Thanks for the suggestion. I do have a humidifier tank. Several months ago I thought it was set too high & I turned it down. I will try setting it back a little higher. My mask is a nasal cushion.
Liked by John, Volunteer Mentor
@cjeanj, Another thought since you are using a nasal cushion CPAP mask, do you think your mouth is opening when you sleep? Some people have found that using a chin strap helps to keep the mouth closed and may help with the sore throat problem. I think there are other members that are using chin straps or nasal cushions, hopefully they will share some suggestions.
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I've been on CPAP treatment for over 16 years now. Various design and control macchines as well as different types of masks. I centered on the nasal pillow a few years ago, primarily for comfort but also functionality. However, I discovered that I would breathed through my mouth which would get very dry and through a bit sore. A chin strap was the successful solution. It took a while to get used to th he chin strap which kept my mouth closed and breathing through my nose. It took a while to get used to this setup but it works. I sleep as designed. Put on the chin strap and the nasal mask without any thought and sleep soundly. Highly recommend this combination. Often wondered why Resmed or Phillips haven't built this into a mask.
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I do use a chin strap, so hopefully changing the amount of humidity will be the solution. Thank you for your suggestions. I am grateful this site is available for questions like mine.
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Thank you for sharing what works for you. Your setup sounds very similar to mine.
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@cjeanj Hi and I also wear a chin strap with the nasal pillows. But one other area is my wife usually tells me when I snore more than usual and that too will give me a sore throat.
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I use a Resmed N30i nasal cushion mask. I find it hard to imagine how the chin strap is going to work with it (the mask "straps" that come down the sides of the face to the nose are actually the tubes through which the air flows). Anyone had experience with this combination?
(BTW, I was suffering a lot from dry air – felt like my sinuses were being fried by it – the humidifier helped a lot with that. But my mouth does open occasionally, causing dry mouth.)
@gramps Hi I also use a pillow type mask from Phillips and I put the chin strap on first them the mask. You may need to adjust the mask headgear a bit for the added thickness
My only issue is sometimes the chin strap slides forward a bit from.the back edge of my head. I use the following strap.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0891W84WP/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_os2gFbN43WJD0
And I just added the pillow mask I use
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Thanks @danab , I use a similar mask made by Resmed. What do you do if you wake up at night and want to drink? I keep a bottle next to my bed, and slide the cushion up above my nose so I can take a sip. Will I have to remove the mask and chin strap?
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@gramps I don't drink a lot at night but have a few times and it wasn't a problem just lifting the nose part. I also on occasion have drank from.a straw mostly when I was in the hospital when usually the drinks came in a cup.
The chin strap being elastic will allow opening Your mouth to take a drink.
Liked by gramps
@johnbishop
Hello @cjeanj, Welcome to Connect. You will notice that I modified the title of your discussion so that other members can find it a little easier. I have had a really dry throat often when using my CPAP. In the Winter I use a humidifier tank because the air in the house is a little drier and the humidifier really helps with the cotton mouth feeling using the CPAP. I don't use it during the Summer but I think it might be personal preference. Here is some information from Mayo Clinic that you may find helpful.
CPAP machines: Tips for avoiding 10 common problems: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sleep-apnea/in-depth/cpap/art-20044164
@thankful and other members may also have some thoughts or suggestions on a dry throat when using a CPAP.
@cleanj does your CPAP have a humidifier tank? What type of a CPAP mask do you use?