Tuesday, October 08, 2019
Introduction
The brain needs to adjust to wearing a Positive Airway Pressure (PAP) machine. Nightly use will help you adjust as quickly. If uncomfortable wearing it
during sleep, practice with it during the day when not trying to fall asleep. During this practice, you can listen to the radio or watch TV.
PAP therapy should be worn when you sleep, even during naps. We recommend using your PAP…
Friday, September 20, 2019
By Dr. Zorn
Challenges:
CPAP is first line primary therapy for OSA. It is highly effective and non-invasive, but CPAP compliance can be a problem. Researchers have reported a
46% CPAP non-compliance rate after 4 years. The breakdown is as follows: a) 31% of patients never started CPAP after being given the prescription and
b) 15% discontinued CPAP after starting for a period of time up to…
Monday, March 12, 2018
If you are flying, here are some tips you may have not been aware of. Your PAP device is considered a piece of medical equipment and therefore should not
be counted against you as one of your carry-on (You can check with your airline to make sure of the policy). DO NOT put it your checked luggage. Checked
luggage are at times subject to rough handling and your PAP may not arrive in the…
Monday, October 16, 2017
By Carol Smith, PA-C. Sleep Medicine Physician Assistant at Iowa Sleep
I get many questions on cleaning of CPAP equipment so I decided to write some information about the topic.
There are things that need to be done each day and there are things that can be done on a less frequent basis.
DAILY : Wash your face before putting mask on. Wash mask liner when removing it in on awakening with…
Wednesday, November 16, 2016
If you wear Positive Airway Pressure (PAP) therapy, you were walked through the steps in cleaning your equipment. For many, that may have been a long time
ago, in a place far, far away…so let us have a refresher!
One of the most important factors in determining compliance with PAP wear (aside from mask fit) is taking proper care of your equipment. For therapy to
be successful, you…
Monday, March 28, 2016
We are one week past the official first day of spring, which means (if they haven’t already) spring allergies will be in full effect as the grass begins
to grow and the trees blossom. If you experience seasonal allergies, or even a spring cold or two, and also wear a CPAP at night to ease sleep
apnea symptoms, it is important to maintain a clean machine to keep it operating…
Monday, January 11, 2016
Have you been struggling with your obstructive sleep apnea because you find it hard (or annoying) to sleep with your Continuous Positive Airway Pressure
(CPAP) mask on? We’re here to tell you there are other options to sleeping well each night with OSA, besides using a CPAP. We’ve listed some of them
below. * CPAP is still considered the gold standard for treating OSA, there are other…
Monday, November 30, 2015
It doesn’t matter if you’ve suffered from obstructive sleep apnea for years or a couple weeks, there are many things, large and small that can affect OSA.
In fact, there are more than 22 million Americans who suffer from sleep apnea each night. But, did you know that some of these sneaky but common things
could also be aggravating your OSA? Check out Iowa Sleep’s list below:
Foods –…
Monday, October 19, 2015
If you’ve ever been told you snore, or suddenly stop breathing during your sleep, you may be experiencing obstructive sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is
a common disorder where a sleeper experience one or more pauses in breathing or shallow breaths because of excess skin blocking the airway the throat
while they are asleep. These pauses can last anywhere from a couple seconds to more than 30…
Monday, September 14, 2015
Even though sleep is something that is seen as a universal, it can be hard to admit that you’re having problems with falling or staying asleep at night.
Support groups are a popular method of education and support for a variety of health and wellness related topics, one in particular being sleep
apnea. For many with sleep disorders, attending support groups and connecting…