A CPAP machine is used to administer continuous positive airway pressure therapy. Thus, CPAP stands for continuous positive airway pressure. The idea behind the machine and the therapy is the air pressure in your throat is increased, thus helping it to stay open and unobstructed when breathing in. This can lead to reduced snoring issues, as well as reduced complications from obstructive sleep apnea.
There are a couple parts which make up the CPAP machine. First is the main unit, which does all the work. Second is a hose which is attached to a third part, a mask. There are actually several types of masks, as well as a few different unit styles.
Buy cpap machine, there is the kind which covers both your nose and mouth, which looks similar to a surgeon’s mask. There is also another kind which just covers your nose, which is actually the most common. It’s called a nasal continuous positive airway pressure mask, or NCPAP. Lastly, there is a style which has two prongs which go into your nose.
The machines have changed over the years, and can lean toward being quite bulky. In recent years, however, some have been developed which are not only smaller, but are also portable and can be used while traveling, such as on a plane or a bus.
Why Use a CPAP Machine?
If you find yourself tired throughout the day, even though you got a full night’s rest, or if you are told you’re snoring often, you may be suffering from obstructive sleep apnea. This is a condition which occurs when something blocks air from getting to your lungs as you sleep.
When this happens, the rest of your body has to work harder to compensate. The chest and diaphragm need to work extra hard to pull in air as they have to do it with enough force to get past the blockage. Not using a CPAP machine can severely limit your ability to breathe easily while you sleep.
What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea?
As mentioned before, obstructive sleep apnea is a condition in which your breathing passage is partially or completely obstructed while you sleep. In fact, you may not even know you’re suffering from it if you sleep alone.
What typically happens when sleep apnea kicks in is you will basically stop breathing. As your body struggles to get air in, you will loudly gasp as you are awoken just enough to inhale. You probably won’t even notice this has happened, but somebody sleeping near you might.
Fortunately, there are symptoms which can alert you to your condition. Low energy throughout the day is one symptom, as is trouble concentrating, forgetfulness, depression or irritability. If you wake up with dry mouth or a sore throat, or have a headache upon waking, that could be another sign.
You can also throw in snoring, night sweats, restless sleep and trouble getting out of bed in the morning. If you have any combination of these, it could be in your best interest to have a test done to determine whether or not your issue is obstructive sleep apnea.