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Respiratory Devices
Compact CPAP System
CPAP stands for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure. A Nasal CPAP device is prescribed by a medical doctor for the treatment of moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea. If you snore loudly during the night, awaken frequently to use the bathroom, do not awaken from sleep feeling rested, and also are tired throughout the day, you most likely have a significant degree of sleep apnea.
If you have sleep apnea, it means you are having a difficult time breathing during sleep. The reason why is because our muscle tone relaxes when we fall asleep. When it relaxes, the airway, as it passes through the neck, also can collapse. It either becomes too narrow for sufficient air to reach our lungs, or it closes completely. In either case, you aren’t getting the oxygen you need during sleep. Sleep apnea puts a burden on the heart, is conclusively linked to high blood pressure, and in addition to causing major strokes, it also is suspected of causing small “silent” strokes; strokes that do not cause dramatic loss of motor control, but rather deteriorate memory gradually over time.
The CPAP works by putting positive air pressure into the upper airway. An analogy I like to use when I describe CPAP to patients is that it’s exactly like when you blow air into a balloon; the positive air pressure you blow into the balloon supports the walls of the balloon. When you use the CPAP, and when you wear the mask that has the air blowing into it from the pump, you are putting positive air pressure into your upper airway, which in turn prevents the walls of the airway from collapsing when you fall asleep.