If you’re new to using a CPAP machine, it’s normal to wonder about all sorts of things. There are pros and cons to mostly everything and the same goes for the CPAP machine. Let me show you the answers.
So, can a CPAP machine hurt your lungs? Rarely, but yes. If the air pressure is too high, it can end up hurting or irritating your lungs instead. If the machine is unclean, it can cause an infection too.
This is why it is important to know the right air pressure that your body needs and can tolerate. The lungs is where your airways are and the CPAP machine helps keep the lungs from “collapsing”.
If the pressure is too high, the CPAP machine may end up doing the opposite of what it should and cause the lungs to collapse, making your sleep apnea worse.
You must consult your doctor or get sleep tested to determine the amount of pressure you need.
Previous models of CPAP machines are unable to adjust the air pressure that your body needs, some have a fixed air pressure and some can be manually adjusted.
You shouldn’t adjust the air pressure without asking your doctor first.
Another thing is maintaining the machine properly.
Remember, you are breathing through the CPAP machine. So, if it is unclean, you will also be breathing unclean air. The surrounding area must be clean too.
If you end up using a mishandled CPAP machine, you may really accidentally hurt your lungs.
A CPAP machine must be cleaned at least once a week, along with all the parts that can be disassembled. It should be properly cleaned to avoid mineral build up that can infect your lungs later on.
It can happen rarely, but it is still best to be careful.
What to do if a CPAP machine hurt your lungs
- Change masks
- Sometimes, the problem may be with the mask. You can contact your device’s manufacturer or consult a health expert for advice on what kind of mask should you use.
- Check for leaks
- The problem might be with the mask. The leak might cause unfiltered air to be breathed in.
If the mask is okay but there are leaks, you can consider using a mask liner that can help properly seal the mask and avoid leaks.
- The problem might be with the mask. The leak might cause unfiltered air to be breathed in.
- Use a different humidifier
- Humidifiers can cause irritation for your lungs, try to use a different setting and see if the problem persists. You can also try to stop using the humidifier to check for any difference.
- Try adjusting the pressure
- The CPAP machine may be giving you higher air pressure than what you should be receiving. Try to lower it and see if it will make a difference.
- Clean your CPAP machine
- It is important to clean your CPAP machine at least once a week, if your health is vulnerable or very sensitive, cleaning it daily is recommended.
- Verify if you have allergies
- You must find out if you have any allergies for product materials like silicone which is often used in producing the masks. If that is the case, then switch to another mask.
- Stop using the CPAP machine
- Stop using the CPAP machine for a while to see if there will be any difference. If your lungs continue to hurt, then the CPAP machine may not be the problem.
- Stop or limit smoking
- Smoking can also irritate your lungs, it is also one of the reasons why a person can be prone to sleep apnea. Limit or avoid smoking to avoid causing your lungs to swell.
You should also avoid secondhand smoke if you are not a smoker. Going to sleep with CPAP machine after being exposed to smoke and using high air pressure can hurt your lungs.
- Smoking can also irritate your lungs, it is also one of the reasons why a person can be prone to sleep apnea. Limit or avoid smoking to avoid causing your lungs to swell.
- Avoid overusing the machine
- The average or minimum amount of usage for the CPAP machine is only for 6 to 7 hours. Going beyond or longer than 8 hours can possibly cause irritation or drying up your lungs.
- Visit your doctor
- You can consult your sleep apnea doctor first or CPAP machine provider for ideas. If the fault is within the CPAP machine, the manufacturer can be held responsible and cover your expenses.
Sometimes, they can also replace the machine if it is faulty.
- You can consult your sleep apnea doctor first or CPAP machine provider for ideas. If the fault is within the CPAP machine, the manufacturer can be held responsible and cover your expenses.
How a CPAP machine can hurt your body
Although it is usually unheard of, CPAP machine can also have some disadvantages. Not everyone knows of them because it doesn’t always happen, but there are still reported cases of it.
The modern CPAP machines probably have lesser disadvantages, but here are the possible disadvantages of a CPAP machine that can hurt your body, not just your lungs.
- Drying the skin
- The CPAP machine can, without a doubt, dry the skin with the air pressure it gives along with the humidifier. Try using skin lotions in the morning or after bathing to counter this effect.
- Lack of comfort
- CPAP masks are usually attached to the machine using a wire or a cord that is sometimes, not long enough to let the users move freely. This is one of the top disadvantages of CPAP.
- Dry and stuffy nose
- Similar to the skin, the CPAP machine can dry out your nose too.
- Not good for claustrophobic patients
- Even those who are not claustrophobic may feel “suffocated” when wearing the mask and have the short cord that limits their movement.
- Skin irritation
- The air pressure can cause the skin to be irritated or pressured. If the machine is also not properly maintained, it can lead to severe irritation that may spread out.
- Triggers certain allergic reaction
- Depending on the materials used to fabricate the mask and other parts of the machine that makes contact with your skin, it may or may not trigger specific allergic reactions.
- Loud noises
- Just like any typical airing device, the CPAP machine makes loud noises whenever it is on. This can make it harder to sleep or for anyone that can hear it.
- You may read about “How to Quiet Down a CPAP Machine” for some tips.
- Dry mouth
- Not only your nose, but the CPAP machine can also dry out your mouth. This may lead to infection if the machine is also not properly maintained.
- Difficulty falling asleep
- Every person is different, not everyone can easily get used to sleeping with a mask on that is attached to a loud machine with a short wire. It can be very challenging or even stressful.
- Accidentally unplugging the machine
- Due to the short cord that some CPAP machines are designed with, when the user falls into sleep and unconsciously moves around, they may end up unplugging the machine.
But most of these disadvantages are not common. Especially with the newly developed CPAP machines. They are now even better and can provide better comfort!
Why a CPAP machine protects your lungs
Rather than hurting, the CPAP machine’s responsibility is actually protecting your lungs or stopping it from collapsing. Using CPAP will avoid other health risks that may also affect your lungs.
There are many benefits of using the CPAP machine, you can check the following list below that can help convince you how good a CPAP machine is for your health.
- Lessen daytime sleepiness
- Sleep apnea can make it difficult to fall asleep at night. If you use CPAP, you may prevent this.
- Anti-snoring device
- Using a CPAP mask can control snoring tendencies. Sleep apnea patients are often loud and constant snorers but with CPAP, now you can sleep better.
- No more morning headaches
- Sleep apnea also causes headaches. CPAP users report better mornings without headaches after using CPAP.
- Avoid heart failures
- May lead to fatal conditions such as brain damages or even death, CPAP can prevent heart failures caused by sleep apnea.
- Avoid heart attacks
- Sleep apnea can trigger heart attacks and can also be severely threatening however, this can be prevented by using the CPAP machine.
- Stop irregular heartbeats
- Irregular heartbeats worsens the ability to breathe and it can trigger anxiety but CPAP can bring your heartbeat pattern back to normal.
- Prevent stroke
- Getting hit by stroke can leave permanent damage that may lead to paralysis. Sleep apnea can also be the cause of stroke but the help of CPAP machine can lessen the risk of stroke.
- Improved control for emotions
- Sleep apnea can cause irritability and mental or emotional problems because it affects our physical health and our brain but CPAP can prevent it.
- Helps the body control your hormones
- Being sleep deprived can actually trigger diabetic tendencies! This is because your hormones will lose control due to lack of sleep which can be prevented or fixed by CPAP machines.
- Avoid uncontrolled weight gain or loss
- Sleep apnea also messes with the body’s hormones, causing the patient to usually gain weight uncontrollably. For rare cases, patients lose weight too. CPAP machines can prevent this.
- Avoiding high blood pressure
- Aside from your physical health, hypertension can also affect your mental health and relationship with people around you including your work. CPAP treatment can prevent this.
- Better ability to focus and memorize
- Sleep apnea reduces your ability to focus and worsens ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), but using CPAP machine can improve your ability to focus!
- Avoid driving accidents
- People with sleep apnea are prone to daytime sleepiness and can get sleepy while driving or lose focus which can lead to accidents, using a CPAP machine can prevent that.
- Wake up with full energy
- With sleep apnea, your energy will be reduced since you are unable to sleep well. The CPAP machine can fix that for you.
- Eliminates risk of seizure
- Sleep apnea patients are more prone to seizures during sleep compared to epilepsy patients without sleep apnea.
- Reduce medical expenses
- Untreated sleep apnea can lead to worsened health conditions or bring in other risky illnesses that can be prevented by using a CPAP machine, this way, you can avoid extra medical bills.
Related Questions
Can you get a lung infection from a CPAP machine?
Yes, it is possible to get a lung infection from using a CPAP machine. That is only if the CPAP machine is not properly cleaned and maintained.
The surrounding air should also be clean. If you are exposed to filthy air, you may end up breathing unfiltered, dirty air that can infect your lungs.
Can sleep apnea cause lung problems?
Yes, sleep apnea can cause lung problems. Sleep apnea disrupts the entire body’s functionality that may lead to several health problems, not just lung related problems.
It is an accompanying disease that comes in with a related problem or invites another one. In any case, a lung problem and sleep apnea, regardless of who came first, worsens each other and must be cured asap.
