pressure on nose bridge

[Rainmom17]

I'm wondering if other FFM users are bothered by the pressure it exerts on your nose bridge? I wear glasses all day, so now I am having 24/7 pressure on my nose bridge (glasses and cpap). Used to have relief at night at least. It doesn't bother me all the time, but it is a feeling of pressure that is uncomfortable. Or maybe this is something I'll just eventually get used to?

[LSAT]

You could try a gel pad...it may relieve the direct pressure.
https://www.cpap.com/productpage/boomer ... -cpap.html

[Okie bipap]

Have you considered using the Amara View mask? This is a full face mask that does not cover the nose. I have used one off and on for about 18 months. I now use the F20 as my primary mask, but still use the Amara View every once in a while. I recently had a small sore (in grown hair) on the back of my neck and the strap for the F20 irritated it. I went back to the Amara View for about a week while it healed.

[Pugsy]

I'm wondering if other FFM users are bothered by the pressure it exerts on your nose bridge?

I don't use a full face mask that sits on the nasal bridge area for that very reason...I don't like it and it actually causes immediate nasal congestion. That's why I use a nasal pillow mask and the only full face mask I have ever been able to use all night was the Amara View.
So yeah...the pressure bothers me...bothers me so bad that I won't use any mask that touches that area on my nose...even a nasal cushion.

[Sheepish]

Pad A Cheek also sells nose bridge protectors.

http://padacheek.com/PAC_Nosebridge.html

Contact the great lady there to confirm what she recommends for your particular mask.

[TASmart]

The F20 does not have the vertical piece that goes to the forehead.

[yulcdn]

I've used the wisp nasal mask for over a year..loved it but left pressure point on my nose. I then tried using it with the Resmed Gecko pad but I developed leaks. I have moved to the DreamWear Gel Nasal Pillow CPAP Mask and have been using it for the last 2 weeks. I believe it is relatively new on the market. My pressure is usually around 15 and I though that I would not be able to tolerate nasal pillows. However, just ran my SD card into my computer and Sleepyhead shows very low leakage each night and AHI under 1.5 every night. So what am I worrying about now??? Will this amount of pressure directly into my nostrils create a nose problem for me over a period of time?

[Pugsy]

My pressure is usually around 15 and I though that I would not be able to tolerate nasal pillows. However, just ran my SD card into my computer and Sleepyhead shows very low leakage each night and AHI under 1.5 every night. So what am I worrying about now??? Will this amount of pressure directly into my nostrils create a nose problem for me over a period of time?

I have used some sort of nasal pillow my entire 8 plus years on cpap and my pressures often went to 18 and sometimes to 22 or so. So far no problem with that amount of pressure and my nose. And my nostrils aren't bigger either. I wear the same size nasal pillow now that I did when I first started...that seems to be a concern for some people. If their nostrils are enlarging then they are cramming those pillows way too far into the nostril and have it too darn tight.

[Esme]

I used to wake up every morning with a sore nose bridge from using the F20 and it was getting worse with each day. Now I put a tiny strip of moleskin across my bridge at night and use a simple mask liner that I made from an old T-shirt (no sewing skills required). Problem solved! Both tricks I learned on this board.

[Rainmom17]

Esme, when you say a sore nosebridge, do you mean a red tender mark or an ache from pressure? I get both. I'm okay with the tender mark as it gets better as the day goes on. It's the pressure/weight that bugs me - gives me headaches. If the moleskin helps with that, I'd give it a try. I did just order a mask liner so I'll give that a try too.

[Esme]

Yes, both ache and redness, although for me it was mostly the ache. I would wake up in the middle of the night and notice it. And it caused a headache for me too! I never tried the moleskin alone but I would recommend you give it a try. It may work alone and combined with the mask liner I'm sure it will help. It made the ache/soreness go away completely for me.

[Esme]

Also, I am careful not to tighten those top straps too much. I rarely have problems with the F20 leaking, but if I do I try tightening the lower straps. I use strap covers on the top straps which are semi-rigid on the F20.

[Janknitz]

Read my blogpost "Taming the Mirage Quattro". The trick if you have an air cushion mask is to let it fully fill up with air, and direct the pressure on the lower half of your face where there's more surface area, than the little nose bridge. IMHO, padding that spot actually increases pressure, so it's often not that helpful to pad it. The straps--especially the top straps, should be as loose as possible without leaking.

Here's my suggestions:
1. Loosen all the straps on your mask. If your mask has some sort of adjustable forehead piece, adjust it out as far as it will go away from your face. Like this \{, not like this /{.
2. Lay down and put the mask on.
3. Turn on the machine at your highest pressure (use the mask fit feature if your machine has one, otherwise manually set it in CPAP mode at your highest pressure for the fitting).
4. Very gently tighten the straps, starting with the LOWER straps, and only as much as needed to stop the leaking.
5. If there is leaking, tighten the lower straps more. Tighten the upper straps only as much as you barely need to in order to prevent leakage around the nose. If there is a forehead piece, adjust it closer to your nose only as much as you absolutely have to in order to stop leaks.
6. Now turn side to side or into your usual sleeping position. Adjust the straps as needed, again, avoid much tightening of the top straps, it's OK to make the lower straps a little tighter.

What this technique does is allow the air cushion to fully inflate around your nose which (in a perfect world) will seal the area around the nose from leaks without much pressure that irritates the bridge of your nose. It doesn't work for everybody, but it's worth a try.