Are Sleep Apnea Machines Safe to Use

Health and Wellness » Sleep Apnea Care in India » Are Sleep Apnea Machines Safe to Use

Sleep apnea is a serious type of disease. It does not lead to death, but is responsible for causing pre mature death. There are various types of treatments given to cure sleep apnea, depending on the severity of the sleep disorder. For the milder ones, the disorder can be treated at home or by just taking the help of a doctor. For serious type of sleep apnea, surgery and many other machines are used to cure the disorder. It is always recommended to seek a doctor when you are diagnosed with apnea.

Patients suffering from sleep apnea are given a CPAP machine. CPAP is the continuous positive airway pressure machine. This machine helps the patient in inhaling and exhaling air slowly and then to get a sound sleep.

Sleep apnea has become a common disease. According to the National Institutes of Health, more than 12 million Americans suffer from sleep apnea. The people who are more likely to get sleep apnea are the men over forty and those who are overweight. However, it is not necessary that only such people will get sleep apnea. Even small children and women can get sleep apnea. So if anytime your spouse or partner complains of your loud snoring or you are gasping for breath in the middle of the night, then it’s time for you to seek a doctor. Your doctor will suggest you to take the help of a CPAP machine to cure sleep apnea.

A CPAP machine works by blowing air at a particular pressure with the help of a tube. The tube is connected to the user through the nasal or mouth mask. This type of pressurized air is used to avoid the airway from collapsing upon it and which permits the user to get a good night sleep. It is safe to use the machine as it does not have any side effects and cures the user of sleep apnea, as using a mask while sleeping minimizes the chances of sleep apnea. While you are getting treated with the machine, check whether the machine is FDA approved. This machine is only available by prescription.

Types of Sleep Apnea Machines

There are three types of sleep apnea machines:

CPAP

This machine delivers air at a constant pressure and helps to get a sound sleep

Bi-Level

This is also known as VPAP in which the machine delivers different air pressure levels when you inhale or exhale.

Auto PAP

This is the newer model which features the air which is delivered automatically and also adjusts depending on the user’s breathing ways.

These equipments do not occupy more space and are handy. It is good to use these machines as they make you feel fresh when you wake up in morning. They will not make you feel sleepy at day time. This will keep you away from driving accidents which are mainly caused due to lack of sleep at night. Apart from this, you will improve your memory and you will have a better mood than before.

There are certain drawbacks of using the apnea machines. These drawbacks are minor and are usually observed when one is new to the machine. You might feel a nasal congestion or a runny nose while waking up early morning. You might also feel that your eyes and mouth are dried up.

Few people might feel facial skin irritation and headache. In few cases, a slight chest muscle discomfort is observed. These small issues can be treated by choosing a right mask and by treating the discomfort by a skin moisturizer, nasal spray or an eye drop. Do consult your doctor to adjust the air pressure which will be delivered while you sleep.