Apnea Machine Therapy and the Treatment of Sleep Apnea

Research has revealed that around 4 percent of all middle-aged men and percentage of women suffer from some type of sleep apnea. Sleep apnea can be described as a set of breathing episodes that occur in sleep due to collapsed or blocked airways by pharyngeal tissue which result in the sufferer being unable to sleep for a long time. The most well-known form of treatments for sleep apnea involves the use of an apnea device or Continuous Positive Pressure devices (CPAP) that is an air compressor that exudes air via tubing, and also an incredibly small face mask to unblock the blocked airways.

philips cpap lawsuit

Sleep apnea sufferers typically suffer from excessive snoring, an intense drowsiness during the day and fatigue and often are overweight (which could result in the throat tissues to shrink). If not treated, sleep apnea may result in serious health problems. Sleep apnea can cause its sufferers to not receive the proper amount of oxygen into the body because of the collapsed or blocked airways. In the long run this deficiency in oxygen can put pressure on the heart , which could result in an increase in heart rate, blood pressure or even stroke. This is why it’s important to tackle any airway obstruction issues like snoring by consulting a physician prior to long-term harm being created.

However, research shows that more than 80% of sleep apnea cases remain not being recognized in the United States. The reason is that the majority of sufferers with sleep apnea think it’s “normal to sleep snore” and there is nothing they can do to treat the issue. Actually there is nothing further from the truth. In fact, tiny lifestyle changes can make immediate effect on removing or reducing the severity of the problem for example, losing weight, avoiding certain drugs, and staying away from sleeping in a supine position. If these lifestyle changes do not improve the condition, then the use of an apnea machine could be needed.

How can Sleep Apnea Diagnosed?

If your doctor suspects that you may have sleep apnea you’ll be asked to visit the sleep laboratory to test. Usually, testing is an overnight stay of two days. The first night is used to determine whether sleep apnea exists. When a person is asleep the polysomnography machine employs various electronic patches that are attached to the body to determine if the periods of breath loss are taking place. If a positive confirmation that sleep apnea has occurred and the patient is diagnosed with sleep apnea, they will be required to stay for the night following, and they will utilize an Apnea machine during their are asleep to see if their breathing disorder can be treated.

One of the factors that sleep labs search for when determining the severity of sleep apnea is the amount of breath interruptions that occur (apnea) as well as the decreases in airflows that trigger sleep awaken (hypopnea). These changes are analyzed in a daily basis and is referred to as the apnea-hypopnea index (or respiratory disturbance index). Studies have shown that if someone has more than 15 of these disorders in a 24-hour period the long-term mortality rates are higher and they are more affected by secondary heart problems.

Apnea Machine Options

Apnea machines use special air pressures that clear the blocked airways and tissues. Apnea masks is fitted to the mouth, nose or both, absorbs pressure of the apnea machine and then delivers it the blocked airways. It is crucial to remember that there are numerous kinds of apnea-related masks and it is crucial to select a comfortable mask (studies have shown that CPAP compliance is reduced significantly when it is not comfortable). As opposed to apnea masks there are only different types of apnea machines and all of them operate with the same principles. The most popularis one is called the CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) provides a continuous flow of air to its users.

For some CPAP users the constant flow of air may become uncomfortable and make it difficult to breathe properly. For those with this issue, “smart CPAP’s” have been developed to accommodate different levels of air pressure. Actually the “Bi-level” Apnea machines are known as BiPAP’s, (or Bi-level positive Airway Pressure Devices. BiPAP is a BiPAP Apnea machine gradually the pressure of air to decrease and increase so that the users are able to more comfortably tolerate airflow. As you might expect, it is true that a BiPAP Apnea machine can be more expensive than CPAP due to the technology demands needed to control pressures of airflow, but it has certainly been demonstrated to aid people with difficulties with air pressure with CPAP Therapy.

Alternative sleep Apnea Treatment Options

It is important to keep in mind that surgical procedures and utilization of devices for dental use have proved to be effective in cure sleep apnea. But, these methods are only available to particular cases. Surgery is also expensive and comes with inherent risks, as well as rehabilitation issues as well.

Paying Sources

Apnea machine therapy can be reasonably priced when compared with the cost of surgery and it requires a physician’s approval and prescription before using it. It is good to know that the majority of major insurance organizations, Medicare, and Medicaid will cover the costs related to the therapy. It is crucial to remember that sleep medicine is still a new field for a lot of Doctors and one needs to ensure they’re using a doctor who has experience in this field to make sure that they are being acquainted with the most current Apnea Machine and Apnea Mask options.