What Is a CPAP Test?
If you have been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, or OSA, your doctor will direct you to undergo a sleep study to determine whether you need a continuous positive airway pressure device-commonly called a CPAP. This CPAP test will pinpoint the severity of your sleep apnea so you can gain a treatment plan that will restore and protect your health.
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The Sleep That Kills
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A sleep apnea diagnosis means that your throat closes up and blocks the flow of oxygen into your upper airways as you sleep, depriving your heart, brains and body of oxygen. With every missed breath, your body suffers the culminating effect of oxygen deprivation. That increases your risk of death from any cause by one and a half times.
The Technique: CPAP
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One proven method of treating sleep apnea is the use of continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP. This technique of forcing air into the nose and upper airway is accomplished by the use of CPAP machines and nasal masks.
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The Test: Getting the Right Flow
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During the CPAP test sleep study, a clinic technician will place a nasal mask over your nose that is connected to a CPAP machine via a flexible hose. As you sleep, the technician will adjust the level of air pressure flowing from the CPAP machine through the nasal mask to a rate that forces the back of your throat to remain open, thus preventing the stops and starts in breathing that make sleep apnea such a dangerous and debilitating condition.
The Treatment: CPAP Machine
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Following your CPAP test, you will receive a prescription for a CPAP machine that indicates the proper air pressure to manage your sleep apnea. You will meet with a medical equipment specialist who will help fit you with a comfortable nasal mask, and who will program your CPAP machine and teach you how to use it.
Health Benefits
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Many sleep apnea patients find the CPAP machine to be a life-restoring solution, and they begin to enjoy, once again, the benefits of a good night's sleep.
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- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Emergency Brake
