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Re: My Ears... Help!


Posted by Martin Cury on May 15, 2000 at 18:23:37:

In Reply to: My Ears... Help! posted by Charlene on May 13, 2000 at 06:01:35:

I found that if you swallow, the high pressure of the CPAP machine is applied to the inner ear via the eustachian tube. Normally, you want this. This equalizes the pressure between the outside air and internally so that your ear drum responds properly. With the CPAP, you are fooling you inner ear becaue the whole system is equalizing with the CPAP air and not the external air. This is very similar to what happens in an airplane when the cabin becomes pressurized during ascent and depressurizing during descent. I undo the mask or pull out the nasal pillows, then swallow until my ears pop back to normal and then reapply the CPAP interface (mask, pillows, etc.) Try to avoid swallowing or yawning with the CPAP as this will cause new pressure equalization with the CPAP. If your nose is stuffy, the air may become trapped and feel very uncomfortable. Because of this, it takes me about an hour to get to sleep. Eventually though, I do.

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