Struggling with CPAP

CPAP is not everyone's idea of having a good nights sleep, and in a small number of patients, they are simply unable to use it. However, there are a number of things that can help to improve usage. These include:

Dry Mouth

Blowing room air, which may be cold in winter, up you nose or via your mouth may lead to a dry throat. This issue can be reduced by using a heated humidification unit that can be linked to your CPAP device. Please contact us.

Leaking

If the mask is not tightened sufficiently onto the face, then mask leak may occur. In the first instance, increasing the tightness of the mask may help to improve this. However, please do not overtighten as this may damage your facial skin. If you are struggling with mask leakage, please contact us.

The other issue with mask leak is when you bury your face in the pillow when lying on your side. This can be resolved in various ways. One of the simplest is to buy a foam wedge a few centimetres thick, cut a half-moon into it on either side and place this between the pillow and the pillow case. This leaves a gap for your mask to sit in, so reducing the chances of leaking. Alternatively you can by a pillow from commercial organisations.

Claustrophobia

Some people do not like things on their face. This is not unnatural. Where there are such issues, the Sleep team can discuss with you alternative masks that are less intrusive. This should reduce the issue of claustrophobia in many patients.

Noisy CPAP device

If the device is old (5+ years), then this may indicate that it needs replacing. If this is a new device, then this may suggest that either there is an issue with the device or family members are sensitive to the noise of the device. You may wish to place the device inside a bedside cabinet - making sure the device has plenty of air circulation. If the mask is noisy, please contact the sleep team to discuss.