Chin Straps?

[sthnreb]

Whoever uses them, what would be the best and most comfortable chin strap? I'm have a lot of air leaks and I don't believe it is the mask. I believe air is leaking out the mouth. Machine is Air Curve 10 VAuto and Respironics Easy Life nasal mask. I even stayed awake last night to determine where the leak was to no avail. I eventually drifted off to sleep and it snuck up on me again and showed it leaked. It's already tough having to put a mask over your face so sleep can sneak up on you but now to add a chin strap to keep the air in. Thanks for any input as I am sure many need one too. Ebay has one for $6.89 w/free shipping.

[Pugsy]

Just how much leak are you seeing during the night...big large leaks half the night or short brief large leaks and how big.?

Sorry....no real experience with chin straps as back when I was starting therapy I elected to just tape my mouth for a short period of time until the mouth learned to stay shut (for the most part). The chin straps I tried moved around and was more annoying to my sleep than taping was.

If you have an old ace bandage laying around the house...you can try using it to get an idea if a chin strap would help or not...or be so annoying it wasn't worth it or not.
Chin strap preference...sort of like mask preferences...one man's treasure is another man's trash.

[grayghost4]

I have tried several and my current best is this one :

http://www.amazon.com/SP-Medical-Super- ... chin+strap

[sthnreb]

I looked at that one grayghost4 but it looked as though it could move forward or backward, loosen and not work as good. I know it is wider though. Thanks, will look at it a little more. I was considering something that goes over the top and has a back strap to keep it from moving around. Don't know if that is correct approach or not.

[grayghost4]

there is a blue cap with a strap attached ... that might be the one you want .

http://www.amazon.com/PAPCAP-COTTON-CHI ... chin+strap

[yaconsult]

Whoever uses them, what would be the best and most comfortable chin strap? I'm have a lot of air leaks and I don't believe it is the mask. I believe air is leaking out the mouth. Machine is Air Curve 10 VAuto and Respironics Easy Life nasal mask. I even stayed awake last night to determine where the leak was to no avail. I eventually drifted off to sleep and it snuck up on me again and showed it leaked. It's already tough having to put a mask over your face so sleep can sneak up on you but now to add a chin strap to keep the air in. Thanks for any input as I am sure many need one too. Ebay has one for $6.89 w/free shipping.

I think I may have the ebay one your are looking at - it was the same price and consists of two strips of neoprene with velcro on sections of the straps. I used it for a couple of nights recently. You have to experiment to get it to fit properly and be comfortable. The hook sections against your skin don't feel very good so you have to experiment with which side the hooks and loops are on. It is far from my favorite chinstrap - the ruby red - but it's cheap and therefore good for experimentation.

In my case, I saw no difference when using it and not using it, and it sure is more comfortable without it! I think my floor pressure is high enough at 12 to keep me from mouth breathing, so that's another factor.

As suggested, taping or ace bandage might be good alternatives for testing just to see if there is any difference. Also, look up what the leak rate for your mask is - it varies with the treatment pressure - mine is in my signature. It has to have leak desgned in or we would all die of carbon dioxide poisoning.

[Ogeo]

I don't use a commercial chin strap. I went to a local store (one being a grocery store) and found a lady's head band. It is made with very soft material, wide on one end and narrow on the other. I use it upside down from the intended purpose with the wide part under my chin. It works perfect for me. They come in different colors. My hubby is using one too.

[palerider]

Also, look up what the leak rate for your mask is - it varies with the treatment pressure - mine is in my signature. It has to have leak desgned in or we would all die of carbon monoxide poisoning.

just fyi,

1) all masks vent approximately the same amount at the various pressures, if you compare enough mask vent curves, you'll see they all start close to 20lpm@4cm, and to to around 50lpm@20cm, give or take a few.

2) it's carbon DIoxide that you exhale, carbon MONoxide is much more deadly, and is what's given off by incomplete combustion, gas furnaces, cars, etc.

[yaconsult]

Also, look up what the leak rate for your mask is - it varies with the treatment pressure - mine is in my signature. It has to have leak desgned in or we would all die of carbon monoxide poisoning.

just fyi,

1) all masks vent approximately the same amount at the various pressures, if you compare enough mask vent curves, you'll see they all start close to 20lpm@4cm, and to to around 50lpm@20cm, give or take a few.

2) it's carbon DIoxide that you exhale, carbon MONoxide is much more deadly, and is what's given off by incomplete combustion, gas furnaces, cars, etc.

Thanks for the mask info. I have only tried a few different types of masks and never compared the vent info between them. It makes sense that they would all be pretty similar.

Right you are about the carbon dioxide - must have been a brain fart! It's just about time to mask up and go to sleep!

[sthnreb]

I don't use a commercial chin strap. I went to a local store (one being a grocery store) and found a lady's head band. It is made with very soft material, wide on one end and narrow on the other. I use it upside down from the intended purpose with the wide part under my chin. It works perfect for me. They come in different colors. My hubby is using one too.

Believe me, that was my first consideration. I asked the wife where I could find one and she didn't know. It does seem it would work best because it is made to go "around" the head and is normally of a soft material. It's a matter of turning it from horizontal to a vertical position. Thank for grocery store input. (I don't want to tape the mouth because of beard/mustache.) Maybe try an ace bandage.

[Bignate76]

I tried the old Alfalfa toothache trick with a bandana.



Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I'm about to buy the real deal myself. I like the looks of this one.

https://www.cpap.com/productpage/ruby-s ... strap.html

[sthnreb]

I agree with you Bignate76. I have looked and considered that one also. I think it is about $15 on Ebay and Amazon including shipping. My paypay is messed up now or I would have got one. This one has been recommended.

[Pugsy]

Walmart for the headband idea...over in the hair aisle.

I had fairly decent results when I tried a sweatband...sports aisle at Walmart and cost a whopping $1. My only complaint was it just wasn't quite wide enough...but it was close.

Ace wrap is fairly cheap and easily adjustable and available pretty much everywhere plus it comes in various widths.

[jilliansue]

I have tried several different chin straps and came up with a combination of two:

One is the PapCap, which someone already mentioned to you: https://www.cpap.com/productpage/pursle ... otton.html

But rather than using the strap part that comes with it, I add this one to the cap: https://www.cpap.com/productpage/respir ... white.html
This particular strap has a wider portion of fabric which sort of cups the chin. In fact, I can pull it up over my lips.

After years of using a chin strap, I am currently opting for taping, and, thanks to input and suggestions from this forum, it is working well for me.

[bruskee]

I tried a couple of them and like this link below the best... It took me a few nights to get used to but it's actually nice going to sleep not worrying about trying to keep my mouth closed. My leaks went to zero large the 1st night and has stayed there since.. You look look like you're fixing to take state a a wrestling tournament though..

http://www.amazon.com/Ruby-Chin-Strap-A ... chin+strap