what you need to know when getting cpap machine

Updated: March 14th, 2021

When starting CPAP therapy, it's important to get a machine that works for y'all. This article will help you lot in what you need to know when buying a CPAP machine so you tin begin your CPAP therapy. We'll also discuss whether or not you should get through insurance or order your machine online, and what accessories are bachelor.

I got diagnosed with Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) afterwards my married woman mentioned to my doctor that I had problems snoring. The doctor ordered a slumber report, and the results came back that I had balmy Obstructive Slumber Apnea. Like many of you, the recommended treatment for my OSA was to first using a CPAP Car. For near people, talking to the doctor is an of import first footstep. In guild to get a CPAP machine, yous'll first need to become a prescription for one. Nosotros'll cover prescriptions next.

How to Get a Prescription for a CPAP Motorcar?

Before you lot can buy a CPAP machine, you lot'll need to get a prescription from a medical professional that specifies which kind of motorcar you should go. It will also specify what force per unit area setting is needed to treat Slumber Apnea. Getting a prescription is not every bit uncomplicated as going into the medico's role and asking for ane. A CPAP machine is a specialized medical device, and the medico will demand to comport a slumber study to know if you even have Sleep Apnea, to begin with.

A sleep written report measures the following:

• eye charge per unit
• animate
• claret oxygen levels
• how many times you cease breathing in the dark
• how many times you wake up at nighttime

If the results of the sleep study show that yous take Sleep Apnea, they'll prescribe a course of treatment, which may be done with a CPAP motorcar. The doctor could likewise prescribe BiPAP therapy, oral appliances, or recommend surgery.

How to Choose a CPAP Auto Manufacturer

When you get a CPAP machine through your insurance, you don't get to cull your CPAP machine manufacturer, and you lot don't get to select the features yous want. Just similar certain auto companies rank higher in terms of overall satisfaction, build quality, or value for the dollar, CPAP manufacturers follow the aforementioned route.

Some of the top CPAP machine brands today are Philips Respironics, ResMed, DeVilbiss, Fisher & Paykel, Somnetics, and Homo Pattern Medical (HDM). There are several other key players in the field that you can confidently consider, also. Here's a cheat sheet to the dissimilar manufacturers and what they bring to the table:

Philips Respironics: Formerly known as just "Respironics", this company debuted the first CPAP machine and continues to make high-quality machines with all the bells and whistles. On toll, they aren't usually the least expensive, but they aren't the most expensive either.

ResMed: ResMed is considered to be a leader in innovation, and consistently produce high-quality products that are well-liked past consumers. ResMed products are amidst the best in the business concern, and many people swear by ResMed'south quality. On price, y'all get what you pay for. ResMed machines are among the near expensive, but near customers notice that their products are worth the money.

DeVilbiss: DeVilbiss makes the IntelliPAP brand of machines, and isn't a major player in the machine infinite. They make quite a few masks and take been around for a while. On price, their machines are somewhat less expensive, and so are their masks.

Fisher & Paykel: Fisher & Paykel is the manufacturer of the Icon line of machines, and was a major role player in the space. They're the makers of the pop Simplus mask and take quite a few masks in their catalog. On cost, they tend to be a more expensive brand, but people really savour the level of quality.

Somnetics: Somnetics currently articles the Transcend series of machines, and has been around for a while. People seem to like Somnetics' line of smaller travel machines, and they've washed a lot to brand CPAP smaller and more portable. On price, they're more often than not on the mid-to-lower cease of the spectrum.

Human Design Medical: Makers of the Z1 series of CPAP machines, currently the but machines sold on CPAP.com by Man Design Medical. They industry less expensive machines.

As with any big purchase, it helps to read the reviews. Customer Reviews will tell you a lot about the auto, and mostly, it's better to go with a automobile that has mostly good reviews.

Consider a Travel CPAP Machine

Unless you're 100% certain yous'll never sleep in a bed other than your ain, the portability cistron is something to consider when looking to purchase a CPAP machine. If you spend a practiced part of your life on the route, a particularly-designed, travel CPAP auto may be the respond.

Fifty-fifty if you don't travel often, in that location'due south always going to exist situations in which yous'll need to bring your machine to new sleeping environments. A auto that's lightweight and portable is going to be a better fit than a big, bulky, heavy machine. Nigh modern CPAP machines are lightweight, and some even come with a carrying case, so there'due south a chance you can observe a highly portable machine even if it'southward non listed as a travel machine. All it takes is paying attention to the weight and finding 1 that fits your needs.

Why is Humidification Important?

Not all CPAP devices offer a built-in or add-on humidifier, merely this is an of import accessory that should exist considered by anyone looking for the nigh comfortable experience possible. When yous're starting out with CPAP therapy, you may not call up you demand a humidifier. In fact, the showtime couple of times I used my machine, I didn't put h2o in it. Boy, was I surprised when I first used the humidifier.

I institute that I didn't get a severely dry oral fissure from using my machine, and the divergence was every bit dramatic as light and dark. I soon learned that the humidifier keeps nasal passages and your mouth from drying out during CPAP utilize. Humidifiers also help lower the chance of:

• nasal infections
• bloody noses
• and other peripheral side-effects of using a CPAP machine.

A humidification unit that disconnects from the principal CPAP auto comes in handy when traveling, as the user so has the option of leaving the often-bulky humidifier section home for a dark or two. For me, humidification is a must-have when using a CPAP machine.

Find a Quiet CPAP Machine Under 30 dB

Aye, you'll be sleeping while you use the CPAP machine, just you lot have to be able to autumn asleep in the first place. And, anyone yous share a bed with will certainly appreciate a CPAP motorcar with a low dissonance level. You can find the noise rating in the specifications section for any CPAP machine, and the magic number yous'll desire to keep in mind is 30.

Whatsoever unit of measurement rated at thirty dB or lower operates at what is generally referred to as a "whisper-level". Hither are some tips to keep in mind when evaluating noise:

• Even just a few decibels above the xxx mark tin can betoken a noisy machine.
• a CPAP machine in the 25-28 dB range is an exceptionally repose unit.

Larn Almost the Ramp-upward Feature and Whether You Need It

When I offset started using a CPAP machine, I found the force per unit area to exist very difficult to get used to. I call back a meeting in the doctor's role, ready to surrender when he told me about the ramp feature that my automobile had. What'due south a ramp feature? Information technology's the ability of a CPAP auto to start out at the lowest force per unit area, and gradually, over the grade of 45 minutes or so to reach the recommended pressure for CPAP therapy.

Beingness advised to use the ramp feature was a big help, and one of the reasons my treatment has been a success. When the machine starts off at the depression pressure, you lot'll barely notice it. In one case yous autumn asleep, the automobile increases to the recommended pressure. This way, yous're asleep before you would normally detect the pressure.

Most of the CPAP machines available take the ramp characteristic, and it'southward becoming more and more than mutual in the market today.

Consider the Smart Data Recording Features

Modernistic CPAP machines that include some type of onboard data recording feature enable the user to deport their own makeshift "sleep studies" at dwelling house. This provides relevant and important data gleaned during the patient's slumber cycles. Some record basic information only – like how long the individual slept or how long the car was in use. Others offering detailed readings similar:

• leak rates
• pressure changes
• apnea events
• snoring episodes, and more.

Some CPAP machines volition send this data to a device via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, while others record data to a retentiveness card to be analyzed through a estimator.

For some of the nearly popular machines, y'all'll have a downloadable app that you tin use to bank check your sleep. For my machine, the app tells me how long I used it; how many times I experienced blockages; and whether my mask is leaking.

All of this is very helpful. If I see that I had a lot of blockages during the night, it would tell me that something wasn't correct, and to consult with my physician. It can also assist me troubleshoot some issues that I may have with my sleep at home.

What Does a CPAP Machine Cost?

Getting a CPAP Machine on the cash marketplace (like buying from CPAP.com or other online retailer) is going to cost less than what it would toll through the insurance company. CPAP automobile price besides varies throughout the year, as machines go on and off sales, but mostly:

• A CPAP machine is the least "fancy" of the three types, and cost betwixt $300 – $700 dollars
• APAP machines have greater composure and toll between $600 – $i,000
• BiPAP machines are the most complicated, and cost between $1,000 – $ii,000

Prices between different models of CPAP machines tend to fluctuate a lot, as different machines accept different features. There'southward a big difference in the degree of sophistication betwixt a machine that costs $300 and a auto that costs $1,000. As is truthful of nearly whatsoever product, y'all practice get what you lot pay for, and the all-time CPAP machines are amongst the most expensive.

Where Can You Buy a CPAP Machine?

Almost people that are new to treating Sleep Apnea may not realize that they have options when information technology comes to starting CPAP therapy. It may seem like the only option is to go through your insurance company to become a CPAP auto. Just at that place are other options available!

You could visit a local CPAP shop, but y'all may not observe the choice is very good.

One of the best means to get a CPAP car is to order online .

There y'all'll go the opportunity to get the exact quality and type of car that yous need for your therapy, and not get bogged downward by insurance red-record and regulations. If you lot want a travel machine, yous tin become a travel CPAP automobile. If you want a peak-of-the-line machine, you can get one. If you want congenital-in humidification, you can get that too. As long as your prescription calls for information technology, you can order information technology.

When you lot become through insurance, they choose the machine and give you the mask they think works the all-time. You lot have very piffling say in the type of auto you go. Since the insurance company gets reimbursed the aforementioned whether you lot get a great machine or an average car, they have little incentive to give y'all the highest quality machine.

They give you the auto that works for them. The best fashion is to get the machine that works for you. This is why the cash market for CPAP machines has grown chop-chop over the past decade. Customers detect that they don't accept to compromise.

You lot'll also save on rental fees when yous get a CPAP motorcar through the cash market place online. Typically, when you get a CPAP machine from your insurance company, you're actually renting it. If you go through a period where you don't use the machine, the insurance company can accept it from you. This is possible because the insurance company is able to monitor machine usage statistics through the modem on the machine. If they notice usage slows or stops, many insurers will no longer comprehend their portion of the rental and demand you ship the auto dorsum. When ownership a machine on the cash market, the retailer won't track or written report on the data coming out of information technology. This is another reason to purchase online, that most people may not know about.

Don't forget! CPAP machines don't come with masks so if y'all need to, read up on our "different types of CPAP masks" to make the all-time conclusion!

Daniela has researched and published over 60 articles covering topics that aim to inform and empower people living with Sleep Apnea. Equally an avid reader and researcher, Daniela continues to abound her knowledge about Slumber Apnea and CPAP therapy everyday with the aid of coworkers, CPAP.com customers, and members of other CPAP communities online.

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Source: https://www.cpap.com/blog/cpap-machine-buying-guide/

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