CMS Education Articles — CPAP

By: Rafael M. RRT CPSGT PFT Technologist Snoring - Only considered a social nuisance when we dismiss everything else about snoring. To state snoring is a social nuisance would be an understatement at most in this day and age.  The tip of the iceberg. Icebergs are phenomenal naturally formed of huge floating blocks of ice. The only thing is, the phenomenal view is only the very tip of the iceberg and not nearly in its entirety. What we see is a small part of mother nature’s creation, the rest is submerged underwater and can be 3-6 times bigger than what...

To clean or not to clean, that is the question.  Just kidding.  Definitely "To clean" would be the way to go. But how important is it? How do I properly clean my equipment? and what happens if I don't clean the CPAP machine and accessories? And do I need a cleaning machine?  How important is cleaning for my CPAP device?  I am sure now you are aware that the most deadly and communicable diseases are ones that the naked eye cannot see. COVID-19 definitely was an eye opener for many. Although we cannot generally see them, bacteria, fungi and viruses can and...

Honest talk about SoClean and Lumin Sanitization Machines

There has been so much controversy out there regarding these sanitization machines.  They are great units to help sanitize your CPAP equipment.  The biggest misconception that people have is they consider these machines as “cleaners”.  When in reality they are really not cleaners, but sanitizers.  One should still clean their equipment and then use one of these machines to sanitize their equipment afterwards.  These sanitation machines are not built like a dishwasher, where the machine washes away any dirt and grime that has built up and then sanitizes at the end of the cleaning cycle.  Part of having a CPAP machine involves routine cleaning, and if one does not do this on a regular basis you could possibly be harming your health rather than improving it.

Better Understanding Sleep Apnea Types & Symptoms

The quickest and easiest way to explain sleep apnea is that a person stops breathing while they sleep. To get more detailed, it is a series repeated stoppages and starts of breathing. Now, it is normal for a person to quickly stop breathing while they sleep. To be considered an apnea, this series of events has to exceed 5 times per hour for over 10 seconds per event.

The good news is that your body stays aware of your breathing and usually won't let a stoppage continue for long. The bad news is that your body's defense mechanism is to wake you up. So, if you are not sleeping well and suspect it might be the result of sleep apnea here is a quick article to give you some of the details of sleep apneas.