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Ears - MrsBrando - 04-17-2017
Can I get ear infections from using CPAP? The last few days, I've been having plugged ears all day with pain that comes and goes throughout the day. I'm at a constant 8.5. Could my ear issues be from the CPAP?
RE: Ears - BHappy - 04-17-2017
Absolutely. Are you cleaning your mask and hose as recommended ?
How are you certain this is an ear infection ?
RE: Ears - MrsBrando - 04-18-2017
It feels like ear infections I've had in the past.
I clean them as often as the DME said to, which is once a week for mask and once every two weeks for hose. Should I be doing it more often?
RE: Ears - BHappy - 04-18-2017
I wipe my mask down every day, but I use a nasal mask. And am supposed clean my hose every week as per the user manual.
Hang in there, other, more informed members will come along and post something useful.
RE: Ears - ajack - 04-18-2017
I would think it's pressure related, like when you go up on an aeroplane. you are applying 8.5 cm of pressure to your eustachian tubes and then stopping it and reducing the pressure to normal. It is also possible the pressure pushed gunk into the ear from the tube. I doubt it was an infection from the cpap itself.
RE: Ears - PsychoMike - 04-18-2017
If you're prone to being stuffed up / having colds, or your ears don't clear well when you fly it could just be the way you're built. Some folks have small eustachian tubes that are more prone to blockages (like with a cold or ear infection) which makes it far harder to equalize the pressure. As you're increasing the pressure in your airway to deal with sleep apnea and the eustachian tubes are connected to your airway...it can trap excess pressure in your ears.
Do a few good yawns help at all?
RE: Ears - Melman - 04-18-2017
PhsycoMike stated it well. You are probably suffering from blocked eustacian tubes which may be caused CPAP pressure. If you have been using CPAP for some time and this is a new development I suspect there is some other contributing factor. Have you tried repeated swallowing, yawning, and or chewing gum? These often help to open eustacian tubes and relieve pressure.
It is unlikely that this will result in infection. If it does it will not be from organisms from your CPAP equipment but from organisms already resident as part of the flora of your upper respiratory tract.
The cleaning you described should be sufficient. I assume you are cleaning the humidifier chamber at regular intervals as well.The organisms that cause ear infections will not grow well on CPAP equipment.
RE: Ears - MrsBrando - 04-18-2017
Yawning, etc. doesn't help. I've never been on a plane, so I don't know what my ears would feel like if I did.
Do I need to clean the humidifier if I never use it?
RE: Ears - Melman - 04-18-2017
If the humidifier never sees water, nothing will grow in it. All it's exposed to is filtered air from the machine.
RE: Ears - Hydrangea - 04-18-2017
I have this ear issue, too. I don't love it, but it's worth the trade-off for the benefits I'm getting from PAP therapy.
I was able to lessen the pain I was feeling by setting my max pressure lower, to keep my overall pressure lower.