Better Sleep Better Health

One of the questions we often are asked at Oregon Sleep Associates is “how do I know which CPAP mask to choose?”

It’s true that in today’s market there are literally dozens of masks available to the CPAP user. But this doesn’t mean that the choosing a mask needs to be difficult. Let’s look at some different types of masks and their features, uses, and pros and cons:

Part 2: FULL FACE CPAP MASKS

Patient sleeping using a Full Face style mask.

Full Face Masks (FFM), or oral/nasal masks, are larger than nasal masks but operate in a similar manner. These masks extend below the bottom lip to create seal that encompasses the user’s mouth as well as the nose. These masks are used when a person demonstrates a “mouth leak” when asleep. A mouth leak occurs when the jaw relaxes and air escapes through the mouth. Mouth leaks can also happen when the therapy pressure is high enough to force the mouth open even when wearing a chinstrap. If the pressure is escaping through the mouth, the CPAP can’t do its job and keep the airway open. The full-face style masks allow a user to breathe through either their nose or mouth without worrying about loosing pressure. Because of the larger surface area the FFM cushion must cover, these masks can sometimes have trouble sealing well. Fortunately, new designs and seals have been created to counteract these problems.

Here are some examples of Full Face CPAP Masks:

The ComfortGel Full FFM from Philips Respironics feature soft gel cushioning like the nasal ComfortGel Blue but works stops mouth leaks as well.

The Forma FFM by Fisher & Paykel offers a soft foam cushion and silicone seal that extends below the user’s chin to keep the mouth leaks in check.

ResMed’s Mirage Quattro FFM features a double walled silicone interface to ensure a complete seal.

General Pros And Cons of Full Face CPAP Masks:

Pros:

• Allows patients to breathe through nose or mouth
• Corrects mouth leak without need for chinstrap
• Available in a variety of sizes and cushions like the nasal masks
• Works well even at higher pressures
• Disperses pressure over a larger surface area, reducing sensation of high pressure

Cons:

• Larger surface area to seal can lead to mask leaks
• Larger mask size may look intimidating to new/claustrophobic users
• Generally louder than other masks
• Line of sight often obscured by forehead connection

If you’re in the Portland, OR area swing by our DME office where you can find these and many more masks. Or if you’re not in the Northwest check out the deals at BuyPAP.com. Also check out our facebook page and follow us on twitter for more updates.

Police officers have a difficult and sometimes dangerous job. The public relies upon police forces to protect our lives, solve crimes, and be role models for our communities. But unfortunately, there is one threat to cops’ safety that can’t be locked up. 

A new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association involving 4,957 municipal, state, county and other law enforcement officers across North America revealed that 40 percent of participants screened positive for a sleep disorder and most were undiagnosed and untreated. The most common sleep disorder found was Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). Moderate to severe insomnia affected 6.5 percent, and 28.5 percent of police officers showed excessive sleepiness.

These numbers are especially alarming considering the sensitive nature of police work and the long hours spent behind the wheel. “Sleep disorders expose individuals to increased sleepiness, which elevates the risk of motor vehicle crashes.  We found that excessive sleepiness is common in police officers and that almost half report having fallen asleep while driving and about 25 percent report that it occurs at least monthly,” said Shantha Rajaratnam, PhD, co-lead author of the research paper. “Positive screening for a sleep disorder increased the risk of falling asleep while driving after work, depression and burnout by more than two-fold.”

But the results of the study yielded some optimistic insights as well. Massachusetts State Police (MSP) were found to have a  significantly lower risk for OSA than the municipal or nationwide police officers, who were nearly 60 to 80 percent more likely to screen positive for OSA. The researchers hypothesize that the comprehensive on-the-job physical fitness program implemented years ago by the MSP may account for the lower rates of both OSA and obesity (a major risk factor for OSA) observed among this group. Recognition and identification of sleep disorders as health risks can help other departments across the country to develop similar programs and keep our civil servants safe.

Philips Respironics ComfortGel Blue™ Nasal Mask

The Philips Respironics ComfortGel Blue mask is one of the most popular CPAP nasal masks on the market today.  The ComfortGel Blue is a redesign of the original Respironics Comfort Gel mask, which for many people is the perfect answer to uncomfortable and hard CPAP masks.

Highlights:

• The ComfortGel Blue has the same dual cushion technology as the original ComfortGel but a new gel material has been added that contours to the face better than the original Comfort Gel. The beauty of this cushion is that the user can tighten the mask down to reduce leaks but not wake up with pain or marks on their face.

The pliable blue gel create a comfortable cushion while the silicone flap seals against leaks.

• Philips also changed the forehead pad on the Gel Blue to a softer, more forgiving material thus preventing some of the skin irritation patients ran into the original Comfort Gel.
• The exhalation ports were also redesigned to redirected exhalation airflow away from the bed partner as well as reduce noise.
• The “StabilitySelector” has been retained on this mask as well, a great feature that allows adjustment of the angle at the bridge of the nose to fine tune the seal for each user.

• This is an especially important improvement: The frame on the ComfortGel Blue has been strengthened so there is no longer an issue of breaking the frame when removing the headgear. In the past removing the mask too forcefully could stress the “ball and cup” attachment points these reinforced cups on the frame still offer the convenience of this type of quick detachment system without worries of a late night CPAP mask crisis.
• As with the previous generation, this mask is available in Petite, Small, Medium, Large to fit users of every size.
• Along with Philips Premium Headgear the ComfortGel Blue mask continues to be one of the go to masks on the market today.

Summary:

We’ve had a lot of experience with the previous generation of ComfortGel masks both in the sleep center and with patients at home. The mask has proven itself to be one of the most reliable and consistently used masks out there. With all the new improvements Philips Respironics has made, the ComfortGel Blue is sure to be a patient favorite for years to come.

If you are in the market for a new CPAP mask or just looking for something different you can find the lowest prices on the ComfortGel Blue Nasal Mask here.

Nasal CPAP Mask, notice the seal around the nose and four attachment points to the headgear.

One of the questions we often are asked at Oregon Sleep Associates is “how do I know which CPAP mask to choose?“ It’s true that in today’s market there are literally dozens of masks available to the CPAP user. But this doesn’t mean that the choosing a mask needs to be difficult. Let’s look at some different types of masks and their features, uses, and pros and cons:

Part 1: Nasal CPAP Masks

Nasal CPAP Masks are the traditional style of CPAP mask. They are generally triangular shaped to cover the user’s nose and create a seal to the face. Most connect to the headgear at four locations, 2 on the mask body and 2 on the forehead support. Nasal CPAP masks are suitable for most patients without a severe mouth leak and come with a variety of seals depending on the manufacturer and model. These seal options as well as multiple size cushions for each mask allow for a more customized experience for all users.

Here are some examples of Nasal CPAP masks:

 The ComfortGel Blue Nasal Mask seals to the face using a soft blue gel, forming a comfortable interface.

The Zest from Fisher & Paykel offers a foam cushion with silicone flap to ensure a good seal.

General Pros and Cons of Nasal CPAP Masks

Pros:

• Works for most users
• Many cushion and seal types
• Low surface area to seal
• Tried and true designs

Cons:

• Possible irritation of bridge of nose
• May require more fittings to find appropriate size
• Dependent on Chin Strap to correct any mouth leaks
• Line of sight obscured by forehead connection

As always, you can find these and many more masks in our DME office, or if you’re not in the Portland OR area buy them online at BuyPAP.com. Also check out our facebook page and follow us on twitter for more updates.