With CPAP, the mainstay treatment for the disorder, you typically wear a masklike apparatus that’s connected to a pump. The pump pushes air into your airway, holding it open while you sleep.
"Patients sometimes ask if they can die from not getting their sleep apnea treated. The short answer is ‘yes,’" Dasgupta says.
The Inspire sleep apnea device is surgically implanted into the body, and CPAP treatment is administered through a mask that is worn while sleeping. CPAP equipment requires daily cleaning and regular maintenance.
Size of Your Mask: Studies suggest that the size of your mask influences your likelihood of developing claustrophobia. You are much more likely to feel claustrophobic wearing a full face mask versus a nasal pillow mask.
Talk to Your Doctor About an APAP Machine: If your CPAP aerophagia is bad enough to make you consider quitting CPAP therapy, it may be time to talk to your healthcare provider about switching to an APAP machine, which delivers the lowest air pressure possible to still keep your airway open.
Estimation of the clinically diagnosed proportion of sleep apnea syndrome in middle-aged men and women.
At your fitting (which may be done at home or at a sleep center), "try masks on with the doctor-recommended air pressure settings you’ll be using to see what it really feels like when the machine is on," Dasgupta advises.
Keep Your Sinuses Clear: If your headaches are caused by sinus irritation or inflammation, rinsing your sinuses or using a nasal spray may give you some relief.
Dry mouth. An uncomfortably dry mouth can occur when a full mask fails to form a tight seal over your face or with a nasal mask or nasal pillows if you’re mouth-breathing, says Rowley.
Kenzie Dubs Kenzie is a science-based content writer who has a passion for educating the public on the healing powers of sleep! She graduated with a bachelor's degree in biology in 2016 and went on to earn a second degree in nuclear medicine shortly after. She click here has several years of professional experience in healthcare, including emergency medicine, radiology, and general care.
A recent meta-analysis that reviewed 7 studies demonstrated a favorable effect on many parameters of blood pressure, though most of the data were derived from observational studies4. Thus more randomized controlled data with longer follow up are required prior to drawing definite conclusions. The impact of oral appliance therapy on other cardiovascular outcomes such as arrhythmias and mortality are unknown.
While various approaches to treatment and advancements in technology have evolved to improve adherence, compliance with CPAP therapy has remained relatively unchanged over time.
Breathing out against a constant pressure of air, like CPAP, would cause the same thing. That increased pressure in the lungs will hold extra air in all areas of the lungs and help blow open (recruit) any areas of collapse. This is a backpressure that causes the “splinting effect.”
Depending on the severity of your sleep apnea, your doctor may first focus on addressing risk factors. Losing weight and making certain lifestyle changes, like reducing alcohol intake, can help control obstructive sleep apnea. Your doctor may also recommend a noninvasive method such as a sleep apnea oral appliance to keep your upper airway from closing during sleep.