Continuous positive airway pressure treatment, commonly known as cpap, is the most familiar treatment there is right now for sleep apnea. It consists of a mask or nose piece that is connected to a small machine which delivers a steady, constant stream of air pressure into the air ways. Cpap supplies can usually be found in medical supply stores, or even online. Stores that sell home medical equipment generally carry all cpap supplies in addition to home oxygen systems, and much more in the way of medical supplies that can be used at home to make individuals comfortable without having to be admitted to a hospital.
Many people have obstructive sleep apnea; in addition, there are many who have this condition who may not even be aware of it. Cpap supplies are used to assist patients in being able to breathe more easily while sleeping. The cpap machine actually works to increase air pressure in the individual’s throat, which prevents the air way from collapsing while they are asleep. Each of these machines will provide one of the following; either a mask that will entirely cover the mouth and nose; prongs that fit into the nostrils; or a mask that will only cover the nose. The last choice is the one that is typically used, and is referred to as nasal continuous positive airway pressure, or ncpap.
It will generally take patients a little time to adjust to whatever type of mask they wear and to the machine pumping air into their air way all night. When the adjustment has been made, however, people report not only sleeping better, but they also report less sleepiness during the day. People who are able to use the cpap treatment for up to seven hours a night will experience less heart problems, and less depression as well, than people who only use their machine for about five hours each night. The use of a cpap machine has also proven to reduce blood pressure, not only during its use at night, but during daytime hours as well.
Side effects that sometimes occur in patients using these cpap supplies are abdominal bloating, runny nose, sneezing and nasal congestion, excessive dreaming, but only during early use, sore throat and dry nose, and possible irritation of facial skin and eyes. There also may be some discomfort upon waking when the patient first begins using the cpap. It is suggested that, in cases where the discomfort does not dissipate after the first few days, the doctor should be consulted in order to rectify the situation. It is possible for individuals to experience nose bleeds; however, this is not a common occurrence.
Some actions that can be taken in order to relieve some possible side effects are a decongestant or nasal spray for a runny or congested nose; a humidifier to reduce dryness in the nose; if air is leaking around the mask, a new mask should be fitted to be sure there is no leakage; or,an adjustment of the cpap machine itself might be what is needed to relieve certain side effects. Adjustments can be done by the doctor or by a medical professional.
Occasionally the machine itself will need to be replaced with a different type that will better meet the needs of the patient. Most stores, even online, that sell cpap supplies will offer several different kinds of machines. One type of machine will start out slow, sending a light stream of pressure into the air ways. As the individual sleeps, the machine will slowly increase the pressure until the air flow is where it needs to be. This type of machine works well for people who do not handle well the constant flow of pressure.
Another type of machine will use two different streams of air flow pressure, one used upon inhaling, and another used upon exhaling. This is referred to as a bilevel positive air way pressure machine, or bipap. An auto-titrating continuous positive air way pressure machine, apap, is one that will automatically adjust the amount of pressure flow by increasing it or decreasing it, according to the needs of the individual. These various types of cpap machines are constructed to address the different requirements and comfort levels of each patient.