Is It Time for Patients to Rekindle Their Relationship with their CPAP?

CPAP therapy is challenging. Not only is it unattractive, but the mask and hoses are inconvenient and get in the way. Patients also wonder if they really work. Doctors state that about 50 percent of all patients diagnosed with sleep apnea and prescribed CPAP therapy will stop using the treatment.

Trying to find the best way to use a CPAP machine causes intense stress. There are three components to CPAP therapy, including the device, a heated humidifier, and CPA mask. No set combination will work best; all three components must be tested and tried through trial and error.

The primary device has optional features customized for every patient. A heated humidifier promises comfort, but it is challenging to find the optimal temperature setting. Mask choice is perplexing. You will need assistance from your CPAP supplier, and it may take trial and error to see what mask works best for you. After you find the proper combination, you must find the stamina to use the machine.

What is sleep apnea?

It's more than just snoring, snorting, or grunting when you sleep. Sleep apnea is a potentially dangerous sleep disorder that happens when your breathing is sporadic while you sleep. You usually don’t know your breathing is interrupted, but if left untreated you can potentially stop breathing many times throughout the night. Your entire body, plus your brain, does not have enough oxygen when these interruptions ensue.

Medical science describes two different types of sleep apnea. One is obstructive sleep apnea or OSA, which is caused by a blockage in the airway. OSA is triggered by the soft tissues in the back of the throat collapsing during sleep. The second type is central sleep apnea, or the brain fails to signal the muscles to breathe.

There are treatments for this potentially fatal disorder. Diagnosing is difficult, but if you are worried that you or your loved one is suffering from sleep apnea, contact your medical professional for a sleep test.

Watch for these symptoms of sleep apnea:

• Loud snoring is the most common symptom concerning sleep apnea. Still, it can be difficult to determine if snoring is an annoying habit or a potentially dangerous sleep condition.
• Interrupted breathing or stopping breathing when sleeping. Patients appear to stop breathing throughout the night and then gulp and make gasping noises when trying to catch their breath.
• Feeling tired all day. Exhaustion is common when you are overly tired because you have not received proper sleep and your sleep is interrupted all night.
• Insomnia is the inability to fall asleep and stay asleep. Everyone experiences a sleepless night or two, but when every night is difficult, you have a sleep condition that needs treatment.
• Moodiness and depression are symptoms of sleep apnea. When you can’t sleep you are irritable, can’t concentrate, and experience forgetfulness and confusion; these are symptoms of sleep apnea.

Read on to learn more about the importance of the CPAP machine and why it is critical for your health.