For many
people isn't hard to identify that they suffer from sleep apnea, just
ask their partners or any other person who shares any area where they
may have slept. When you are snoring often during the night and there
are periods when you stop breathing, it is time to test yourself for
sleep apnea, either through an in-lab polysomnography
or a home sleep test. If you are diagnosed with sleep apnea the next
step is treatment, but the question is: which device is right for
you?
There are two types of machines,
automatic ones or fixed pressure ones. A fixed pressure machine stays
at one pressure level all the time. The pressure level would be
provided by you doctor or possibly the clinic that will treat your
sleep apnea. Your required pressure level is calculated based on
several factors. If you have provided a fixed pressure by your
clinic, then a regular CPAP machine is the right device for you.
If you don't have a specific pressure
setting, then you will probably need to opt for an automatic machine
also known as APAP
machine.
These machines have built-in a range of sensors that allow them to
calculate how much pressure you need. These sensors can detect when
you are about to stop breathing and increase the pressure properly
and when the danger has passed, the pressure it will go down again.
This means that your will get less
pressure over the night than you would get with normal CPAP machine,
which would be set at the highest setting needed. Many people who
suffer from sleep
apnea, find
this therapy to be more effective and more comfortable as a result.
There are also many who have been used a fixed-pressure device and
then opt for an APAP machine.
One thing you need to consider if you
need a CPAP machine is that the pressure you have been prescribed
will have been accurate at the time, but the pressure level you need
will change over time. For example, losing or gaining weight, or
drinking alcohol before you go to bad can affect your sleep apnea and
therefore the pressure level you need. Therefore it's essential to
get assessed by your doctor to ensure your pressure is still at the
optimum. Alternatively, you could buy an APAP machine which will
always provide your with the exact pressure you require.