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Nothing is more basic or vital in life than breathing. Close behind is sleeping. So what happens when you have trouble breathing while you sleep?
The Greeks have a word for it: apnea, meaning “without breath.” In obstructive sleep apnea, the most common form of the respiratory disorder, the airway narrows when the muscles in the back of your throat relax while sleeping. Without air, breathing momentarily stops. This repeats during the night, leading to fragmented sleep.
The solution is a shoebox-sized device called a CPAP machine. The CPAP – Continuous Positive Airway Pressure – machine provides constant air pressure to the patient wearing a CPAP mask. With the airway open, the patient can breathe without difficulty through the night.
The devices come in several forms: CPAP machines, Auto CPAP machines and BiPAP or BiLevel machines. CPAP machines provide air pressure at an average or constant level. Auto CPAP machines can be set to automatically adjust the air pressure level with each breath in a range that meets the patient’s needs. BiPAP or BiLevel machines blow air at two different pressure levels -- higher during inhalation and lower during exhalation – instead of one to provide breathing assistance. When breathing is easier, sleep is naturally more restful.
Using your sleep study, your doctor will determine the air pressure you need and will prescribe a CPAP machine. The machines cannot be obtained without a prescription. While CPAP machines all perform the same basic function – helping you breathe – they have different features and accessories. One option is a humidifier, which adds moisture to the air breathed in by the patient, reducing nasal congestion, dryness and irritation of the nose and throat.
The Talk About Sleep Online Store carries 10 popular CPAP models from three top manufacturers -- ResMed, Respironics and Fisher Paykel – and their accessories.
ResMed is known for its S8 series, which has quiet operation and Easy-Breathe technology that helps control patient therapy with effective results. ResMed will soon unveil its S9 series, a sleek, even quieter device that resembles a CD player and is touted to be as easy to use as a mobile phone.
The ResMed S9 features climate control, using a heated tube controlled by an algorithm to deliver constant air temperature at the mask, regardless of changes in ambient air temperature. The climate control protects against rainout – condensation – from forming in the tube while keeping humidity at a comfortable level.
Respironics offers products designed to go together for optimum comfort, performance and compliance. Called the System One standard with C-Flex Plus, the technology makes sleep therapy more comfortable by adjusting air pressure as the patient breathes.
The Respironics System One REMstar Auto CPAP machine is engineered to know when, why and how changes should occur to provide consistent and effective sleep therapy. An optional humidity control analyzes ambient temperature and patient airflow to reach relative humidity at the mask. System One is the first humidifier in the CPAP industry to account for room humidity, with sensors inside and outside the machine monitoring changes in humidity and preventing condensation from forming inside the tube.
CPAP machines work only as well as the masks worn by patients. A new CPAP mask released by ResMed is strikingly different from other masks because of its minimal appearance. The Mirage Swift FX is lightweight, comfortably soft and easy to fit. The mask gently cradles the face – users report that once the headgear reaches room temperature, it barely feels like it is there – and disperses air quietly.
Wearers of more typical CPAP masks might be interested in the new Sleep Comfort Care Pad from SeQual Technologies. The soft, pliable pad, made from a gel-type material, forms a barrier between the mask and your face, eliminating the soreness experienced by many CPAP patients. The extra cushioning allows the mask to seal better on the nose bridge, helping to decrease air leaks.
With quality products from the Talk About Sleep Online Store, a good night’s rest is no longer a dream.
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