If these symptoms sound familiar, we encourage you to take our short quiz below to understand whether you may have sleep apnea.

APAP machines deliver a lower average air pressure compared to a fixed-level CPAP. This makes APAP devices helpful for people who find the constant pressure from a fixed-rate CPAP machine uncomfortable.

Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that leads to frequent pauses in breathing during sleep, potentially resulting in low oxygen levels, daytime tiredness and other health concerns, such as type 2 diabetes, heart attacks and strokes.

An auto-ramp feature also allows you to ease into your therapy with pressure that gradually builds to your prescribed levels. This can be set to increase pressure for up to 1 hour after turning on the machine. Another notable component is the built-in humidifier, which is heated to minimize condensation in your connective hose.

“Positional therapy encourages people to maintain a side-sleeping position, which helps prevent the relaxation of throat muscles and tongue that can block the airway and lead to sleep apnea events,” Silver said.

This device stimulates the hypoglossal nerve that causes the tongue to move forward in the mouth and expand the airway. A remote control is used to turn on the device at bedtime.

and keep the jaw in a position that prevents it from blocking the upper airway. These devices are silent, easy to use, and less expensive than CPAP machines. However, mandibular advancement devices work best for people who have mild OSA or those who experience OSA only when sleeping on their back.

or website experience dry mouth, red or itchy eyes, and a dry, stuffy, or runny nose. CPAP users and their sleeping partners may also be affected by noise caused by mask leaks. All of these side effects impact adherence, or how often a person uses their CPAP machine.

CPAP therapy is considered the standard treatment for OSA, but the most effective treatment is one a person diagnosed with sleep apnea is willing to use. “Any alternative is better than not following through with CPAP, which is, unfortunately, a very common scenario for many [people] that have been diagnosed with OSA,” says Paul Schalch Lepe, M.

This activity describes the mechanism of action, indications, contraindications, and complications of CPAP therapy and explains the role of the interprofessional team in managing patients with hypoxia that can benefit from CPAP therapy.

Some issues—including mask leaks, incorrect air pressure, and mask discomfort—can have relatively simple solutions. Open communication with your physician could be the difference between feeling better sooner rather than later.

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Based on your unique breathing patterns, the Inspire system delivers mild stimulation to the hypoglossal nerve, which controls the movement of your tongue and other key airway muscles.

Make sure you have your machine checked regularly by an expert from the company that makes the device.