Sound of air pulsing and blowing

[Peacenana]

Hi,
I've been using my cpap and mask for a number of months and recently I've noticed something odd to describe. I figured if anyone knows what it is it will you wonderful helpful people.
After I have my mask on and machine on I hear the sound of air "blowing" in my ears. My own inhalations and exhalations sound louder than usual but this is beyond that. When I hold my breath, I still hear the pulsing, "windy" sound, especially bothersome in the early morning hours when my sleep is lighter. It keeps waking me up. I got a replacement machine but that didn't make it better. I am trying a new hose tonight. Changed the filter, under the nose cushion. I wear a headband across my mouth to discourage mouth breathing but I've been doing that from the beginning. Also, a headband like a chin strap to keep my mouth from opening. The latter is a rather new addition. Could that be causing these annoying sounds?
Thanks!!

[DreamDiver]

Hi,
I've been using my cpap and mask for a number of months and recently I've noticed something odd to describe. I figured if anyone knows what it is it will you wonderful helpful people.
After I have my mask on and machine on I hear the sound of air "blowing" in my ears. My own inhalations and exhalations sound louder than usual but this is beyond that. When I hold my breath, I still hear the pulsing, "windy" sound, especially bothersome in the early morning hours when my sleep is lighter. It keeps waking me up. I got a replacement machine but that didn't make it better. I am trying a new hose tonight. Changed the filter, under the nose cushion. I wear a headband across my mouth to discourage mouth breathing but I've been doing that from the beginning. Also, a headband like a chin strap to keep my mouth from opening. The latter is a rather new addition. Could that be causing these annoying sounds?
Thanks!!

I don't have the mask or the machine you're using, but I think I may understand what you're talking about. Sound can transmit through solid materials. Your mask is connected to your head at the top. The hollow frame then bifurcates across your face to meet at your nose. It's possible a noticeable amount of the low vibrations of your machine are transmitting first through your hose, then to your mask and across through your face. The "sound" you're hearing/feeling may be closer to the subsonic side of things, like a very low thrum. That thrum transmits through your mask's hollow frame through into your face and jaw and may be magnified so it sounds a little loud to your ears, even though it's not transmitting through the air. If there is little in the way of dampening integrated into the mask design, the vibration may be less easy to control.

Do you have any kind of hose wrap to help dampen the transmission of sound through the hose? What about some sort of cover for the hollow part of the frame? You could also wear a light cap under your dreamware frame. All of these considerations might dampen some of the low sound transmission that's waking you up.

I hope this helps!

Chris

[Dog Slobber]

What you are probably hearing is the air moving down the two side tubes to the vent on the under-nose cushion.

Even though you're not breathing, and some venting is occurring at the top-elbow, there will be some movement of air to he cushion vent. To verify if that is what you're hearing. Hold your breath and then compress the side tubes to prevent airflow to the cushion, if the noise stops that's the source.

[jimbud]

Also, a headband like a chin strap to keep my mouth from opening. The latter is a rather new addition. Could that be causing these annoying sounds?
Thanks!!

Are you wearing the chin strap over or under the air supply tubes from the top down to the cushion? If over, you could be restricting the flow enough to feel/hear the sound.

Just another thought to go with the above excellent advice.

JPB

[Peacenana]

Thank you very much. The responses I received make a lot of sense. As for the fabric headband I wear as a chin strap - I do currently wear it OVER the air supply tubes of my mask!! I just tried wearing it UNDER and so far it seems better. This goes along with what the other two CPAP users who responded said. I hope it is that simple!! Will give it a decent trial run tonight. Will also look for some kind of cover for the hosing though no ideas come to mind right now.
So some air escaping from the elbow on the top of my head that connects the hose to mask frame is normal? I was wondering about that too.
Will let you know how it goes tonight!!

[Okie bipap]

So some air escaping from the elbow on the top of my head that connects the hose to mask frame is normal?

Yes it is. There are air vents in the elbow. There are also vent holes in the mask cushion.

[PaulKTF]

Have you tried sleeping with earplugs to block the noise?

[Peacenana]

Hi, and thanks to everyone who replied.
A couple of months later, I still hear the air pulsing and blowing. I got a replacement Clap-Machine, then a replacement mask (still the one I was using). I wear the headband that I use as a chin strap under the mask frame.
I wear earplugs but the sound continues.
I got somewhat used to the whooshing sound. But the past few nights, a louder noise wakes me up a few times a night. Like a squeaky sound, but loud. Also, my AHI has been creeping up. It used to be below 1. Last night's AHI was fine, but recently I have had AHIs of over 3 and I notice that on those days I feel more sluggish. I have been on CPAP therapy since last fall.
I am attaching last night's OSCAR data. I am still not good at interpreting it. I feel really down as the therapy was really helping me but lately I dread putting on the mask. I took it off around 5:30 a.m. this morning.
The one thing I noticed looking at last night's data is the number of snore vibratory incidents. Now wondering if the machine read the squeaky sounds as snores?
Anyway, I would welcome any feedback.
Thanks so much.

[Deborah K.]

I use a Resmed Airfit P30i, a pillows mask made very much like yours. I always sleep with an evaporative humidifier running, which emits a nice fan sound that works great as white noise for me, plus I need the extra humidity in the room. One night I forgot to switch it on, and I laid in bed annoyed and wondering why I was hearing so much noise. When I finally realized the humidifier was off I switched it on. Problem solved!

It could be that you too might benefit from some white noise so you don't notice the sound of the air pulsing down your face to your mask any more. Hope you find a good solution soon!