03-07-2017, 12:45 PM
FYI Dreamwear Sizes (pics)
Some recent threads about the Dreamwear nasal mask have discussed sizing, and how finding the right size can significantly reduce leaking.
Now that I've found the right size cushion for me, the mask stays put on my face no matter which way I turn or sleep tbroughout the night. Yay! Even though I measure as needing a Large or a Medium Wide cushion, the Medium cushion actually fits me the best. (Because of this, I'm going to order a Small, and see how it fits... but I haven't done that yet.)
Here are pics of the 3 sizes of cushions I have: Large, Medium, and Medium wide (from top to bottom).
The side your nose sits on:
From straight on:
The underside:
As you can see, the Large is only a tad bigger than the Medium. I'd say how they are most different is that the large protrudes much farther from the face, although the breathing hole is really not much bigger.
That explains (to me) why the Large causes more leaking on me - because when I roll onto my side, the protrusion under my nose gets pushed aside. Since the Medium hardly protrudes, it doesn't get pushed around.
Now the Medium Wide... wow. It is MUCH wider than the other 2, both the cushion as a whole and also the breathing hole.
For me personally, I like the elongated width of the breathing hole of the Medium Wide. When I inhale, I have no sensation that anything is there. I admit to being a Princess-and-the-Pea type of person, so others may not notice, but I notice that when I inhale with the Med or Large, I can sense the tiniest flapping of material. But I also think that's because I have wide nostrils, but not a super wide nose.
A downfall (for me) of the Medium Wide cushion is that since the whole cushion is wider, the firm holes at the side are at a different spot on my face, and I don't like the pushing sensation there.
So... hopefully that helps. And if anything, this just goes to show why it would be nice if a DME gave *all* the sizes of cushions to start with, so you really could experiment, in the comfort of your own sleep, to find the size that works best for you.
Now that I've found the right size cushion for me, the mask stays put on my face no matter which way I turn or sleep tbroughout the night. Yay! Even though I measure as needing a Large or a Medium Wide cushion, the Medium cushion actually fits me the best. (Because of this, I'm going to order a Small, and see how it fits... but I haven't done that yet.)
Here are pics of the 3 sizes of cushions I have: Large, Medium, and Medium wide (from top to bottom).
The side your nose sits on:
From straight on:
The underside:
As you can see, the Large is only a tad bigger than the Medium. I'd say how they are most different is that the large protrudes much farther from the face, although the breathing hole is really not much bigger.
That explains (to me) why the Large causes more leaking on me - because when I roll onto my side, the protrusion under my nose gets pushed aside. Since the Medium hardly protrudes, it doesn't get pushed around.
Now the Medium Wide... wow. It is MUCH wider than the other 2, both the cushion as a whole and also the breathing hole.
For me personally, I like the elongated width of the breathing hole of the Medium Wide. When I inhale, I have no sensation that anything is there. I admit to being a Princess-and-the-Pea type of person, so others may not notice, but I notice that when I inhale with the Med or Large, I can sense the tiniest flapping of material. But I also think that's because I have wide nostrils, but not a super wide nose.
A downfall (for me) of the Medium Wide cushion is that since the whole cushion is wider, the firm holes at the side are at a different spot on my face, and I don't like the pushing sensation there.
So... hopefully that helps. And if anything, this just goes to show why it would be nice if a DME gave *all* the sizes of cushions to start with, so you really could experiment, in the comfort of your own sleep, to find the size that works best for you.