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Monthly Archives: January 2017

What’s Your CPAP Number?

You may have seen a commercial for a national brand of beds that asks people what their “sleep number” is. Did you know that the same question can also be applied to CPAP machines?

If you’re a veteran user of CPAP machines, than you’re probably already familiar with the term “pressure settings.” For those who are just starting on their sleep apnea therapy journey, you may be mystified by such terminology. CPAP Central would like to clear up any confusion and help you understand what it means to have a “CPAP number.”

CPAP machines blow air through a hose into your nose and/or mouth to open up your airway and prevent the blockages that cause your snoring and gasping for air. The pressure of the air is set at a certain amount, measured in centimeters of water (cmH2O) to keep your airway clear.

This number is determined during your sleep study. As you sleep, the sleep technician increases the pressure incrementally through the night to see how much pressure it takes to fix the blockage in your airway. For most patients, this number ranges between 6 and 14 cmH2O, but those with severe sleep apnea may need up to 25-30 cmH2O.

CPAP machines are set at an optimum level and deliver that same amount of pressure throughout the night. On the other hand, BiPAP machines use two different pressures. The pressure is higher as you inhale (inspiratory positive airway pressure) than when you exhale (expiratory positive airway pressure).

APAP machines automatically tune to the correct pressure setting to keep the airway open on a breath by breath basis. This is regulated by sensors that measure resistance to the air being pumped into the airway.

Your doctor or respiratory therapist should be able to assist you if you’re not comfortable with the amount of pressure you use each night. If you’re new to sleep apnea therapy, you can turn to CPAP Central for help. We’re available for live chat Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. EST, and can guide you to the right equipment. Our online catalog contains everything you need to get the best rest possible.

Sleep Apnea: A Pregnancy Risk for Women

Because men are twice as likely to develop obstructive sleep apnea as women, it’s often thought of as a “male disease.” While most risk factors for the disease apply to men, research is showing that more and more women are also at risk for the sleep disorder. In fact, an exclusively female condition can often cause sleep apnea symptoms—and that condition is pregnancy.

 

Unfortunately, suffering from sleep apnea during pregnancy can have dangerous effects on both mother and child.

 

For pregnant women, sleep apnea can be the caused by the many hormonal changes in the female body during pregnancy, as well as the weight gain associated with pregnancy. The resulting periods of no breathing during the night create a lack of oxygen, putting the female mind into “fight or flight” mode.

 

The body then pumps out massive amounts of adrenaline and cortisol, leading to blood pressure increases (possible preeclampsia) as well as immense glucose production, heightening the risk of diabetes. There is greater risk for women who are already heavy before pregnancy and become obese through weight gain.

 

A study by the University of South Florida found that newborns whose mothers are diagnosed with sleep apnea are far more likely to wind up in the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit), most commonly from respiratory distress. This was thought to be because of the increase in C-section births from mothers with sleep apnea.

 

While sleep apnea symptoms can develop during pregnancy, they can also go away after the birth occurs because the hormones become balanced again and the baby weight comes off.

 

As a CPAP equipment provider, CPAP Central encourages pregnant mothers and their partners to know the signs of sleep apnea so that the right steps can be taken for treatment. This can help ensure better health for you and your child.

3 Ways to Combat CPAP Winter Blues

Using a CPAP machine during the winter can be downright miserable at times. The dry air can make you wake up with an itchy throat and irritated nasal passageways. The chill can have the opposite effect, giving you a runny nose or making you feel stuffed-up. Then there’s the upper-respiratory infections that seem to be everywhere this time of year.

CPAP Central is here to help. Today, we would like to offer you three ways you can combat the CPAP winter blues:

  • Humidity is your friend

 

While humidity can be associated with negative things such as mold and damaged household goods, in the winter time it can be a CPAP user’s best friend. It can eliminate those sore throats and dry noses that you experience during the dead of winter. If your CPAP machine doesn’t come with a humidifier, chances are you’ll be able to add one to it.

  • Heat the air up.

 

This is also where humidity can come into play. When the air is cold, your nose will do its best to warm it up before it enters your lungs. This means more blood will go to your nasal passages, since the blood makes things warmer. Unfortunately, additional blood will also encourage mucus production, leaving you stuffed-up.

A heated humidifier combats this by making sure the air coming in from your CPAP machine is already warm by the time it hits your nose. Sometimes, though, the air becomes cooled again as it travels up your tube, causing a rainout effect. Heated tubing will mitigate this.

  • Don’t stop using your CPAP machine if you’re sick.

 

We know it can be miserable to use your CPAP machine when you’re sick, but you can actually prolong your illness if you stop. Your body needs rest to fight infections, and if your sleep is interrupted by OSA, you’re not going to get adequate sleep. You can also agitate some symptoms further by not using your CPAP machine.

At CPAP Central, we want your sleep apnea therapy to be as pleasant as possible. Stop by our online catalog today to see our full line of humidifiers, heated tubes and CPAP comfort items.

The 5 Cs of CPAP Therapy Success

With the New Year fully underway, CPAP Central wants you to make a commitment to be more compliant with your sleep apnea therapy. Since this is one of the top things CPAP users struggle with, we thought we would help you by breaking it down into the five Cs of CPAP success:

  1. Communication. To be successful with CPAP therapy, constant communication is necessary with your doctor and CPAP Central. Having a problem with your machine or supplies? Never hesitate to get in contact with us. We are available by live chat on our website Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., EST. It is our goal to provide you top notch products and service.
  2. Cleaning. A CPAP machine and supplies cannot always function properly if they are not clean. That’s why we have a wide variety of cleaning products in our online catalog. One of the must-haves to keep your sleep apnea therapy in tip-top shape is the SoClean by Better Rest Solutions. It uses atomized air to automatically clean all your equipment for you.
  3. Consistency. The best way to get used to your CPAP equipment is to use it on a regular basis. The saying goes that it takes 21 days to form a habit and 90 days to form a lifestyle. By consistently using your sleep apnea therapy equipment, it will eventually become an indispensable part of your life.
  4. Comfort. We understand that you are less likely to use your sleep therapy device if it is uncomfortable. CPAP Central wants you to have the utmost comfort while sleeping with your CPAP therapy, so if your CPAP mask doesn’t fit well, let us know so we can replace it. We also carry a number of items in our online catalog that can help your CPAP experience become much more enjoyable.
  5. Connect. Connecting with others can make your CPAP therapy less stressful. Seek support and advice from others in the sleep apnea community. You may learn something about CPAP therapy that you never knew before.

 

CPAP Central wishes you well in 2017 and we want you to be successful with your CPAP therapy. By following these five steps, you’ll put yourself on the track to better sleep and better health.