Cost of CPAP

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, also known as CPAP, is a treatment typically used for people who
are diagnosed with breathing problems-especially, obstructive sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea is usually associated with snoring but it is actually a breathing disorder wherein a person has
two or more breathing pauses while asleep. These breathing pauses can last from a few seconds to a
couple of minutes. It is a disruptive condition, as breathing oftentimes indicates the level of sleep, having
breathing pauses moves you out of deep sleep into light sleep. The poor quality of sleep makes you feel
tired and weary even right after you wake up. Apart from the restless sleep, sleep apnea can also cause
dangerously low blood oxygen levels and may pose as a risk factor for numerous serious illnesses such as
heart disease, dementia, and stroke.

For CPAP treatments, PAP machines are used so as to deliver constant flow or pressure of air and prevent
the breathing airways from being blocked. CPAP is not a new innovation. It has been used to treat sleep
apnea as early as 1981.CPAP machines are relatively costly with prices ranging from $400 up to a
thousand bucks. There are different manufacturers of CPAP machines such as Resmed, Devilbliss, Fisher
& Paykel, Somnetics, Respironics, AEIOMed, and Puritan-Bennett. Even though there are a number of
different CPAP machine manufacturers, each kind almost always contain the same basic parts: CPAP
machine, humidifier, hose or tubing, and mask.

The machine houses a small motor which gathers air and generates air pressure. The pressurized air can
be set with a function that will determine how much therapeutic pressure is needed to keep the airway
unblocked. CPAP machines were originally bulky but modern breakthroughs in technology have enabled
the creation of smaller units that are more compact and easier to carry. CPAP machines generally run on
electricity but battery-operated units are also available. The humidifier, as the name suggests, adds
humidity to the pressurized air for a more comfortable therapeutic treatment. The pressurized air is then
connected to the mask with the use of a hose or tubing. Hoses or tubes can stretch up to five feet long.
However, it is not recommended to have the tubing extended much as it would lessen the pressure
delivered. The face mask completes the CPAP equipment and is also the most important part of the
bunch.

Availability of CPAP machines and the degree of difficulty in acquiring such remain one of the reasons
why it is costly. In many countries, one could only avail of a CPAP machine with a prescription of a
physician. Oftentimes, a sleep study at a laboratory is also required before one is approved of treatment.
The reason behind such is so that the pressure settings in the CPAP machine match the treatment needs of
the patient. CPAP machines can also be purchased online but sellers usually require a prescription or a
referral, as well as accompanying medical insurance-related documents.

Nowadays, most people usually take for granted the benefits and the leisure brought by sleeping.
However, for a person who suffers from sleep apnea or other related breathing difficulties, the price of a
CPAP treatment alone is an enough measure of how dear a proper night’s sleep is.