CPAP Treatment System

Cure or Curse – CPAP Treatment

CPAP treatment systems are a major method of treatment of sleep apnea.

This treatment (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) is described as non invasive and compared to surgery it is. It could however be considered psychologically and socially invasive. There can be a sense of embarrassment, depressive affects of being reliant on a machine for decent sleep, a sense of foreboding that this condition and treatment are not a cure but just a means of relieving symptoms.

Some users have a hatred of the system while others while perhaps not loving it have an acceptance that the positives far outweigh the negatives and it is accepted as a part of life.

CPAP Treatment works but it’s not all plain sailing

So lets look at the negatives -
Uncomfortable
Masks and hoses firmly attached to your face are not comfortable and the pressure required to keep them in place during sleep can be quite high.
Claustrophobic
Covering your nose with a close fitting mask can be quite a claustrophobic experience particulalry until the air pressure stabilises and breathing becomes easier.
Restrictive
The attachment to a CPAP machine by a hose means that movement is restricted and depending on the type of hose attachement even rolling over in sleep can cause significant issues.
Leaves strap lines on face
On awakening and for some time after there can be quite deep indentations on your face where the straps have been lying.
Can cause a dry throat
Use of a non-humidified system willost likely cause a dry throat, one of the symptoms you are trying to relieve.
Noise can be an irritation
Unless in need of repair, most CPAP treatment machines are almost silent, but often the mask may became displaced allowing air to escape which can generate loud and even embarrassing noises, akin to air noises as it escapes from a balloon.

And the positives
Snoring eliminated
This rather unpleasant condition is a thing of the past with a well fitted and properly set up CPAP treatment.
Deep REM sleep possible
The absense of apneas enables users of CPAP treatment to achieve the full range of sleep patterns in a night.
Uninterrupted sleep possible
With all conditions right there is no reason why a full night of uninterrupted sleep can’t be experienced.
Can become an anchor to trigger sleep
After a while just putting on the mask can be a subconscious trigger to send the user to sleep.
An unusual one
The wearer can get right under the covers on a really cold night knowing they’ll have fresh air pumped to them while they sleep.

As you can see CPAP treatment does have many positive and negative attributes, a few are noted above.

Whether or not you’ll benefit from the use of CPAP treatment will depend significantly on your attitude and acceptance or not of the treatment as an effective one for you.

There are those who can’t stand the treatment and those who love it, (well probably not love it), and enjoy the benefits it can bring to a more healthy lifestyle.

Chris Stanton- Cook  (Administrator)  www.sleepingwithapnea.com

It is my hope that this article helps both users and those close to users to better understand CPAP treatment and its effects, good and not so good, on sleep apnea sufferers.