Has using a mask with my nebulizer treatments benefited my sinuses?

Note: This column describes the author’s own experiences with using masks during nebulizer treatments. Not everyone will have the same response to treatment. Consult your doctor before starting or stopping a therapy.

I haven’t dealt with many sinus issues in my lifetime. At age 17, I had a nasal polyp removed by surgery. Since then, I haven’t had another nasal surgery or sinus infection, which is pretty unusual for someone with cystic fibrosis (CF).

I don’t use nasal rinses or see an ear, nose, and throat specialist. However, I’ve chosen to administer most of my inhaled, nebulized medications by using a mask and breathing in through my nose instead of through my mouth. Coincidence? I can’t help but wonder.

I worked as a pediatric nurse for many years and used nebulizers to administer many inhaled treatments to my young patients. Masks were helpful, as they create a seal around the nose and mouth to ensure that a higher concentration of the medication mist enters the airways. They’re also helpful because children may be unable to hold a mouthpiece in place long enough to complete the treatment.

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My masking experience

Working full time and running a household, I started wearing masks during my treatments, mainly to allow for multitasking. It freed my hands to cook dinner, pack lunches, exercise, and more while I was administering my inhaled medications.

It also made sense to me to breathe the medications through my nose to ensure my entire respiratory tract would benefit from them. Albuterol helped open up my airways, hypertonic saline helped thin my mucus, and Pulmozyme (dornase alfa) helped break up mucus in my nasal sinuses. Afterward, I needed to blow my nose, which cleared mucus.

I took it a step further and started holding my Pari nebulizer up to my nose when administering Cayston (aztreonam for inhalation solution) and colistin, both inhaled antibiotics. Again, it made sense to expose the entire respiratory tract.

Now that my immune system is suppressed since a double-lung transplant, I’m relieved that I don’t have significant sinus issues that could affect my new lungs.

I can’t be certain if inhaling my nebulizer treatments through my nose has helped ward off germs in my nasal sinuses. I also have two rare CF gene mutations and have always wondered if that’s why I haven’t dealt with much sinus involvement.

It may just be a simple coincidence. But while mouthpieces are recommended for some medications and nebulizer systems, I believe it’s worth discussing with your physician whether a mask would be an option for you. I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.

Note: Cystic Fibrosis News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Cystic Fibrosis News Today or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to cystic fibrosis.