CPAP - the Best Choice for Sleep Apnea Patients
Sleep apnea is a term that is being used quite commonly these days. A number of children and adults are suffering from sleep apnea. What is sleep apnea?Sleep apnea is a medical condition where the breathing of an individual reduces by almost 25%of the normal breathing and at times even stops completely for a period of ten seconds, sometimes even more. Sleep apnea is a brief interruption of breath during sleep. This is a disorder that causesa person to temporarily stop breathing while he or she sleeps. Sleep apnea is a serious, life-threatening breathing disorder characterized by repeated arrest of breathing due to either collapse of the upper airway during sleep or absence of respiratory effort. Sleep apnea can causehigh blood pressure. Sleep apnea is often caused by abnormal positioning of the jaw or tongue and can be controlled by using CPAP.
CPAPrefers to Continuous Positive Airway Pressure used primarily for the treatment of sleep apnea. CPAPis used to deliver air to splint the airway & prevents its collapse when they sleep. CPAPmask is used as an interface and it varies based on three different configurations. They are;
- CPAPnasal pillow mask - CPAPnasal mask - CPAPfull-face mask.
All the three types serve the same purpose and one is not necessarily better than the other. They come in different size. The choice is with the patients to choose the best type that fits well and comfortable depending on their facial feature. CPAPnasal pillow mask is the smallest of all three types. New sleep apnea patients prefer this type becausethis looks less enclosing. This CPAPmasks are made of silicon materials which are soft and comfort to the users. TheseCPAPnasal pillows are directly placed on the nostrils and they do not causeany skin irritation.
CPAPnasal mask does not fit the one who breaths using their mouth. Nasal masks are more effective at delivering air pressure to the upper airways. The main benefits of the CPAPnasal masks are that they can be easily put on and easily removed. CPAPfull-face mask covers the nose & mouth of the patient if they are oral breathers. Many apnea patients prefer nasal masks to full-face masks becausethey are less confining and more comfortable. Those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder or other breathing disorders may also use a CPAPmask at night.
After one night of sleep with CPAP, patients can feel their improved quality of sleep. CPAPmasks help eliminate the often loud snoring that accompanies sleep apnea. Doctors may also prescribe CPAPfor patients with heart failure or coronary artery diseaseif it is due to poor quality of sleep and after a Polysomnography test is done. The author has written many articles on the topic CPAPmasks.