Monthly Archives: August 2015

Finding Happiness with CPAP Therapy

It takes some adjustment to get used to CPAP therapy, but these tips can help you find happiness with your therapy.

Whether you’re new to CPAP therapy or someone who has used it to treat sleep apnea for years, there are steps are you can take to help make your therapy as effective as possible. In observance of August as Happiness Happens Month, CPAPCentral.com wants to offer you tips to make sure you are as happy as you can be with your CPAP therapy.

Getting Used to Your CPAP Equipment

Let’s face it, it’s going to take some time for you to adjust to CPAP therapy. In a very short period of time, you will go from the way you’ve slept your whole life to sleeping with a mask on your face and air being pushed through your airway. Give yourself some time to get used to the changes. You can start by wearing your mask while you’re awake and for short periods of time during naps. As for the air pressure, many CPAP machines are fitted with ramp-up features that allow you to fall asleep at a lower pressure before increasing to your prescribed pressure once asleep.

Keep Your CPAP Equipment in Top Shape

You use your CPAP equipment every night, which means that you need to make sure you are taking care of the equipment so it can last as long as it is supposed to. The best way to do this is to develop a regular schedule for cleaning and maintaining your equipment. Some chores need to be done daily, some weekly, and others bi-monthly.

Consider Comfort Supplies

While your mask, humidifier, and CPAP machine are all you need in order to receive your therapy, you may need more than this to truly be happy with your CPAP. CPAP comfort supplies could be the solution you need. CPAP Pillows are specially designed with CPAP users in mind. Their unique shape improves mask comfort and leakage, and can make sleeping with CPAP tubing more comfortable. CPAP strap pads or liners may improve your therapy experience as well. Strap pads prevent your CPAP mask straps from leaving marks on your face and make wearing mask headgear more comfortable. Perhaps you find your CPAP comfortable, but have difficultly relaxing before falling asleep with your CPAP. An aromatherapy system may be what you need. CPAPCentral.com carries the PUR-Sleep^TM line of aromatherapy products which are specially designed for use with CPAP. Many users find the scents to be relaxing and enjoyable. Spend some time researching CPAP comfort supplies. Talk with your friends, physician, or our CPAP experts at CPAPCentral.com. Trying a new CPAP comfort supply could take your CPAP therapy from good to great.

Replacing CPAP Equipment

After using your equipment every night for months, pieces of your equipment will need to be replaced. This will help ensure your CPAP therapy continues to be effective and that you’re not losing out on performance due to equipment that is past its useful life. If you have a schedule for replacing your equipment, you won’t have to worry about losing sleep due to ineffective equipment.

CPAPCentral.com carries a full line of CPAP machines, CPAP masks, and other CPAP equipment. Contact us to learn more about how we can help you treat your sleep apnea and sleep better.

CPAP Therapy vs. BiPAP Therapy

CPAP machines and BiPAP machines both help treat sleep apnea, but in their own way.

When it comes to treating sleep apnea, using Positive Airway Pressure, also known as PAP therapy, is the most common form of treatment. PAP therapy can be very effective when used correctly as prescribed by your doctor.

When it comes to PAP therapy, different options are available to you. The two most common forms of PAP therapy are Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) therapy and Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure (BiPAP) therapy. CPAPCentral.com wants you to understand the difference between both of these therapies.

CPAP Therapy

As the continuous portion of its name implies, CPAP therapy involves the continual flow of air through your airway using a pressure prescribed to you by your doctor. This form of therapy is commonly used to treat obstructive sleep apnea, as the air pressure helps prevent your airway from collapsing, which leads to a stoppage of breathing, or an apnea event. And while one pressure setting is set for the entire night, a lot of CPAP machines have ramp features, which allow you to fall asleep at a lower pressure setting before the machine automatically increases the pressure to your prescribed therapy level.

BiPAP Therapy

While less common than CPAP therapy, BiPAP therapy presents an alternative for sleep apnea patients. Unlike CPAP therapy, where only one pressure level can be set and the pressure remains the same for when you inhale and exhale, BiPAP machines have two pressure settings. Typically, there is a higher pressure setting for when you inhale and a lower pressure for when you exhale. This may make BiPAP machines a better option for patients who have a higher prescribed pressure, because they won’t have to work as hard to exhale.

If you are unsure which therapy is best for treating your sleep apnea, speak with your physician. They can help you understand your unique therapy needs and will prescribe what is best for you.

CPAPCentral.com carries a full line of CPAP machines and BiPAP machines. If you are having trouble adjusting to your sleep apnea therapy, consult your doctor and contact us if you need to make adjustments to your equipment.

Surgery and Sleep Apnea

Be sure to tell you doctor if you have sleep apnea before any surgical procedure involving general anesthesia.

There are millions of people out there that live with a form of sleep apnea. With proper diagnosis and treatment, most commonly with CPAP equipment, those individuals can find relief and manage the symptoms of sleep apnea quite effectively.

However, at some point in our life, most of us will go through a form of surgery that will require us to go under general anesthesia. For the millions of people with sleep apnea, there are potential risks beyond the scope of the surgery. CPAPCentral.com wants to make sure you’re prepared for your surgery and that your sleep apnea doesn’t lead to unnecessary complications.

Tell Your Doctor About Any Sleeping Issues

Your doctor has your best interest at heart, so it’s essential that they have as much information about your health as they possibly can. If you believe you may be experiencing sleep apnea, even if you haven’t been diagnosed, you need to inform your doctor of any symptoms you are experiencing. If you’re regularly tired during the day, wake up suddenly at night feeling short of breath, or snore regularly, you could have sleep apnea, and your doctor needs to know about it.

Pre-Operation and Operation Procedures

Your anesthesiologist will help make sure your surgery goes smoothly. You will be given a pre-operation assessment and examination. During the surgery, your anesthesiologist will monitor your airway to ensure you’re breathing properly and that the sedatives are not affecting the muscles of your airway.

Post-Operation Procedures

Patients with sleep apnea need special monitoring after surgery because the effects of the sedatives can have an impact on your airway for several hours after the last dosage is administered. In many cases, you may be intubated, where a tube is submitted into your airway until you are completely awake following surgery. Because of this, patients with sleep apnea often aren’t a good candidate for same-day, or outpatient, surgeries.

Once you are back at home, try to get back into a normal sleeping routine. For those with sleep apnea, that means using your CPAP machine, mask and other supplies. If you need more CPAP equipment, contact CPAPCentral.com to replenish your supplies.