- According to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, CPAP is among the most successful noninvasive treatments for obstructive sleep apnea--a condition that causes potentially dangerous pauses in breathing due to collapsed or blocked airways in the back of the throat. This condition also typically results in loud snoring, which can be disruptive to family members.
- A CPAP device consists of a mask that fits over your mouth and nose. A short hose connects the CPAP mask to a small motor that delivers gentle, continuous pressure into your airway when you inhale. Most CPAP devices are small and generally quiet, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute.
- The continuous pressure the CPAP device delivers helps your airway remain open while you sleep, often eliminating snoring and improving the quality of your sleep. In addition, the CPAP mask can be beneficial in lowering and preventing high blood pressure that often accompanies sleep apnea, according to the American Academy of Otolaryngology. Overall, most CPAP users report higher levels of daytime energy that enable them to be more productive in their daily lives, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute.
- You might consider asking your doctor about a CPAP mask if you have frequent morning headaches, excessive sleepiness during the day, frequent episodes of awakening during the night or loud snoring that disrupts the sleep of family members. To determine if a CPAP mask is the right treatment for you, your doctor will probably conduct a physical exam and discuss your lifestyle factors and symptoms. He or she may also recommend that you participate in an overnight sleep study to confirm a diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea or excessive snoring, according to the American Academy of Otolaryngology.
- While the CPAP mask can be a highly effective treatment for many patients with sleep apnea and excessive snoring, the device doesn't cure these conditions. Because many people find the mask cumbersome and uncomfortable, up to 30 percent of people whose doctors prescribe the CPAP mask don't wear it consistently, according to the American Academy of Otolaryngology. For people who can't wear the CPAP mask consistently each night, a surgical treatment may be necessary.
