Sleep Apnea is a serious sleep disorder that happens when a person’s sleep is disturbed due to breathing difficulties. This interrupted breathing occurs when a person’s tongue or fatty tissue falls back into the airways, causing an airflow blockage.
CPAP is an important treatment for obstructive sleep apnea, but it may be frustrating at first. Keep reading to learn about some CPAP advantages as well as risks! Click To TweetWhat Does a CPAP Machine Do When You Stop Breathing?
People with untreated sleep apnea stop repeatedly breathing while asleep. While this may seem like a minor issue, there’s more to it than what meets the eye.
When you stop breathing, your brain and other organs do not get the oxygen they need to function effectively. This can be a serious source of concern to patients in the long run.
To counter this, medical professionals have come up with solutions like a CPAP machine. CPAP stands for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure. This machine uses room air and sends it to a patient’s upper airway to prevent it from closing in.
Are you struggling with breathing at night? Here is all you need to know about the CPAP machine.
Sleep Apnea Machine Side Effects
Before getting into all the advantages, let us first analyze the risks involved in using this machine. Philips had released a CPAP machine that helped move air in and out of a patient’s lungs. However, what was meant to be a life-saving device turned into a hazardous one when an increasing number of patients reported cases of headaches, irritation, respiratory issues, and even things as serious as cancer.
The CPAP Machine Lawsuit emerged as a result where a class action lawsuit was filed in Massachusetts. The alleged lawsuit said that Philips knew about the risks of inhaling the polyester-based polyurethane foam from its CPAP machine.
It was also said that patients had complained to Philips about certain black particles in the recalled devices, but the company had failed to make the public aware of the same.
More and more families came out voicing their concerns about the product. It is not surprising, therefore, that Philips recalled the unpopular device. Apart from this Philips lawsuit, many other issues have also been reported by users of CPAP machines.
Other CPAP Risks
Since CPAP machines pump air into the patient’s airways, there is a chance that it could affect your nasal passages and lead to issues like congestion, throat irritation, runny nose, cough, and worsen any allergies that the patient already has suffers from.
Also, using a CPAP machine requires you to sleep on your back. This can be a source of concern to people who prefer to sleep on their sides.
Some patients have also experienced dry mouth because of the constant dry air flowing into the mouth. Many people, especially mothers of children who struggle with sleep apnea, find it hard to accept this. All parents want to protect their children and give them a healthy upbringing.
And what with all the allergies and coughs and congestion caused due to CPAP machines, it is a real conflict whether to turn to such devices so their children can have no problems in breathing but at the risk of making them very sick indeed.
CPAP Advantages
Having understood these, if you would still like to go ahead and get a CPAP machine, these are the advantages.
A Good Night's Sleep
Starting with the most obvious advantage, a CPAP machine helps patients with sleep apnea to get a good night’s rest as breathing is not interrupted anymore. Good sleep, in the long run, is connected to a healthy mind and body. Therefore, this is important, especially in the case of kids who are just starting their lives.
Decreased Snoring
Patients using the machine have also reported a steady decline in snoring. Snoring happens when the airway is blocked and is a sign of poor sleep. If your child snores, it may be an indicator that they are not able to sleep well. You should check it immediately.
The CPAP machine is quite effective in this area. Considering that the machine helps keep your airways completely open, it indirectly also helps in lessening snoring.
Mental Health Improvement
A healthy mind is often connected to healthy sleeping habits. Is your child mostly in a bad mood? Do they seem annoyed at every small thing?
If you notice, people tend to be irritated and grumpy after having a poor sleep at night. From children to parents, the bad mood indicates that their brain needs some time to unwind and relax.
These fluctuations in the mood do not affect only the people going through it but also their family and friends. Considering that the use of the CPAP machine defeats sleep apnea, patients can sleep well without interruptions, which helps elevate their overall mental health.
Improved Quality of Life
In the long run, solving sleep issues also helps improve the overall quality of life. You can prevent diseases like diabetes, strokes, heart disease, and so much more simply by sleeping well.
This is important, especially for children and adolescents. Falling sick at a young age is never good and keeps troubling the moms, who are always trying their level best to ensure the safety of their kids.
Prioritize Sleeping Well
Not just worrying for kids but busy work schedules, stress from the office, and other related issues are the usual pain points that affect the overall health of moms. Amid all this, it is extremely easy for mothers, especially new mothers or mothers of young ones, not to get the sleep that their body requires.
Here are a few ways in which busy mothers can take care of themselves. Prioritize your health and sleep so that you can stay fit even for your children.
Getting good sleep is a vital part of healthy living. Sleep Apnea is a serious issue, and you should treat it immediately. Do not wait for more severe symptoms to come up before you go to treatment.
Consult your doctor and find out the best course of remedy which has minimal risks and maximum benefits. It is not necessary to use a CPAP machine alone. There are many other options available to counter sleep apnea. Look into those and improve your sleep so that you enjoy a long healthy life!
I wonder if a CPAP machine would be beneficial for me, or at least if the benefits outweigh the risks. I don’t think I have sleep apnea but I have started snoring in the last year or so. I do have allergies, though, and am sometimes prone to dry mouth. I have started sleeping on my back, though, which is the one good thing, as a CPAP machine requires you to sleep on your back. That’s new to me, though – even just a year ago I’d tell you I would never in my life be able to sleep on my back! Anyway, thanks for the info!
I would talk to your doctor about a CPAP machine and see if it could help your issues.