Do you suffer from sleep apnea? This chronic condition disturbs your sleep due to your breathing becoming shallow or you will have pauses in your breathing for a few seconds to a few minutes depending on how severe it is. Most people that suffer form this condition are treated using a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (also known as CPAP) machine.
The CPAP machine should be used nightly while sleeping to assist you with your breathing. There are three types of these machines, the most common has a mask that only covers the nose, the second one fits into your nose with prongs, while the last is a mask that covers both your nose and mouth. These types of machines are prescribed by your doctor if you have moderate to severe sleep apnea with or without coronary artery disease. They work while you are sleeping to increase the air pressure in your throat to stop the airway from collapsing while you are breathing in.
There are some risks when using these types of machines such as nightmares, sore throats, congestion, and leaks around the mask when they are not fit properly. The most common problem is that patients do not use them regularly or they take it off sometime through the night. Patients must understand that it takes time to get used to the machine and it may need some adjustments made to it by the doctor. One of those adjustments might be to start using a machine that uses low pressure to get used to it at first, then slowly working their way up to the prescribed settings. By the patient understanding and taking the time to get used to the machine and not giving up because of some discomfort in the beginning, they will have positive results in the end.
You doctor will also be able to assist you in finding a company that sells and services for cpap in Lubbock, TX. It is best to find a company in your local area that does both and who will be able to assist you with any questions or concerns about the operation of this type of machine. They will work with your doctor to make the experience and adjustment of using the machine easier on you and your family.