You settle in for the night with your CPAP mask on, and set the pressure to exactly what feels right on your throat. But as you start to drift off, your ears suddenly start popping. It gets so bad that you can’t sleep and end up turning off your CPAP machine—only to wake up exhausted because you were constantly waking up from sleep apnea.

This phenomenon is certainly not unheard-of for sleep apnea patients. Here’s a few things that might be causing popping ears—and what you can do about them:

Swallowing Air

Known as “aerophagia,” this is when the air from your CPAP machine goes into your stomach instead of your lungs. Whenever you swallow, the pressure between your middle nose and ear become equal. However, if you have an external change in pressure, this can cause your ears to pop if you swallow. Think about what it’s like when you swallow on an airplane or elevator—your ears pop. The same is true with a CPAP machine—you have external pressure, plus the change in internal pressure from swallowing. Those two things combined can cause your ears to pop.

So, what can I do?

Sometimes, all it takes is adjusting the pressure on your CPAP machine. Other times, you might want to try a different CPAP mask—or making sure the one you have fits you correctly. Chin straps can also help alleviate this affect.

GERD

GERD, or Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease, causes a band of muscles at the end of your esophagus to not close properly, allowing some of your stomach contents to leak in your stomach or throat. Using CPAP can exacerbate GERD, especially if you have aerophagia on top of that. As the air enters the stomach, it can cause some of the stomach contents to come back up, causing your ears to pop.

So, what can I do?

Sleeping at an angle can help prevent some stomach contents to from coming back up. Eating light suppers or not eating several hours before bedtime is another fix. Wearing a full-faced CPAP mask can also cause you to swallow a lot of air, so switching to a nasal mask or nasal pillows can help. Finally, switching from a CPAP machine to a BiPAP machine can address the issue of GERD.

At CPAP Central, we want to help everyone remain CPAP compliant. If you’re wanting to change some of your equipment to see if it addresses popping ears, stop by our online catalog. We have everything you need to get a good night’s sleep.

Most Americans are familiar with the tradition of going around the table and saying one thing they’re grateful for at Thanksgiving. At CPAP Central, we’re grateful that there are devices out there that can treat sleep apnea. Here’s a few of our favorites:

Travel CPAP Machines

It’s the holidays, which means you may be packing your bags to go visit far-flung relatives. Luckily for the CPAP user, they make travel CPAP machines, so you don’t have to spend your vacation feeling exhausted from lack of sleep the night before. Travel CPAP machines are small and light enough for you to pack in a carry-on bag, but they pack all the punch of a regular CPAP machine.

The Dreamstation by Phillips Respironics

This one is a favorite among our customers, and no wonder! It’s super quiet, easy to use and its ramp feature makes beginner CPAP users acclimate quickly. The Dreamstation is small enough to take on trips, so you don’t have to get a separate travel CPAP machine. Finally, it’s one of the nicer-looking CPAP machines, with its appearance more akin to an iPod docking station or bedside radio.

Full-faced CPAP masks

Many CPAP users become frustrated with full-faced CPAP masks because they block their line of sight and in general look unflattering. However, the Mirage Liberty by ResMed actually allows the user to have a clear line of sight while still giving them all the benefits of a full-faced mask. Another reason we love full-faced CPAP masks is because they work really well for those of us who breathe with our mouths open at night—and for those of us who don’t enjoy putting things directly in our nasal passages.

Whether you’re traveling to see family this holiday or are hosting your own gathering, CPAP Central wants to remind you of the benefits of staying CPAP compliant. You’ll be less cranky around your relatives because you’ll have more sleep, and no one can tease you about snoring like a chainsaw at night! More importantly, it can help extend your lifespan, which means you will be able to enjoy many more holidays with your loved ones.

It’s the holidays, which means there’s an abundance of decadent treats everywhere you turn. However, CPAP Central would like to urge everyone to partake in moderation. November marks Diabetes Awareness Month, and we would like everyone to know how Type 2 diabetes is connected to sleep apnea.

 

Over twenty five million children and adults in the United States have diabetes. An additional 79 million have pre-diabetes. Sleep apnea effects about 1 in every 15 adults in the United States today.  These two very different diseases share a connection, as untreated sleep apnea raises your risk for getting Type 2 diabetes.

 

Being overweight can increase your risk factors for both sleep apnea and Type 2 diabetes. Having sleep apnea alone can worsen your glycemic control, which can lead to diabetes. These disease also both put you at a greater risk for other health complications such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and eye disease.

Signs you may have sleep apnea include waking up with a dry mouth or sore throat, headaches, restless sleep, nighttime awakenings, waking up feeling out of breath and difficulty concentrating.

Diabetes symptoms include extreme hunger and thirst, frequent infections, and frequent urination.  Please note that you can have either of these two illnesses without having to have the other.

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms or especially these symptoms in tandem, don’t wait to talk to your doctor. Blood tests can diagnose the diabetes or pre-diabetes and a sleep study can diagnose your sleep apnea.

Losing weight and managing your weight can greatly improve the symptoms for both diabetes and sleep apnea.  A balanced diet and regular exercise can help you lose weight and improve your overall health which will benefit both disorders.

 

If you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea, see CPAP Central today. We have everything you need to manage your sleep apnea, which in turn can lead to better sleep, better health and a decreased risk of Type 2 diabetes.

 

Whether you call it “No Shave November” or just “Movember,” chances are you and your co-workers or buddies are sporting more facial hair than usual. While this phenomenon started off as a fun competition among the guys, some people have seen it as an opportunity to bring attention to the top health concerns for men:

Heart Disease

This is the leading cause of death for men in the United States, according to the CDC. Bad diet, lack of exercise and smoking are often the culprits. But did you know that sleep apnea also contributes to heart disease? Because you repeatedly stop breathing throughout the night, your blood and heart aren’t getting the oxygen they need to function healthfully. Lack of sleep can also lead to weight gain, which is also hard on your heart.

Cancer

Coming in at the second-highest killer of men, cancer accounts for 23.5 percent of male deaths each year. Once again, sleep apnea can be tied to this cause of death. Those with sleep apnea are 4.8 times more likely to develop malignant tumors than those who do not have the condition. This is because consistent lack of air at night triggers a number of mechanisms in the body, one of which encourages cancer growth.

Unintentional Injuries

Men are far more prone than women to die from unintentional injuries. Many of these are due to on-the-job mistakes and accidents. Insufficient sleep at night can contribute to workplace injuries. If you find yourself dealing with excessive daytime drowsiness that’s impacting your effectiveness at your job, you might have sleep apnea. For those who work in dangerous lines of work, it’s especially important to address this condition right away, before a deadly accident occurs.

 

As we’ve seen from the examples above, three of the top causes of death for men in the United States can be tied back to sleep apnea. If you think you may have this condition, see your doctor right away and arrange for a sleep test. Should the tests come back positive, CPAP Central can help you. We carry a full line of sleep apnea therapy products, including BiPAP Machines, CPAP Machines and CPAP supplies.