CPAP Accessories

Choosing CPAP or BiPAP: Here Are the Facts!!

When sleep apnea rears its ugly head there can be some serious health concerns that can negatively affect your quality of life. Not to mention being potentially hazardous!! The value of a good night’s sleep is often greatly underrated. Interruption of your nightly sleep can have long-lasting effects throughout the day. In order to combat sleep apnea, the use of a CPAP/BiPAP machine may be your greatest ally, but which one is ideally suited for you? Here is some help.

What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

So what is the big deal about this sleep disorder? Obstructive sleep apnea is a condition in which there are pauses or interruptions in breathing of 10 seconds or more during sleep. It is characterized by loud snoring, abrupt waking (accompanied by gasping or choking), daytime drowsiness, dry mouth or sore throat, and observed periods of breathing cessation during sleep. As you can imagine, this sleep disorder can wreak havoc on your next day’s productivity.

How to treat Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

Approximately 1 in 15 Americans suffer from obstructive sleep apnea. This constitutes 6.62% of our population. Many individuals can be affected as often as every thirty seconds with an episode of obstructive sleep apnea. It cannot only affect the patient but their sleep partner equally since they too can have interrupted sleep. The common treatment for obstructive sleep apnea is to apply air pressure in the back of the throat in order to keep the airway open. By gently applying pressure to this area, the obstruction usually caused by the palette or tongue area falling to the back of the throat can remain open and allow for normal breathing during sleep. There are several causes of obstructive sleep and they can include being overweight, enlarged tonsils/adenoids, excessive alcohol consumption, and smoking. By applying gentle pressure through a CPAP/BiPAP machine, this can lead to a more restful sleep and a possible elimination of potentially dangerous health effects down the road.

How to choose between CPAP and BiPAP?

The two main pieces of medical equipment used to combat obstructive sleep apnea are CPAP and BiPAP machines. They both work by applying gentle pressure to the obstructed area, but they do it in considerably different ways. The main differences are:

What is CPAP?

This acronym stands for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure and delivers a constant pressure through a tube to a mask that covers the mouth or nose. This pressure is set by your physician and should not be altered unless ordered to. Look to the DeVilbiss InteliPAP 2 AutoAdjust Auto CPAP Machine for simple, easy CPAP therapy for restful sleep.

What is BiPAP?

This is a machine that also applies pressure and stands for Bi-level Positive Airway Pressure. The bi-level refers to an inhalation pressure and an exhalation pressure. BiPAP is a trademark of Respironics. For those with breathing restrictions, BiPAP makes exhalation easier (which is good for those who need a higher inspiratory pressure). Users should try the DreamStation BiPAP Pro Machine with Humidifier to benefit from BiPAP therapy.

Whether a CPAP machine or a BiPAP machine is right for you, the accessories for both are the same. The mask, tubing, and any other piece of equipment are more or less interchangeable between the two machines.

So, which machine is better? This is not a simple question, but BiPAP is sometimes used when CPAP is not tolerated by the patient. Also, BiPAP can be used in patients with lung issues such as COPD, plus the use of two separate pressures helps reduce CO2 gas from the body.

How to keep CPAP Machine Clean?

When using a CPAP machine you could encounter bacteria and other contaminants in your mask or tubing, even if you hand wash and dry your equipment. This can lead to sinus infections and other nasty problems down the road. The best way to keep your CPAP machine and equipment functioning efficiently and properly is with the SoClean 2 CPAP Cleaner and Sanitizer. This simple, easy to use sanitizer can clean, disinfect, and sanitize your CPAP mask, tubing, and reservoir without disassembling everything every day. Talk about convenient!! If you are developing sinus infections and other issues, the efficacy of each treatment is diminished. This sanitizer can destroy up to 99.9% of CPAP germs, bacteria, and other pathogens giving the user peace of mind. Also, the SoClean 2 is compatible with most CPAP machines.

Therapy for obstructive sleep apnea can greatly improve your quality of life and head off potential health issues that can seriously affect your everyday well-being. Choose correctly and sleep better!!

 

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