CPAP or Continuous Positive Airway Pressure is the best current treatment available for sleep apnea. The successful use of the CPAP machine will allow you to breathe easier, sleep easier and live healthier. The ten C’s are simple and easy to follow tips which will allow you to achieve this. If you follow them they will increase the efficiency and efficacy of treatment using your CPAP machine.
The 10-C’s of Using your CPAP
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Tips on CPAP Usage Commitment: CPAP is meant for continuous and prolonged usage for the rest of your life, only then will there be any effect of CPAP therapy. So it is a necessity to be committed to the treatment process.
- Consistency: If you decide to use a CPAP, then you will have to use it every night for every single night and for every nap. Only if you do this you will receive the maximum health benefits. Additionally, every time you use your CPAP, it will be easier for you to adjust to it.
- Communication: During the initial periods, make sure to stay in continuous communication with your doctor and CPAP provider and ask any questions which you come across.
- Correction: Initially when you newly start the CPAP treatment, you will mostly not find the perfect fit. But do not give up, try different CPAP masks, different types of CPAP machines and try other CPAP accessories to find the perfect fit. Additionally ask question on the different types of machines available and their settings to your doctor, this will make the entire process simpler.
- Challenge: If you are finding it difficult to adjust or to stick to your CPAP treatment and find that you regularly, sleep without your CPAP. Then ask a family member or friend to ask you each every single morning if you used your CPAP or not. You can also ask them to challenge you to stick to the treatment for a period of time.
- Community Connections: Human beings need connections. Social connections make life easier and simpler. It is the same for CPAP. Find other people who are on the same treatment and connect with them. This will make it easier for you to adjust to the treatment and make the most of your treatment.
- Cleaning: CPAP hygiene is very important if you want your CPAP to work efficiently with high efficacy. You must clean your CPAP mask, tubing and other accessories regularly with hot water, cloths and wipes to keep them clean and fresh. This has an added advantage of keeping your machine free from harmful bacteria.
- Comfort: If you are comfortable using your CPAP machine, then it will be easier for you to adjust to and stick to the treatment. Try using humidifiers, saline sprays, decongestants and a Bi-PAP or APAP machine to increase your comfort levels.
- Completion: Truthfully speaking, you will never be completely free from using a CPAP. Once diagnosed with sleep apnea, you must use it for the rest of your life to prevent complications. But upon successful completion of treatment for a month, reward yourself. This will give you incentive to stick to the treatment.
- Continuation: Finally, make sure to use the CPAP regularly and continue to use the machine for the rest of your life.
