Allykat's Tales
Sleep apnea affects millions of people every year. Most times a patient will have a sleep study to diagnose the disorder. This includes the patient spending the night at a certified sleep lab or hospital where they will be monitored and observed throughout the night. Sleep apnea usually causes the patient to get very poor sleep and continually threatens to decrease their overall well being.
A machine for sleep apnea is what will be required in order to treat obstructive sleep apnea. Although there are many types of sleep apnea machines, most work simply by putting out pressurized air. This helps treat the snoring that many patients experience and more importantly allows the body to rest. It is important that the unit be used consistently every night or the patient risks having their symptoms return.
During the initial sleep study, the patient will be evaluated to find the optimal pressure that the machine will deliver. The sleep technician will titrate the sleep apnea machine’s setting in order to find the pressure that will maintain the patient’s airway open. When first using the machine, patients may experience several problems. A very common issue is nasal dryness. This is a high level of air drying out the nasal cavities. To counteract this, many sleep apnea machines have built in humidifiers. Another common issues is facial discomfort. The use of a sleep apnea machine requires the patient to use a mask that covers the nose and mouth. Because it needs to be tight in order to maintain a seal, people with sensitive skin often feel very uncomfortable in wearing the mask.
Before the patient is given the sleep apnea machine, the doctor will go over the best way to use it. The patient will have a good understanding on the safe and proper operation of the unit. They will also be following up with their sleep doctor on a consistent basis in order to measure the effectiveness to therapy.
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