CPAP via face mask: A full face mask is placed over the nose and mouth with a good seal. It can be used for those that are mouth breathers, or for pre-oxygenation in spontaneously breathing patients prior to intubation.
Why Use an Alternative to a CPAP Machine? While CPAP machines are the most common treatment for OSA, people with the condition may seek out CPAP alternatives for a number of reasons. These concerns should be discussed with a doctor, who can offer advice on what alternatives may be more suitable.
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While CPAP is helpful for many people with obstructive sleep apnea, some people don’t respond to this type of treatment.
Bilevel positive airway pressure (BiPAP): BiPAP machines introduce positive pressure into your upper airway and lungs to keep your airway open and prevent it from narrowing or collapsing. BiPAP machines can be set to different pressures for breathing in and out.
Best clinical practices for the sleep center adjustment of noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NPPV) in stable chronic alveolar hypoventilation syndromes.
CPAP therapy is considered the standard treatment for OSA, but the most effective treatment is one a person diagnosed with sleep apnea is willing to use. “Any alternative is better than not following through with CPAP, which is, unfortunately, a very common scenario for many [people] that have been diagnosed with OSA,” says Paul Schalch Lepe, M.
Changing sleep positions can also help reduce OSA symptoms in some people. Alternative sleeping positions may include sleeping on one’s side instead of on their back or sleeping with one’s head slightly elevated, says Dr.
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Your headgear may need replacing when the straps become loose or you have difficulty maintaining a good seal when you move
Some CPAP units also come with here a timed pressure “ramp” setting that starts the airflow at a low level and slowly raises the pressure to the set level that may make it more comfortable and easier to which to become accustomed.