Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) is one of the leading therapies for sleep apnea. Here, our Langley dentists describe how it works, and how it can help you get a better night’s sleep.
People with sleep apnea stop breathing briefly during sleep, as many as 30 times in an hour, as a result of their airways getting closed or blocked.
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) therapy involves the patient wearing a facial or nasal mask, that is connected to a pump, during sleep. The mask and pump create a positive flow of air into the nasal passages that keeps the airway open.
The mask may go over the nose, fit under the nose, or go over the mouth and nose, or fit over the whole face.
Side effects are typically minimal, and short lived. They include nasal congestion, sore eyes, headaches and abdominal bloating, as well as general discomfort as the patient grows accustomed to the appliance. Most people overcome these side effects and get used to their new sleep appliance over the course of 2-12 weeks.
Most people who use CPAP report immediate symptom relief, in particular a better night’s sleep, which in turn results in a steep increase in energy and mental sharpness throughout the day.