What is a CPAP Machine?
A continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine is a device used to treat sleep apnea. It consists of the machine itself, which is no bigger than a shoebox, and a mask that is worn over the face, particularly the nose and mouth. A tube runs from the machine to the mask. CPAP machines must be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) because they are medical devices. A CPAP machine can only be obtained by a patient with a physician’s prescription. A CPAP machine pushes air through a patient’s airway passage at an extremely high pressure, which helps to prevent the apnea from occurring. Sleep apnea is a condition in which a person stops breathing for any length of time between a few seconds and a few minutes while asleep. The machines work for both central and obstructive sleep apnea, and the pressure can be adjusted for each patient, depending on the degree of sleep apnea he or she experiences. Central sleep apnea occurs when the brain neglects to send the breathing signal
A CPAP machine can be recommended to patients with severe OSA. It is a device that they can use at home. The upper airway of a person with OSA becomes narrow which results in a decrease in oxygen in the blood, difficulty in breathing, snoring and discomfort during sleep. The CPAP machine reverses the situation by providing compressed air through the nose or mouth by using a mask with hose as a device. The CPAP machine’s main objective is to get rid of obstructions that may hinder normal breathing. When it has done so, OSA and hypopneas can effectively be reduced.
