Beating Sleep Apnea: What's the Ideal CPAP Mask for You
Sleep disorders are a major health problem across the world and they often go untreated. Sleep apnoea is one of the most widely spread sleep disorders and many Australians disregard its symptoms. Luckily, society is slowly becoming aware of the dangerous risks that come with untreated sleep apnoea. One popular and widely used type of therapy for this disorder is continuous airway pressure administered with a CPAP mask.
How Do CPAP Masks Work?
CPAP masks come in three different kinds:
- CPAP nasal masks;
- CPAP nasal pillows;
- Full-face masks.
Patients sleep with a CPAP mask covering their nose or both their nose and mouth. A pipe connects the masks to a little machine. In order to keep the patient's airway open while they are sleeping, the machine pushes pressurised air into it. It’s worrying that more and more patients disregard the recommendations from their doctors and use these masks only for a few hours every night.
According to studies, treatment sessions lasting more than six hours per night result in significantly better day functioning and memory, as well as reduced drowsiness. But for a variety of reasons, so many individuals choose not to wear their masks. This is often the case when the mask is uncomfortable to wear. If you’re someone suffering from sleep apnoea, you should make sure that you purchase the highest quality nasal mask, nasal pillow, or full-face mask available. To help you understand the distinction between these three widely used CPAP masks, I’ll explain more about their function and features below.
What are the Different Types of CPAP Masks?
CPAP Nasal Masks
If you need a comfortable mask with high-pressure settings, the CPAP nostril mask is your ideal choice. This mask is soft, lightweight, adjustable, and low-noise. It covers the area from the bridge of your nose to your upper lip and sends a high-pressure indirect airflow to your airways.
Doctors often advise these masks for people who:
- Move a lot while sleeping;
- Require higher pressure settings on their machine;
- Need a more versatile mask;
- Need a natural airflow;
Nasal masks are preferred by many Australians suffering from sleep apnoea. They come in several designs to accommodate practically every sort of facial structure and feature. If you often turn in your sleep, this mask will stay securely in its place, regardless of your movement.
However, if you suffer from a certain medical issue, such as a deviated septum, a restricted or collapsed nasal valve, or enlarged turbinates, this mask might not be the ideal option.
Nasal Pillow
Compared to the CPAP nostril mask, the nasal pillow has little contact with your face, but it also offers less air pressure. These masks are comfortable and lightweight, but they can be a little uncomfortable. Since direct airflow to the nostrils is irritating at high levels, they function best with prescriptions of low-to-moderate pressure settings.
Doctors advise nasal pillows for those who:
- Toss and turn a lot in their sleep;
- Have claustrophobia from bigger masks;
- Have thick facial hair.
Nasal pillows lie at the base of your nose and form a seal that sends pressured air straight into your nose. In comparison to full-face masks, nasal pillows offer a wider field of vision, so you can freely enjoy your favourite pastimes before bed, such as reading or watching TV. Since there’s no cover over the nose bridge, these masks also let you wear glasses. Many people with claustrophobia prefer nasal pillows because they’re lightweight and offer only a little facial covering. People also like how little the material of these masks contacts their faces.
That being said, nasal pillows aren’t ideal for patients that need higher pressure. Due to the direct air pressure, some patients may have more nosebleeds or nasal dryness than usual. Nasal pillows aren’t the best option if you’re not accustomed to breathing through your nose.
Full Face Mask
As the name suggests, the full-face mask covers your mouth and nose, unlike nasal masks and nasal pillows, which only seal on your nose. To form a CPAP seal over both airways, they cover a large portion of your face. These masks are ideal for patients who need greater air pressure or those that often breathe through their mouths. However, most people find the bulky nature of full-face masks a little unpleasant.
Consider getting a full-face CPAP mask if you:
- Mostly inhale through your mouth;
- Require high CPAP pressure;
- Suffer from allergies or other conditions that make it difficult for you to breathe through your nose;
- Tend to sleep on your back.
Full-face masks cover your lips, nose, and most of your face, and they’re secured in place by side straps. They’re a great option if you tend to breathe through your mouth while sleeping. The greater surface area makes the pressure feel less direct and more bearable, so full-face masks perform well with higher CPAP pressure settings.
However, this mask also comes with a few downsides. Due to the size of the mask and the chance that it may be dislocated, it’s not suitable for people that toss and turn a lot in their sleep. It’s also not a good choice for those that wear glasses, watch TV or read before bed.
I’m sure that by now you have some understanding of the three different types of CPAP masks. So, check out the wide range of nasal pillows, full-face masks, and CPAP nasal masks Australia wide, and make your choice to beat sleep apnoea!
