Hearing loss with cpap

I am having a hell of a time with CPAP I have been almost 100% compliant for over a year but often I can not hear after a night of CPAP tx. Bloating and feeling like a human balloon every morning sucks ass. I cant get any relife since most doctors have no idea how to treat the loss of hearing other than DC the cpap. I tried to DC it but I wake up dazed and in a haze from the lack of oxygen. I am frustrated and annoyed. My pressure is at 18 if I go below this Cpap is ineffective. No idea what to do at this point but it is affecting my job as a teacher.

It is interesting that you should post about the link of hearing loss to CPAP use. We just got back from a hot south vacation where we had the AC running all the time. At home our bedroom is very quiet, but at the resort the AC was quite noisy in comparison. But, the interesting part was that when I woke up in the night, and was trying to get back to sleep, I noticed that as I was breathing the AC noise would stop and start. And, it was not the AC stopping and starting, it was my hearing cutting in and out. So, after that experience I have no trouble believing that CPAP treatment could affect hearing at least temporarily. I have noticed for some time now that about an hour after I get up, I get kind of a dizzy feeling. I think it must have something to do with a pressure equalization issue in my ears. The temporary hearing loss may be another symptom of the same issue. I don't really have a solution, other than it may have something to do with nasal congestion and sinus issues. It may be worthwhile seeing a ear, nose, and throat specialist to see if there is a treatment. Your other issue seems to be swallowing air. The common solutions are using EPR or Flex, and if possible getting pressure lower. But, it appears you have already tried the lower pressure.

Hi JaCraig,

I don't really know what I am talking about when it comes to CPAP details but 18 seems like a very high number.

When you say that dropping the pressure renders the treatment ineffective what do you mean?

I presume that at that pressure you are using a full face mask. If so have you tried using nasal pillows? In my experience they might enable you to drop the pressure and still get the desired results.

Anyways, I knows nothin" :)