Tips for keeping nasal cannula in place while sleeping
Good day
I've been instructed by my Pulmonologist that I need to use oxygen at night. I have a concentrator on the main floor and when they set it up they gave me 2 50' tubing packages so I can have one i connect to the concentrator for use on the main floor and one i can connect to the concentrator for use upstairs. My husband ran the tubing up the wall over our bathroom door that is right under the landing upstairs. He ran the tubing between the rails on the upper landing that leads directly to the bedroom so I don't have to manage the tubing going up and down the stairs. It works perfect but I have 2 concerns that perhaps those if you who have experience can assist me with as this is all new to me.
When wearing the cannula at night
1. Because the tubing runs under our bed to my side, I feel it tugs downward when wearing - tips on what can be used to elevate the tubing higher by the side of the bed
2. How can you keep the cannula in place (I toss and turn ALOT 😄) Any useful product (headbands etc) that you can recommend to ensure it doesn't come off the nasal?
Appreciate any help.
Hi
and welcome!! It sounds (to me), like your husband has been pretty ingenious running the tubing for your ease of use and access. This shows quite a bit of 'do-it-yourself' capabilities!! Nicely done!!
I hear you about the tubing feeling like it is 'tugging' a bit downwards as it runs under the bed to your side of the bed. I would suggest running the tubing a bit further (to the head of the bed) and, if you have a bed post or headboard of some kind, perhaps the tubing can be draped or positioned at the bed post/headboard, so that it approaches your facial area and, ultimately your nose, from above. If you do not have a bedpost or headboard, you may be able to install a hook or bracket that attaches to the wall (where the bed post/headboard would be), to accomplish the same goal - approaching you from above. Do you think this might work?
As for the concern about securing the cannula to the face (since you toss and turn a lot!!), there are various remedies for this but are dependent on what works best for YOU as an individual. In the hospital setting, we run the cannula (as designed) over the patient's ears. Then, instead of running the tubing below the chin, we run it behind the patient's head and secure it with the adjusting slide in that location. This works for some patients, but not for all patients. If this isn't suitable for you, you may want to try "Hy-Tape", sometimes referred to as 'pink tape' or its equivalent. I have had good success using this type of product with patients who have difficulty keeping the cannula in place while sleeping. If neither of these work, I may be able to come up with additional suggestions.
I do hope this brief reply has been helpful for you. Please do check back and let us know how this all works out for you!
Good luck!!
Leon L (author/moderator)thank you for responding! We don't have a headboard but your suggestion of a hook is greatly appreciated. I will put Hy-tape (pink tape) on my "things I might need or want" list and if I get additional responses from others on products or things that work for them I can research them all and decide what might be the best fit for me!
