DanM

Thanks, Jorja. We can add that to the list of fact sheets!

Welcome, Member312135!

Great information here on where to find information on research studies. Please let us know if there is specific educational material you would like to see on MyApnea.Org!

Dan

We are noticing a lot of great posts in the MyApnea.Org Forums about help with mask fit, different types of treatment, tips for overcoming some of the issues that members experience with treatment, and general positive and supportive posts about member experiences. Great job, and keep the conversation going!

As a sleep technologist and sleep educator, I would like to know what educational information or materials you think might be helpful to our community. If you have checked out the “Learn” section of MyApnea.Org, then you know we have information about sleep apnea and PAP devices. Are there other topics you would like to learn about? Let us hear from you!

Dan Mobley, RPSGT, CCSH is a Senior Project Manager, Sleep Technologist and Sleep Educator at Brigham and Women's Hospital

Hi Member303535. I was just reading through the MyApnea.Org forums and saw your post about pressure sores on your nose. Has this improved for you? Pressure sores can be caused by headgear that is too tight, an improperly sized mask, or even sleeping position if your position is causing the mask to be pushed against your face. Sometimes the material the mask is made from causes this problem, and a mask made from softer materials might help. There are companies that make different types of liners for masks to help decrease irritation of the mask against skin, and I have seen moleskin fabric used as a liner. Pressure sores can become quite uncomfortable, and you should talk to your doctor or home care company if this is still a problem. Finding a solution for the discomfort and soreness might help you keep your mask in place for more than 2 hours! Good luck!

Great tip, DarrelD.

I often tell new CPAP users to practice wearing their CPAP device while awake. Make sure to turn the machine on so you get used to the air pressure and not just to wearing the mask. A CPAP mask should never be worn for long periods of time without the machine turned on.

Many CPAP users have difficulty tolerating the feeling of air being forced into the nose and/or mouth while trying to fall asleep. To help with this, most devices have a "ramp" feature. The ramp feature starts the CPAP at a very low pressure and automatically increases the pressure over time to make falling asleep more comfortable. The length of ramp time varies, but it can be adjusted on most machines. Ask your home care provider how to adjust the ramp time on your machine if you feel the air pressure rises too quickly while you are trying to fall asleep. You should also ask your home care provider if the ramp feature starts automatically or if you need to start it manually. Many machines have a ramp button that can be pressed to start the ramp feature. If you wake up during the night and have difficulty going back to sleep because of the air pressure, you can press the ramp button to lower the pressure while you fall back to sleep.