Posted by Doc AZ M.D. on February 01, 2002 at 00:02:28:

Mask leaks, Mask tightness, and comfort a tecnique for improvement
Dear forum friends,
I have been been using c-pap for 8 years. The number one problem with facial masks, are air leaks that blow across your eyes.

The human eyes are simply to sensitive to tolerate air flowing by them.
To prevent that c-pap mask wearers keep pulling their straps tighter and tighter to prevent air leaks. Eventually their Masks are pulled tighter and tighter until they are so uncomfortable that the wearer can only tolerate wearing them for a few hours.

I recently started using a new technique that has been the biggest improvement in mask comfort that I have ever found.

I tried some thing similar to this 3 years ago. But I didn’t get it exactly right but now I have discovered why.

Here is my suggestion.
1 Get a very SOFT big cotton handkerchief (like the old fashioned red and white western type) It has to be big because you are going to tie it around your head. If you fold it on the diagonal it should be approximately 28 inches long.
2. Get all of your c-pap equipment ready to go, so that all that you have to do is, put on your mask, turn your machine on, and then lay down and go to sleep.
3 then fold your soft 28-inch cotton handkerchief diagonally.

Remember how we use to fold handkerchiefs of this type so that it would make a thin headband.

This time we want to fold it the same way but we don't want it to be thin we want it to be WIDE
(Approximately 4 inches wide at the mid point)

That is only going to take one or two folds.

4 then place the widest part of your handkerchief so that width wise it goes from the tip of your nose to the middle of your forehead.

5 then gently lengthwise (remember it is plenty
Long at 28 inches) tie it around your head. Put the knot at the back of your head.

6 then put your c-pap mask on, without displacing your handkerchief.

7 then turn your c-pap machine on.

The first thing that you will notice is how comfortable it is; the next thing you find is that it is totally dark.

So you had better be ready to pull your feet up and go to sleep.

8 The next thing that you notice is that when you tighten your head gear you only have to very lightly tighten your straps, because since the handkerchief prevents air from crossing your over your eyes you will only need a fraction of the pressure that you have previously used.

9 then lay back and rest. If you are like me the next thing that you will know is that is about 10 thirty the next morning. That is if you didn’t set your alarm clock. Because since it is so dark and your mask is so much more comfortable you may not wake up until you are fully rested.

When I tried this 3 years ago it didn’t work. I now know that that was because I had folded my handkerchief so that it was too narrow. (Approximately one and a half inches). But the narrower it is, and the thicker that it is the more air that gets under your handkerchief.

So the keys are keep it soft, wide, and thin.

I wouldn’t sleep without my handkerchief any more. I hope that this tip can make your c-pap usage more comfortable.
If you try this technique I would appreciate your posting your results for me to see. Hopefully it will make your usage much more comfortable. But if you have problems with it. That can be just as important to learn as well. Since we may be able to find ways to modify the technique to help you and others.

Sleep well and God bless,
Most sincerely, Doc AZ M.D.

Follow Ups:

• Re: Mask leaks + comfort ,a tecnique for improvement sleepysandy 14:48 2/01/02 (1)
  • Re: Mask leaks + comfort ,a tecnique for improvement Doc AZ M.D. 23:30 2/01/02 (0)
• Re: Mask leaks + comfort ,a tecnique for improvement Frank 01:19 2/01/02 (1)
  • Re: Mask leaks + comfort ,a tecnique for improvement Doc AZ M.D. 23:35 2/01/02 (0)

---

Copyright ©1995-2005 Sleepnet.com., All rights reserved