem was because I have had it happen with every mask I have ever tried that rested on the nasal bridge area.

So the OP might be having Afrin rebound but it could also have originally started simply from the congestion caused by the mask resting on the turbinates.

The key to knowing which is what...how soon the congestion comes on and how quickly it goes away without using chemicals.

My allergist called this "rebound congestion". As you said, using Afrin, Sinex, etc., for more than 3 days in a row causes nasal passages to swell if you stop using it. Switch to Nasacort or Flonase. Or, tough it out until your nose recovers.

[Pugsy]

My allergist called this "rebound congestion". As you said, using Afrin, Sinex, etc., for more than 3 days in a row causes nasal passages to swell if you stop using it. Switch to Nasacort or Flonase. Or, tough it out until your nose recovers.

What I was talking about doesn't involve chemicals..it involves anything causing pressure on the nasal turbinate area?

Were you pointing the "its rebound " comment at me?

It's not rebound if no chemicals are involved.

[nicholasjh1]

As a tester I would test their hypothesis that it's the nose bridge pressure. Try it with your fingers as someone else suggested. If that's it I'd try the nasal pillows. At least personally I think they're fantastic. I've tried full nose masks and full face and for some reason I just feel much better with the nasal pillows.

[chunkyfrog]

I do not remember who first mentioned the finger pressure test, but I will be eternally grateful.