Mini CPAP is used for treating sleep apnea and it is something that was made possible thanks to technology. For those who are planning to get it but are having hesitations, I’ll gladly give you the details about mini CPAP.
So, do mini CPAP work? Yes, mini CPAP works for some people but the product is still under development and may not work perfectly for some people, unlike the traditional CPAP treatment method.
The mini CPAP’s job is to apply positive pressure to the airway without needing a hose as the name implies since sleep apnea is usually caused by an obstructed airway which makes breathing difficult during sleep.
It was designed to function the same way as the traditional CPAP machine. Apparently, mini CPAP was designed similar to the blowers used for cooling computers to provide air pressure that is needed by patients.
Since the mini CPAP is still under development even until today which is why patients with sleep apnea eventually settle for the surgery based treatments to get rid of the illness and finally have a good night’s rest.
The uncertainty with mini CPAP causes people to still use the traditional CPAP which is usually connected to a cord and requires a mask which may be uncomfortable for some people to use.
People with sleep apnea continue to seek better ways to treat the illness and hopefully, mini CPAP will be completely developed until it’s one hundred percent proven and tested.
The mini CPAP was invted by a man named Stephen A. Marsh with the thought of making the CPAP treatment more convenient than it used to be.
When using this treatment, it can lessen sleep apnea attacks and may eventually regulate the patient’s breathing and if the normal breathing becomes permanent, the sleep apnea may be eliminated.
Unfortunately, the quickest way to get rid of sleep apnea is through surgeries, but the CPAP treatment, it can slowly be cured but there may be uncertainties with the mini CPAP.
Even though mini CPAP is not fully optimized yet, if you’re not ready to undergo surgeries or you may think your sleep apnea is not severe, then a mini CPAP will be good for you. Read on to learn more about its features!
What are the advantages of a working mini CPAP
There are people who are already using mini CPAP and for those who can make it work, they are experiencing greater relief more than ever. If you’re hesitating, check this list of pros for using mini CPAP.
- Good for traveling
- Since it is small and light, it can be carried anywhere and used anytime the patient wants to sleep.
- More comfort during sleep
- Unlike the traditional mask for CPAP which is connected to the machine, the mask used for mini CPAP is cordless which makes users move comfortably during sleep.
- May cost less than the CPAP machine
- Mini CPAP costs approximately $250 to $600 but can also be up to $900 compared to the traditional ones costing $500, $850 up to $3000
It is not yet clear if there will be changes with the mini CPAP and how it works, but for now, it’s pretty obvious how convenient it can be due to its portability.
However, even if it does not work, it doesn’t pose any threat or harm to our body so people with sleep apnea can try the product without worry.
What can you do if mini CPAP does not work
There are plenty of alternative treatments for you to check if mini CPAP does not work for you. After all, the product is said to be under development.
Here are some proven and tested procedures that can treat sleep apnea.
- Rapid Maxillary Expansion
- For children with obstructive sleep apnea. This process places an expandable brace on the roof of the mouth that increases the width of the upper jaw (maxilla).
- Over time, parents can adjust the brace using a special key to increase the amount of pressure for the teeth.
- Jaw Advancement Surgery
- For teenagers and adults. This process will surgically break the jaw bones, moved forward and then fixed properly with screws and plates and will change the person’s facial structure or profile.
- It might take months to recover.
- Traditional CPAP Machine Treatment
- Works for any age. If the mini CPAP prototype doesn’t treat sleep apnea for you, try switching to the traditional one.
- The person diagnosed will have to use a mask connected to a machine that will force air to the obstructed airway from the oropharyngeal.
- The mask placed over the mouth or nose will blow air into the airway to help keep it open during sleep. Highly recommended and proven effective by a majority of sleep apnea patient.
- Surgical Airway Advancement
- Similar to the 2nd example. Bones of the upper and lower jaw will be repositioned in a way that will relieve airway obstruction.
Even though most of these treatments require surgeries, it’s honestly worth it since it will permanently get rid of sleep apnea for the patient. Better to eliminate the risk completely than “avoid” it every night.
Remember, the best way to determine which procedure would be best for your sleep apnea is by consulting a healthcare professional. Don’t undergo treatments you may not really need.
Why mini CPAP will not work
For some cases, even if we try to undergo treatments or surgeries, sleep apnea may still not go away and it can be due to other reasons that may be causing the illness or worsening it.
Check this list of factors that can be the reason why mini CPAP may not work for you.
- Obesity
- Can make breathing difficult even while asleep or not moving
- If you are using mini CPAP, try to maintain a healthy and balanced diet, exercise and lose weight to help make the treatment work better
- Hypothyroidism
- The condition wherein your body does not produce enough thyroid hormones, which is needed to control how to use energy received from food through metabolism. Bad metabolism can affect heartbeat and breathing.
- Even if you are using CPAP treatment, if you have hypothyroidism, your sleep apnea may persist
- Acromegaly
- Opposite of hypothyroidism, acromegaly produces too much growth hormones which can affect your overall health including breathing.
- Allergies
- There are certain allergies that can worsen sleep apnea. Allergies that result with difficulty in breathing are the likes.
- Try avoiding your allergies and see if mini CPAP will still be ineffective
- Smoking cigarettes
- Excessive smoking can damage your body which may make it harder to function or relax properly, increasing the risk of sleep apnea.
- Avoid smoking and it can try to make mini CPAP work better for you.
- Drinking liquor
- Too much liquor and drinking before going to sleep can cause sleep apnea.
- Avoid drinking liquor especially before going to bed and it can make the CPAP work better.
- Drug usage
- Sedations or other types of drugs especially when being abused can result in sleep apnea or worsen it.
- Being male
- Observations reveal that males tend to have sleep apnea more than females.
- Clearly, this factor is inevitable but this might mean you may need more than just CPAP treatment.
- Being old
- Observations also revealed that older adults are more prone to sleep apnea than younger ones due to more complicated health issues that may trigger sleep apnea
- Similar to being male, this may mean the CPAP will no longer be as effective as it should be especially if sleep apnea has been worsened by time.
Other natural causes of sleep apnea that may prevent CPAP from working can be a thick neck, narrow throat and having a round head.
Related Questions
- Does CPAP stop snoring?
Yes, CPAP can actually help stop snoring. Sleep apnea causes people to snore due to the difficulty in breathing and the CPAP treatment provides sufficient air for the patient to breathe normally.
Since the patient is breathing properly, the snoring may be lessened or even be stopped completely.
In case the snoring persists, we advice you to seek help from a medical professional.
- How many apneas per hour is normal?
There are different “levels” of sleep apnea. For normal sleep apneas, there can only be less than five apnea attacks per hour. With mild sleep apnea, patients can experience 5 up to 14 apnea attacks per hour.
For moderate sleep apnea, 15 up to 29 attacks can occur per hour.
According to observations, sleep apnea can stop a patient’s breathing for two seconds up to two minutes and this can happen approximately 400 times each night for moderate to severe sleep apnea.
- Does sleep apnea ever go away?
No, sleep apnea does not go away by itself for most cases. Unfortunately, sleep apnea is usually treated with surgeries and long therapies.
However, depending on the cause, sleep apnea may “go away” by itself at times. For example, excessive drinking of liquor then going to sleep can cause sleep apnea. Stopping that habit will make sleep apnea “go away”.
For people with narrow throats or such, the only way to make sleep apnea go away is by proper treatments or surgeries.
