Helpful Hints For Nasal Pillows
Nasal Pillows, Nose Pillows, Adams Circuit snoring, sleep disorders, apnea, CPAP
Nasal Pillow,
nose pillows, Adams Circuit for sleep disorder, snoring, apnea, CPAP, BiPAP
or auto-PAP from The CPAP Store and the CPAP Man
Updated 1/26/07
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Here are some helpful hints for making
your nasal pillows more comfortable
Comfort Fitting Nasal Pillows
The most common error made by setup technicians fitting nasal pillows
is not including the angle adapter in the breathing circuit. In order for
the pillows to enter the nostril at the correct angle the angle adapter
must be inserted between the shell and the swivel.
Without the angle adapter in the breathing circuit the patient must
pull the shell strap extra tight to prevent leaking. This will cause the
entrance of the nostril to develop sores that will not heal, making the
pillows intolerable.
A good ointment for lubricating the pillows is Ayr, a saline-aloevera
gel that will help form a seal, reduce friction and help heal any soreness
that may develop. It is available at most drug stores. An optional ointment
is Neosporin or Polysporin, available at nearly all drug stores.
Setup for Nasal Pillows
Defusing the
Discharge Air Stream
Use a thin piece of porous air filter foam and tape it over the exhalation
hole as show above. Form a slight arch over the exhalation hole so that
the exhaled air can exhaust out the side. The main air stream will shoot
up into the foam, defusing it so that it doesn't blow on your bed partner.
The tape should be about 1/4" wide. The foam needs to be about 1/2"
wide and about 1" to 1 1/4" long.
Defusing the
Exhalation Air Stream from the Breeze SleepGear with Nasal Pillows
Use a thin piece of porous air filter foam and tape it over the exhalation
hole as show above. Form a slight arch over the exhalation hole so that
the exhaled air can exhaust out the side. The main air stream will shoot
up into the foam, defusing it so that it doesn't blow on your bed partner.
The tape should be about 1/4" wide. The foam needs to be about 1/2"
wide and about 1" to 1 1/4" long.
Make Your Own Angle Adapter
One of the problems with the Adams Circuit is the cracking of
the angle adapter. Many times the shell will slip or fall out of the angle
adapter while in use during the sleep period. The problem seems to stem
from the tapered effect and the ridge on the end of the shell. The angle
adapter is expensive to replace. Here are instructions for making your own
angle adapter. It will probably cost you less than $1.00 and will last for
ever.
Please note: use 3/4" CPVC tubing
and elbow.
You do not need to glue the short piece of pipe into the angle connector.
It will fit tight and not come out. You will need to add some O-Rings to
the stem of your shell to keep it held in snugly. Here is what to get.
Hot Water tubing is CPVC
Shells purchased after about March 1, 1999 do not have the taper
and do not need the O'Rings.
The O-Rings are between $0.50 and $0.75. They are a size OR13 and can be
obtained at most larger hardware stores. The only adjustment you need to
make is on the loops that hold your "over-the-head" hose in place.
You will probably need to lengthen it by 1/4" or so.
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