How to Use a CPAP for Sleep Apena?
June6th,2010How to use a CPAP for sleep apnea effectively, in this connection great importance are the correct choice of machine, operating mode, a convenient mask.
In the process of using the device you are likely to arise several questions. To help you navigate to find the correct answer, we analyzed our experience and that of patients who already have long histories of CPAP therapy, and below you will find answers to questions frequently asked.
1. Do I need to use the CPAP machine therapy every night during the entire time sleeping?
As it turned out, with severe disease (apnea index value / gipopnoe> 30/hour) patients are often themselves observe such a regime, because this immediately improves sleep quality, decrease daytime sleepiness, and improves quality of life. We advise you to focus on their well-being, remember that the interruption of breathing during sleep are likely to worsen after taking alcohol, sleeping pills, hard day.
2. What if the fact of sleeping in a mask disturbs sleep, although it noted a clear positive effect on daily activities and a number of other symptoms.
In this situation, we recommend:
- Use a nasal cannula to reduce the sensation of a closed space.
- Use the machine on a daily basis during the first 3-4 hours of sleep, when there is more deep sleep and virtually no external stimuli are concerned. And in the morning, when sleep becomes more shallow, the mask can be removed and sleep now without it. The positive effect of treatment (decrease in the intensity of snoring and sleep apnea) is retained for the rest of the night.
- Use the device intermittently. The device can be used in those days, when fatigued or need to sleep for a short time. It is particularly important to provide treatment, if last night adopted a substantial dose of alcohol (more than 100 grams of vodka) or sleeping pills. With intermittent treatment is desirable to use the apparatus at least 50% of nights, especially in cases where there is concomitant hypertension or other cardiovascular disease.
3. Where should I place the apparatus for CPAP therapy?
Preferably, the apparatus to put on a stable, fixed base, which helps to reduce the noise from his work at the level of the bed or slightly below.
4. What if the mask came from skin irritation, especially in the back of your nose?
- Check for proper size selection of masks. Usually smaller masks better tolerated.
- Check for proper installation of catch or gaskets that provide the degree of pressing the mask to the back of the nose.
- Adjust the tension of the fixing belt to reduce pressure on the back of the nose.
- Place cotton pads (circles make up remover) in the contact mask with the nasal bridge.
- Use other types of masks or nasal cannula.
- Perhaps you are allergic to silicone, and then you can use the older vinyl mask.
5. What if the air with the noise comes from under the mask?
In this case we are talking about air leakage, so the mask fits tightly to the face.In this case, you should:
- Check for proper installation of the mask and its size. Usually smaller masks provide less leaks.
- Check for proper installation of catch or gaskets that provide the degree of pressing the mask to the back of the nose.
- Adjust the tension of the fixing belt. It is desirable to provide a minimum pressing, which would eliminate leaks, especially those directed at the eyes. Small leaks in the area of the upper lip can be ignored. They usually do not interfere with sleep and do not reduce the effectiveness of treatment. Excessive pressing can increase the leakage and cause skin irritation.
- Use modern dual-layer types of masks, minimizing leakage.
- To verify the adequacy of the apparatus for treatment of pressure (that it was not too high).
- Use the apparatus with automatic therapeutic pressure (auto-CPAP), or vehicle with two-level positive airway pressure.
6. What if opens his mouth during CPAP therapy?
- Apply nosorotovye mask.
- Ensure normal nasal breathing
- Use special chinstraps, fixing the lower jaw in the closed position.
- Observe the lateral (side on) position during sleep.
7. What to do if worried about dryness of the mucous membranes of the nose, mouth and pharynx.
- Use room humidifier
- Apply installed in the breathing system heated humidifier.
- Ensure normal nasal breathing
8. What to do if you have a stuffy nose.
- Adjust the installation of the masks, as its poor fixation can lead to irritation of the nose and runny nose.
- Install an additional hypo-allergenic filter device for CPAP therapy. This is especially useful when concomitant pollinosis.
- Apply installed in the breathing system heated humidifier.
- Use room humidifier.
- Use nasal decongestant (for Nos Ksimelin, Otrivin, etc.). Duration of treatment should not exceed 5.3 days.
- Use a nasal spray with sea water, such as Aqua Maris Morenazal etc., or to prepare for washing nasal saline solution (1-2 g of salt per 100 ml of water). Type the solution in the pipette and fill in each half of the nose 1-3 times. Clean the nose. Repeat until the resumption of nasal breathing.
9. What if the mask is removed involuntarily during sleep.
- To minimize the discomfort of the mask.
- Conduct a short test treatment calming / sleeping pills.
- Use devices for CPAP therapy with alarm disconnected masks.
10. What to do if you do not have enough air flow and disturbs a need for air?
- You may not correctly chosen value of the initial comfort of pressure.
- Disable a gradual increase in pressure (immediately begin treatment with the “working” pressure).
- Check the work of the staff for technical failure.
11. What to do if you’re concerned about the strong flow of air, difficulty breathing?
- Use function gradually increasing pressure until the working level.
- Use Auto-CPAP device or with two-level positive airway pressure.
- To solve the question of reducing the pressure treatment (improvement of eligibility due to some inefficiency).
- Check the work of the staff for technical failure.
12. What to do if you were snoring when using a CPAP machine?
- You should quickly contact your doctor and to control cardio-respiratory monitoring or polysomnography to clarify the adequacy of therapeutic pressure.
- Check the work of the staff for technical failure.
13. What to do in case of acute respiratory infection?
- You should consult your doctor. Perhaps he will advise you to temporarily lift the CPAP therapy for 3-5 days.
- Every day, wash in soapy water mask and snorkel.
14. How to disinfect the mask?
If using a mask and you alone, it is usually enough to wash it daily with warm soapy water.