If you or a loved one suffers from sleep apnea, it may become necessary to use an oxygen concentrator in addition to a CPAP machine. A CPAP machine is used for obstructive sleep apnea or OSA. This condition is when the muscles in your throat cannot support their weight while you are sleeping. Often, a first sign would be a sleeping partner mentioning or complaining about your snoring, a common symptom of sleep apnea. It’s also extremely common for the patient to feel restless and run-down when they wake up; often being accompanied by headaches and other signs of not receiving enough oxygen at night.
A user recently asked this question: Which oxygen concentrator can be used with a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine? We thought it would be an excellent opportunity to answer this specific question but also expand on it a bit to address the overall subject of using oxygen with CPAP.
Let us begin by briefly exploring the need for a CPAP machine, then discuss why you might need to use oxygen with CPAP, and finally address the process of connecting an oxygen concentrator to your CPAP machine.
If you have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and use a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine at home, it is a challenge to continue your CPAP therapy while traveling. Many patients who use CPAP machines might be tempted to leave their devices at home and go without it during their trip. However, there can be serious complications associated with sleep apnea, and it is not recommended to discontinue your therapy, even if it is only for a few days.
If you need both an oxygen concentrator and a continuous positive airway pressure (or CPAP) machine, you might be wondering: What is the difference? While these therapies seem similar and sometimes treat the same disease, they are different in many ways.
In this brief blog post, we will discuss the main differences between an oxygen concentrator and a CPAP machine. We will also discuss some scenarios in which these therapeutic devices might overlap.
Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is a well-established therapy used to treat various diseases that disrupt sleep. Since 1981 when CPAP therapy was created, CPAP machines have allowed patients to sleep easier and avoid a host of potential complications related to untreated obstructive sleep apnea.
In this blog post, we will define CPAP, discuss who needs to use CPAP, cover some of the basics of using a CPAP machine, and much more. If you have recently been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, or know someone who has, this beginner’s guide is an excellent introduction into CPAP as a treatment option and how CPAP machines work.
Sleep apnea is a severe sleep disorder that, if left untreated, can lead to severe health problems. The word apnea means a cessation of breathing, so sleep apnea means that one stops breathing during sleep. Although your body will force a deep breath eventually, people with sleep apnea can go 10 seconds or more without breathing per episode, and these episodes can happen up to 100 times an hour.
In this article, we will discuss an overview of sleep apnea including symptoms, complications, and treatment strategies. However, consider these stats regarding sleep apnea:
Launched in April 2017, the Philips DreamStation Go is a positive airway pressure (PAP) device. It is one of the smallest available on the market and providing portability to those suffering from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
What Is a PAP Machine?
A PAP machine is different from an oxygen concentrator in that it provides pressurized air to a sleeping patient, not supplemental oxygen. When a patient has sleep apnea, he or she will stop breathing regularly during the night; this can be caused by a relaxation of the throat muscles (obstructive) or, less commonly, faulty signals from the brain that fails to instruct your body to breathe (central).
Many people have comfort and size issues when it comes to using a CPAP machine. Since sleeping with a mask on your face can feel very intrusive and bothersome, it takes time to find a mask that fits well and offers enough comfort to allow the patient to fall asleep.
Masks often get in the way or don't seal correctly against your face, which causes the CPAP machine not to do its job correctly. Some people even describe a feeling of claustrophobia when wearing a CPAP mask. Others have a hard time finding one that fits properly, and isn't too loose or too constricting.
One of the hardest things about starting to use a CPAP machine is getting used to falling asleep while wearing the CPAP mask. It's necessary for the patient to wear a mask, so they can be sure the correct amount of air is getting pushed through the airways at all times. The CPAP mask is designed to stay in place while still being as comfortable as possible.
Durable medical equipment technicians at medical equipment companies, as well as sleep specialists will be there to help you in every step of the way in choosing the right CPAP mask for you. Here are the seven most common problems that patients run into with CPAP masks, as well as the solutions that always work.
Sleep apnea is a disorder that many people have, which causes them to either abruptly stop breathing while they are sleeping, or take abnormally shallow breaths. It can be pretty mild in most people who have it, and most of the time it doesn't require any special treatment.
However, if it's starting to affect you in your waking life, you will need to look into getting treatment. The main way of treating moderate to severe sleep apnea is with a CPAP or BiPAP machine. These machines are used while you sleep, and function like an air pillow in your airways. Air pressure comes through a mask from the CPAP or BiPAP machine, to make sure your throat never closes while you sleep.