Question for those who use nasal mask and tape mouths

[Country4ever]

My slight pulsatile tinnitus and gotten really bad lately. I'm 71, so there's lots of stuff that could probably be explained as "just getting old".

But I also have headaches and pain over my eyes. I'm going to see a specialist next week. But I'm wondering.........do any of you who tape your mouth feel like
it bothers either your sinuses or your ears? I don't know if the pressure is worse if air is blowing into my mouth and staying there for awhile a fair amount of the time.

I'm always trying to think of what might be going on, so I don't end up going from doctor to doctor, many of whom have tunnel vision.
I do need to get a full face mask if I'm worried about this. I might start a different thread on that. I hate Lincare and am not sure how to buy/handle insurance if I just
order one myself.
Anyhow.........anyone have sinus or ear issues when they use nasal cpap and tape their mouth too?
I've been doing this for at least 15 years, but maybe something has changed.........
Thanks!

[Thumper1947]

Country,
I'm 73, had tinnitus for probably fifteen years, use a nasal mask and tape, and I have seen no changes. I have mild allergies and a deviated septum, and as long as I can keep congestion down, I'm ok.

Thumper

[Country4ever]

Hi Thumper. Did you have the tinnitus before you started using the nasal mask with tape on your mouth? Is it pulsatile tinnitus (your heart beat is in your ears)? I have to say that although I've never used a full face mask, my nose/sinus congestion in the mornings isn't there with the nasal mask, so that's nice. I just don't know if it's causing my ear problems and headaches now, just to have that pressure so directly up the nose.
What kind of tape do you use? The only kind that doesn't hurt my skin is blue painter's tape. I hope it isn't poisoning me!

[chunkyfrog]

Hi Thumper. Did you have the tinnitus before you started using the nasal mask with tape on your mouth? Is it pulsatile tinnitus (your heart beat is in your ears)? I have to say that although I've never used a full face mask, my nose/sinus congestion in the mornings isn't there with the nasal mask, so that's nice. I just don't know if it's causing my ear problems and headaches now, just to have that pressure so directly up the nose.
What kind of tape do you use? The only kind that doesn't hurt my skin is blue painter's tape. I hope it isn't poisoning me!

The brand name painters tape is OK, but the el cheapo smells bad.
You can test a bit of tape on the inside of your lower arm if you worry about an allergy.
Leave it there overnight before putting any on your face.

[Thumper1947]

Country,
I have tinnitus as long as I can remember. I spent my entire adult life working around jet engines and high frequency noise, and it's taken a toll. It's always there, but unless it's screaming, which it does once in a while, I don't really notice it because I'm so used to it.All it takes is to hear or read the word, and my awareness kicks in and I hear it. I haven't noticed any connection to the nose, but I do have mild allergies, that don't really bother me in the day, but can be an issue at night with my breathing. I'll attach a pic of the tape I use. I tried several, somnifix, J&J, and what I found was I need a 2 inch wide tape to do it's job. This one seems to be working for me and is inexpensive and lasts a long time.
Thumper

[chima2g]

You mentioned sinuses, ears and headaches. Are you using anything like sudafed to relieve congestion? I only ask because after several years of using Sudafed, I suddenly started getting headaches, jaw ache and ear throbbing 10 minutes into sleep. It wasn't until 2 weeks after I got off it, they went away. I suspect empty nose syndrome was developing but thankfully we'll never know.

[Country4ever]

Hi chima2g, No, I don't use Sudafed. My system can't deal with it. When I used to try it, I felt horrible.....like really awful in my head and mentally.
Thanks for the warning though!

[Country4ever]

Thanks Thumper. Does that tape tend to stick? I have some I could try, but my skin is really fragile. When I first started to use tape, it was paper tape and it would tear my skin. I've tried others, but the painter's tape seems to be the least harmful......and even then it sometimes pulls my skin off a bit.

I've never been around loud noises. I have a super sensitive neuro system and I notice everything. I drive myself crazy. I looked at some of my old health notes and it appears that it first started in 2007, a few months after I started using cpap. So who knows. I want to get a full face mask, but I really dislike Lincare and that's about all there is around here. I'm a little cautious to just order one online, in case it doesn't work. And maybe even with a face mask I might still have the tinnitus.
I see a very good ear doc on Wednesday, so maybe he'll have some ideas on how to control this. But I know most articles about tinnitus say that many times you just have to live with it.........which is a bummer!
Curious thing........if I'm near a fan, I hear either people talking or singing. It's wild. I've heard that sometimes happens when you start to lose your hearing. Oh what fun it is growing old.............
Thanks for your help.

[zonker]

Curious thing........if I'm near a fan, I hear either people talking or singing. It's wild. I've heard that sometimes happens when you start to lose your hearing. Oh what fun it is growing old.............
Thanks for your help.

huh! this can occasionally happen to me with a white noise generator. usually, if i turn it off and back on, it stops. to be clear, it's not actually dialog i hear, just a general rumble.

as to mouth taping, may i suggest this?-

http://cpaptalk.com/viewtopic/t112758/M ... g#p1086296

i've been using this instead of mouth taping for years. i've modified his original so it works better for me, but it's basically the same.

btw, we've been having trouble on the forum so please let me know if the link works for you or not.

[Architect]

But I also have headaches and pain over my eyes. ....
Thanks!

From my experience headaches and pain over my eyes is always sinus issues. Maybe not the same for you. I truly disliked using tape over my mouth, cause I'd rip the tape off during sleep, feeling like I was unable to breathe, suffocating, due to nasal congestion.

As for tinniuts, had it for years, for me tinnitus is an indication something is not right with my body system, example with my hormones are out of balance, my tinnitus goes crazy, if I come down with sinus infection, my tinnitus goes crazy, but when I'm perfectly healthy I rarely notice tinnitus, but it's always there.

Wish you well.

[Country4ever]

Thanks Architect. I wish things were easy for me to think through. Yeah, my guess would probably be a sinus problem. I've had 2 sinus surgeries in the 1990s. My dilemma is: Do I see this same ENT doc who did my surgeries who is in a small town and can be obnoxious? .....or do I see the ear specialist who is quite respected in a large city and is quite a smart, nice man? So I decided to go with the second choice, just in case some vein or artery in my brain is getting ready to pop........since that's a possible cause of pulsatile tinnitus. So I'm seeing him day after tomorrow, so we'll see what he has to say. But I DO wonder about the effect that the cpap has on it all.
Thanks for your input!

[cyberdreamer]

I get sinus pain (headache, pain behind eye, cheek, ...) if I drop my humidity from 7 to 6 in my Airsense 10 APAP (regular hose). Maybe check your humidity settings.

[Viraj3474]

Country,
I have the same type of tinnitus and have seen an ENT for that and my hearing problem. He told me that in some people the ear channel is very close to a major artery near the ear and they can hear their heartbeat. For these people it is a natural occurrence. I have learned to live with it and the noise of it goes into the background so to speak. He said I have cochlear hydrops which contributes to my hearing problem and causes a different tinnitus with loud roaring sounds. He said it would help to cut back on my salt intake to reduce the loud roaring.

Maybe some of this is helpful for you. I also have allergies, so you aren’t alone. Try and cut back on prepared foods (meals in boxes or cans) and eat as organically as you can. Read ingredients lists and if the list is long, don’t buy it. There are too many totally unneeded chemicals put into foods these days and the human body just can’t relate to it, especially if you are sensitive to things. Organically grown food is not as expensive as it was in the past. Try Whole Foods. Try your locally grown markets in the warmer months. You would be surprised. Good luck.

[Country4ever]

Thanks everyone! I saw my ear specialist and he's ordered a brain MRI......just to make sure nothing is funky.
The test I took showed that I have some high frequency hearing loss in one ear, and said that the funky noises I hear are probably from that. He said if it continues to really bother me, there's a hearing aid that lets you hear more high frequency sounds. I'll think about that after I'm sure there's nothing amiss in my brain.........or maybe I don't even have one.
Not looking forward to that MRI with contrast. I have claustrophobia, but have learned that if I just keep a washcloth over my eyes during the MRI, I'm okay. But then I learned I have to have a cage around my head for the brain MRI.
I'm trying to tell myself it's only an hour long, and I can do it. Maybe.....
Thanks again for all your input!

[cyberdreamer]

Thanks everyone! I saw my ear specialist and he's ordered a brain MRI......just to make sure nothing is funky.
The test I took showed that I have some high frequency hearing loss in one ear, and said that the funky noises I hear are probably from that. He said if it continues to really bother me, there's a hearing aid that lets you hear more high frequency sounds. I'll think about that after I'm sure there's nothing amiss in my brain.........or maybe I don't even have one.
Not looking forward to that MRI with contrast. I have claustrophobia, but have learned that if I just keep a washcloth over my eyes during the MRI, I'm okay. But then I learned I have to have a cage around my head for the brain MRI.
I'm trying to tell myself it's only an hour long, and I can do it. Maybe.....
Thanks again for all your input!

I'd see that as a 1 hour long guilt-free nap during the day