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Posts Tagged ‘sleep apnea’

To diagnose or identify sleep related illnesses or problems, doctors will prescribe a sleep study, technically known as a polysomnography. The study is two part where the first night or half night is used for diagnosis and the second part is used for titration. This is where the technician will adjust the continuous positive airway pressure to a degree that the symptoms are significantly reduced.

Continuous positive airway pressure or CPAP for short is a form of treatment where a stream of air is blown through the airway to keep it from collapsing. The doctor determines the suitable pressure level from the results of the overnight test or titration. The latest CPAP machines are able to reduce the pressure as you breath out so that it is more comfortable to use and you are more likely to keep up with the treatment.

In a study of sleep apnea, you will be escorted to a bedroom. The room is well equipped with a comfortable bed, will be cool enough for you to sleep, and have clean sheets, pillows and blankets arranged according to your preferences sleeping.

The equipment that you are connected to is not painful in anyway. Most people have little trouble falling asleep while hooked up, as this is extreme tiredness is an overwhelming symptom of what brought them to the sleep study to begin with.

It is important to eliminate the periods where patients with sleep apnea stop breathing as this can lead to oxygen levels dropping critically low. The CPAP titration and sleep study analysis are all steps involved in arriving at this very important resolution.

Determining the right amount of pressure to be used for air pressure, called titration, is the most important factor in the CPAP treatment. It must be determined from studies of sleep in the laboratory. Sleep technicians can program the value of titration pressure in the machine and the machine will blow at that value of each night.

There is no shortage of varying models of CPAP machines to choose form. The mask that is worn with them comes in all sorts of shapes and sizes too. This is a very good thing, because of all the different shapes and sizes of patients’ faces. It can be quite a chore of trial and error to find the best combination, but if you stick with it, it is well worth the effort.

It is reported that many patients have had success in returning to a normal sleep during the first night, making CPAP the best choice to relieve obstructive sleep apnea. There can often be a very long waiting list to get into to a sleep study so you are well advised to talk to your doctor as soon as possible so that you can get your name on the list sooner than later.

CPAP therapy treats sleep apnea more effectively if you replace the cushions, pillows, filters and other CPAP supplies regularly. It is important to be informed of the huge advantages to replacing your CPAP supplies online. As long as you avoid certain costly and dangerous pitfalls often found online then you will come out ahead with your CPAP therapy.

Why is it so important to replace your CPAP supplies? There are two important reasons. First, your CPAP experience will be more effective. New supplies keeps the device working like new by avoiding air leaks that harm your treatment. Also, fresh supplies maintain the comfort of the equipment. Second, new supplies decrease the risk of developing respiratory infection. Even if you are cleaning your equipment every day, eventually tiny crevices and scratches form that become perfect spos for bacteria to collect.

Some people complain that using CPAP regularly is a hassle. The good news is that with clean, fresh CPAP supplies you will more likely use CPAP regularly, which means lowering your risk of diabetes, stroke, cardiac arrest, heart disease, or hypertension. Besides, the added benefit of getting a good nights sleep.

Clearly it is a health risk to not refresh your CPAP supplies. For most of us, now is the time to save money but when it comes to preventing a stroke or diabetes you will find yourself pennywise and pound foolish. Think about the medical bills and lost wages if you develop a lung infection from not using CPAP regularly with fresh supplies.

Sadly, many people suffer unnecessary discomfort with their CPAP because they didnt even realize how often they should be changing their supplies. (In general, you should replace cushions or pillows every 2-3 weeks, filters every 2-4 weeks, hoses about every month, and the entire mask assembly including headgear every 3-6 months).

A small investment in CPAP will save your health. It costs the same as a daily cup of coffee to wake up feeling refreshed from a comfortable and deep night’s sleep morning after morning.

Of course, many people like to buy their CPAP supplies online because it is convenient. Some websites, including MySleepMask.com, will let you set-up a calendar for getting new supplies. Theres no way to beat the convenience of getting supplies online.

If you are on CPAP with little or no insurance then buying your fresh supplies online will save you money. You can get the same CPAP supplies from an authorized online distributor for as much as 50% cheaper than your local medical equipment company.

You will want to scam proof your online shopping for CPAP supplies. Shop around to compare the prices. Soon you’ll realize that you can’t rely on the biggest online vendor for the best prices. Be on the look out for over-charges and hidden fees that add up.

Here are 4 tips for buying online:

1. Avoid websites that offer any brands other than ResMed, F&P or Respironics. Why? Because if a site promotes cheap brands, that is a very good indication that the website is not going to support its customers. Cheap CPAP equipment will mean more problems for their customer service to mess with unless they dont really plan on giving you good customer service.

2. Only buy from websites that are dealers with good reputations and authorized by the manufacturers. Why look for an authorized dealer? Because the website has to meet requirements to be authorized by the manufacturer, such as having good customer service, respecting warranties, etc. The National Apnea Association provides a short list of recommended dealers, which includes MySleepMask.

3. Buy only from a website that offers a mask-exchange program. These programs let you try a new model or size of mask without any risk: if it doesnt fit right then you return it and get a new model or size. MySleepMask is one website that offers this. Simply google cpap mask exchange program to find other dealers that offer this valuable benefit.

4. Make sure the website has respiratory therapists or other CPAP coaches who can help you trouble-shoot any problems you might have. And make sure this is offered for free. Getting this coaching for free will be useful and save you a ton of money: either by avoiding a trip to the doctors office or not paying the $100-$160 that some websites charge. Simply google free CPAP coaching to find a supplier who offers this.