Congestion: Please explain how room humidifier would help?

[brightcrow]

I'm having congestion problems too, sometimes only just an hour after bedtime. Sometimes I wake up because I can't breathe, and sometimes I find my mask disconnected, assuming I've ripped it off my face when I can't breathe. Last night I used Afrin just to open my airway, but that's not an option that can be used often, due to rebound. Can you please explain how having a room humidifier would help my nasal congestion? How would that extra ambient humidity get into my nostrils if I'm using nasal pillows?

[LSAT]

If you have your CPAP humidifier set to max, and you are using up all the water in the tank, the extra humidity would just add additional moisture. Remember, the CPAP pulls in room air. The room humidity would also add to your comfort when you remove your mask.

[brightcrow]

Thanks. I have kept humidity at 4 (out of 8 ) for years, concerned that I might get water in the pillows otherwise, or else risk using up the water in my reservoir, making it burn. I will try changing humidity at 5 tonight.

Ugh, imagining keeping a humidifier clean on top of all the cleaning I do with my CPAP.

[Janknitz]

Afrin is drying to the nasal passages. Maybe it's not a matter of humidification. Hard to tell.

Try this:
1. Drink plenty of fluids during the day to be well hydrated.
2. Use a saline nasal spray before bed. Just to hydrate the tissues. I like the kind without added ingredients, just saline and water.

See how this works for you. It's cheap and easy. If it doesn't help, then you can look at other options.

[Slartybartfast]

When I first got on the hose, my sleep doc (pulmonologist) said to use a saline nasal spray every night. And to squirt saline while inhaling alternating nostrils until you can taste the salt water running down the back of your throat. He was right. Never had any congestion, even the couple of times I had a cold. Afrin does, indeed, dry up the nasal tissues. Saline hydrates them. The Doc said in his experience half of the people who can't tolerate CPAP because of congestion will do fine if they snort saline before strapping on the mask.