Hello Guest, Welcome to Apnea Board !
As a guest, you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use.
To post a message, you must create a free account using a valid email address.

or Create an Account


New Posts   Today's Posts

[Equipment] Why is the use of a humidifier (with heated hose) so important?
#1
Question 
Why is the use of a humidifier (with heated hose) so important?
Since the machine obviously is not changing air humidity, what makes pretty much everybody use a humidifier?

I mean, if you are fine breathing room air (whatever its humidity is), why does it change when breathing slightly pressurized air through a mask? Does airflow increase that much that it makes your nose dry out (considering the use of a nasal pillow mask)?

Can anybody tell about a direct comparison of use with and without humidifier?

------

I assume the heated hose is only to prevent condensation and rainout when using a humidifier, or is there any use of a heated hose without humidifier?

I mean, why would anybody want to inhale air warmer than room temperature (it was mentioned somewhere for the Dreamstation, that you can connect the heated hose directly to the main unit, when not using the humidifier add-on)?
In pursuit of a goodnight sleep | Receive a discount at Wellue Health
Post Reply Post Reply
#2
RE: Why is the use of a humidifier (with heated hose) so important?
The humidifier is for comfort only. When machines first came out they didn't have them. However because of the volume of air blowing into your nostrils it has a drying affect. Just like your skin gets dried out on a windy day. For some people they don't mind it and just don't use the humidifier. Most though like some some added moisture in the air. It's whatever you feel comfortable with.
Download SleepyHead
Organize your Sleepyhead Charts
Posting Charts
Beginner's Guide to SleepyHead
Mask Primer
5
Advisory Members serve as an "Advisory Committee" to help shape Apnea Board's rules & policies.

Membership in the Advisory Members group does not imply medical expertise or qualification for advising Sleep Apnea patients concerning their treatment.



Post Reply Post Reply
#3
RE: Why is the use of a humidifier (with heated hose) so important?
As Walla Walla said, it is pretty much for comfort. Some of us tolerate drier air more than others. I use my humidifier in a "pass over" mode. The heater is off and I get enough humidity with the air passing over the water. I live in AZ so we are very used to dry air. Now my wife has her humidity set about midway as she prefers more moisture. We both use FFMs.

Homer
Post Reply Post Reply
#4
RE: Why is the use of a humidifier (with heated hose) so important?
i use max setting on humidifier and max tube temp, i run out of water mid night around 3-4 am and gotta refill. I get infections if i have dry mouth/throat. Sometimes even Bronchitis. If the air is cold i get pneumonia, hence i use max tube temp. I used to get pneumonia each winter, not anymore. A very great thing. You can keep your room cool and yet breathe warm air. Instead of paying a grand overpay for heating the room each year.
Post Reply Post Reply
#5
RE: Why is the use of a humidifier (with heated hose) so important?
I live in arid Wyoming and humidifier was on my must-have list for an APAP. I've lived here 20 years and still hate waking up with a dry mouth and nose. As others have said, it's a comfort issue. I don't have the heated hose, seems like just a regular hose keeps my poor nose comfortable. But the humidifier sending warm moist air into my nose lets me keep the whole room cooler and keeps my poor husband from waking up sweating.
Post Reply Post Reply
#6
RE: Why is the use of a humidifier (with heated hose) so important?
I found a humidifier is an absolute must!
Without it all my breathing tubes dried out so much I couldn't breath after 2 hrs and had on some nights to squirt water up my nose and drink water.
After I got a humidifier I found I could go most of the night without any problems, now with an APAP I have some water left in the morning.
Before I got this APAP I would run out of water in the humidifier around 4am and had to top up, I would waken with the feeling I could not breathe due to dryness.
I am NOT a doctor.  I try to help, but do not take what I say as medical advice.


Every journey, however large or small starts with the first step.

Sleep-well
Post Reply Post Reply
#7
RE: Why is the use of a humidifier (with heated hose) so important?
Thought so that it's for comfort and not as much a necessity, but it still keeps irritating me, because IMHO there should not be a real difference between normal breathing without machine and breathing through a mask at slightly higher pressure.

About the mouth and/or nose getting dry, it would make more sense if the airflow was increased by the procedure, so when you would breath at a higher frequency, but breathing itself stays the same, only the pressure at inhaling and exhaling is increased.

I'm a nose breather and I am comfortable with the bedroom air temperature and humidity (though I never have measured the two), which makes me wonder if I would want a machine with humidifier or not.

I don't know yet if my health insurance will pay for the humidifier option, because unless someone else cancels his/her appointment and they fit me in earlier, my sleep clinic examination will not be before October, so at this point I'm just doing research. Wink
In pursuit of a goodnight sleep | Receive a discount at Wellue Health
Post Reply Post Reply
#8
RE: Why is the use of a humidifier (with heated hose) so important?
(07-22-2018, 10:41 AM)Sleep2Snore Wrote: I found a humidifier is an absolute must!

Do you generally have low humidity where you live? I understand that this is a major factor, but I'm trying to find out if the humidifier add-on is a must-have if you are comfortable with the humidity in your bedroom.

When I think about it, I have never had any troubles with mouth/nose dryness in changing conditions (summer, winter, when traveling), which makes me wonder if this is going to change when having a CPAP machine.
In pursuit of a goodnight sleep | Receive a discount at Wellue Health
Post Reply Post Reply
#9
RE: Why is the use of a humidifier (with heated hose) so important?
(07-22-2018, 10:56 AM)bonum.noctem Wrote:
(07-22-2018, 10:41 AM)Sleep2Snore Wrote: I found a humidifier is an absolute must!

Do you generally have low humidity where you live? I understand that this is a major factor, but I'm trying to find out if the humidifier add-on is a must-have if you are comfortable with the humidity in your bedroom.

When I think about it, I have never had any troubles with mouth/nose dryness in changing conditions (summer, winter, when traveling), which makes me wonder if this is going to change when having a CPAP machine.

I live in Scotland where there is usually enough humidity (and rain) around, however, the machine does appear to dry out the humidity in the air when being used, also you have to remember the air is under pressure and also enters at a slightly higher speed.
Some people can use their machines without a humidifier, others can't and I am one of those that can't.
My mate uses his without a humidifier most nights (he is in Ireland and has had to lately due to higher temperatures at night) and he gets on fine.
The higher the pressure you require the more likely it is you will need a humidifier.
Before I had a CPAP machine the humidity was fine, now I can't cope without a humidifier, even if out camping I need one, but that brings its own problems!
Does that answer your question?
I am NOT a doctor.  I try to help, but do not take what I say as medical advice.


Every journey, however large or small starts with the first step.

Sleep-well
Post Reply Post Reply
#10
RE: Why is the use of a humidifier (with heated hose) so important?
(07-22-2018, 10:56 AM)bonum.noctem Wrote: When I think about it, I have never had any troubles with mouth/nose dryness in changing conditions (summer, winter, when traveling), which makes me wonder if this is going to change when having a CPAP machine.

It may depend on what mask you use, too. The Fisher & Paykel mouth only mask *requires* humidification, it's in the mask specifications. It will dry out your throat. And while I was home trialing an APAP without humidification, I found that nasal pillows really dried my nostrils out - using saline spray helped, but not as much as finally getting a humidified model has. Those pillows jetted out air through holes that are smaller than my nostrils, thus increasing the velocity of the air at that point, and drying out my nose faster than normal breathing.
Post Reply Post Reply


Possibly Related Threads...
Thread Author Replies Views Last Post
Exclaimation [News] RECALL THREAD-- IMPORTANT PHILIPS DREAMSTATION & SYSTEM ONE USERS Sleeprider 2,961 352,238 03-20-2024, 02:21 PM
Last Post: btreger
  AHI vs Desaturation -which is more important? vwboop 1 153 03-08-2024, 09:58 PM
Last Post: Jay51
Question Hose volume Willw 4 236 02-26-2024, 04:53 PM
Last Post: Willw
  Humidifier Chamber Leaks - Resmed 10 Old Mike 20 768 02-23-2024, 10:44 AM
Last Post: robbob2112
  Using the heated tube on Dream Station 2 arpegio 4 952 02-16-2024, 06:52 PM
Last Post: arpegio
  [CPAP] Dry mouth despite humidifier and full face mask Tactful3149 2 448 02-13-2024, 03:25 PM
Last Post: Tactful3149
  AirSense 10 heating & humidifier issue Wingnut Warrior 2 354 02-08-2024, 11:13 PM
Last Post: Wingnut Warrior


New Posts   Today's Posts


About Apnea Board

Apnea Board is an educational web site designed to empower Sleep Apnea patients.