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How To Properly Fit a Mask. From a Techs Point of View.
First get your bed comfortable. Gather all of your creature comforts and make your nest. this reduces unwanted trips out of bed after the you have the mask on. This is important as you could wake your self up.
TURN YOUR MACHINE ON. Your mask should be filled with air when fitting.
Next I prefer to put the mask on sitting upright. Put the mask on just so that it rest on your face. It should be leaking at this time. (if you have a Resmed adjustable mask crank it out so that the forehead is pushed out as far as possible.)
Now I lay down on my back and listen to my mask leak for a second. Doing this trains your mind to hear them. Adjust the bottom straps first. Undue them and pull them straight out from the mask(the mask will want to slide down the straps). this is to even out the straps. If they are not even stop and fix it! Now evenly tighten the mask down just enough to form seal around your mouth(FFM) or the bottom of your nose(nasal).
Next do the sam with the top straps. Remember the top strap is more of an ancher. It should rest on your forehead rather than dig into it.(At this time if you have a Resmed adjustable mask crank it down. it should hug the bridge of your nose and finsh the seal).
Stop listen. you should not be uncomfortable and you should not here any leaks. The mask should be resting on your face at this point not digging or rubbing but resting. If it hurts loosen it.
If you hear leaks you have to options. 1 pull it straigh up off of your face and set it back down. this will sometimes fix it.
2 you can run your finger in between the seal and your skin all the way around the mask to ensure that the seal is folded under to do its job.
once you have these steps down the others are easy. Turn on your right, and left sides and adjust to rid leaks as well. This is important because the seal won't be the same on your sides as it is on your back. Set your self up for success and adjust for all positions.
Remember it only has to be as tight as you can handle comfortably. If you can't form a comfortable seal then you need a different mask.
TURN YOUR MACHINE ON. Your mask should be filled with air when fitting.
Next I prefer to put the mask on sitting upright. Put the mask on just so that it rest on your face. It should be leaking at this time. (if you have a Resmed adjustable mask crank it out so that the forehead is pushed out as far as possible.)
Now I lay down on my back and listen to my mask leak for a second. Doing this trains your mind to hear them. Adjust the bottom straps first. Undue them and pull them straight out from the mask(the mask will want to slide down the straps). this is to even out the straps. If they are not even stop and fix it! Now evenly tighten the mask down just enough to form seal around your mouth(FFM) or the bottom of your nose(nasal).
Next do the sam with the top straps. Remember the top strap is more of an ancher. It should rest on your forehead rather than dig into it.(At this time if you have a Resmed adjustable mask crank it down. it should hug the bridge of your nose and finsh the seal).
Stop listen. you should not be uncomfortable and you should not here any leaks. The mask should be resting on your face at this point not digging or rubbing but resting. If it hurts loosen it.
If you hear leaks you have to options. 1 pull it straigh up off of your face and set it back down. this will sometimes fix it.
2 you can run your finger in between the seal and your skin all the way around the mask to ensure that the seal is folded under to do its job.
once you have these steps down the others are easy. Turn on your right, and left sides and adjust to rid leaks as well. This is important because the seal won't be the same on your sides as it is on your back. Set your self up for success and adjust for all positions.
Remember it only has to be as tight as you can handle comfortably. If you can't form a comfortable seal then you need a different mask.
Views: 10697
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by richard graham on
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thank you for posting this, I will try this out. I hope it works. thanks
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thank you for this post. I still have some leaks but this helped me know where they are coming from.
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Permalink Reply by Kristi Halsey on
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I am using a Mirage FX nasal mask. I really like it because it's light-weight and I can get a good seal with it. However, I am waking up with a lot of annoying pressure on my maxilla. If I put gentle pressure my two front teeth with my tongue it almost feels like they could move a little. It's not painful, just annoying and a little worrisome. Someone told me that masks can cause dental problems. Is this true?
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Permalink Reply by Somnonaut on
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As Rock explained, put the mask on AS LOOSE AS POSSIBLE such that the air does not escape. If you truly want the lightest impacting nasal mask, the Resmed Activa has engineering designed into it that makes themask suck onto your face. Therefore, the mask's frame only needs to be supported with the headstraps and not lashed to your head.
[Disclaimer: I hold no stock, or monetary interest in the use of Resmed or any CPAP manufacturer's products]
Kristi Halsey said:I am using a Mirage FX nasal mask. I really like it because it's light-weight and I can get a good seal with it. However, I am waking up with a lot of annoying pressure on my maxilla. If I put gentle pressure my two front teeth with my tongue it almost feels like they could move a little. It's not painful, just annoying and a little worrisome. Someone told me that masks can cause dental problems. Is this true?
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I just switched to a ResMeD S9 AutoSet 13 days ago & that is the mask I wanted for exactly the reasons you stated. However, the inflating cushion is what bothers me. I stay awake trying to keep up with the cushion inflating & deflating.
So, instead I chose the Mirage SoftGel Nasal mask.
Somnonaut said:
If you truly want the lightest impacting nasal mask, the Resmed Activa has engineering designed into it that makes themask suck onto your face. Therefore, the mask's frame only needs to be supported with the headstraps and not lashed to your head.
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I also agree that typically at lower pressure (<10) the cushion does "bounce" with each breath and this also bothered me. It is a personal choice it may not bother others as I have found. Just offering suggestions. My personal accounts are just that, my personal preferences, and only apply to me. Others have different proclivities as to what may or may not bother them. Heck, some cannot even wear a CPAP interfaces at all due to contact or visual or other issues.
It is all personal. The big issue is to make the patient realize they are in control of their therapy and should use whatever opportunities they are afforded to get an interface that maximizes their therapeutic opportunity and time.
Steven XXXX said:I just switched to a ResMeD S9 AutoSet 13 days ago & that is the mask I wanted for exactly the reasons you stated. However, the inflating cushion is what bothers me. I stay awake trying to keep up with the cushion inflating & deflating.
So, instead I chose the Mirage SoftGel Nasal mask.
Somnonaut said:
If you truly want the lightest impacting nasal mask, the Resmed Activa has engineering designed into it that makes themask suck onto your face. Therefore, the mask's frame only needs to be supported with the headstraps and not lashed to your head.
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Oh, please don't misunderstand.
I think it was a great suggestion!
Had I been told what you said much earlier, I would have saved a lot of time narrowing down my choice to the Activa & SoftGel.
I personally made the SoftGel choice, but I still think the Activa is a mask worth considering by others.
Somnonaut said:I also agree that typically at lower pressure (<10) the cushion does "bounce" with each breath and this also bothered me. It is a personal choice it may not bother others as I have found. Just offering suggestions. My personal accounts are just that, my personal preferences, and only apply to me. Others have different proclivities as to what may or may not bother them. Heck, some cannot even wear a CPAP interfaces at all due to contact or visual or other issues.
It is all personal. The big issue is to make the patient realize they are in control of their therapy and should use whatever opportunities they are afforded to get an interface that maximizes their therapeutic opportunity and time.
Steven XXXX said:I just switched to a ResMeD S9 AutoSet 13 days ago & that is the mask I wanted for exactly the reasons you stated. However, the inflating cushion is what bothers me. I stay awake trying to keep up with the cushion inflating & deflating.
So, instead I chose the Mirage SoftGel Nasal mask.
Somnonaut said:
If you truly want the lightest impacting nasal mask, the Resmed Activa has engineering designed into it that makes themask suck onto your face. Therefore, the mask's frame only needs to be supported with the headstraps and not lashed to your head.
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I find that "bounce" does bother me at a pressure of 15 - which is not really a lower pressure.
In your experience, why does that "bounce" more pronounced at a lower pressure than at a higher pressure?
Somnonaut said:I also agree that typically at lower pressure (<10) the cushion does "bounce" with each breath and this also bothered me.
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Karen,
I don't know if this will be helpful, but take a look at www.cpapseal.com Their product may provide a way for you to get a good seal, avoid leaks and avoid having to tighten your straps to the point of a migraine. I hope it's helpful!
KAREN JAFFE said:Thank you for the information. The technician who fitted me never explained this to me. It has been hard to find a mask that is comfortable. I have 2 discs in my neck that are degenerating and if I tighten the bottom strap to much I wake up with a migraine headache. So, unfortunately I tend to always have some leakage. I don't know what else to do. The leakage does wake me up numerous times during the night because the blowing air is quite strong and pushes the mask out. I have tried to use the nasal type but it hasn't worked well. Do you know if there is a way to correct this without having to tighten the bottom strap so much? Does anyone know of a way?? Any advise would be appreciated.
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My experience with a Quattro FX mask was horrible. Severe leaks. In my opinion it is not well engineered and the material in the cushion is definitely not the same as a Mirage Quattro mask.
I looked at the Cpapseal web site and even they say that their cushion will not stop FX nose leaks.
I am back to the Mirage Quattro mask with a Quietus liner with good results.
Karen, as they now phrase it, it is a journey to find the right mask. Some elements that are left out of the design engineering of a mask are facial structure and medical issues. Not that all elements of a person's physiology can be addressed but at least sleep doctors and DME's can make a person aware of them.
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