Obstructive sleep apnea is a dangerous illness caused by disrupted breathing while sleeping, identified in millions of people. People with sleep apnea have recurrent pauses in breathing when the airway at the back of their throat gets obstructed during sleep. Continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, therapy is one of the most effective treatments for sleep apnea. Through its proper usage, a CPAP machine delivers constant pressurized air through a hose and mask to prevent the obstacles that block the airways while sleeping, thereby curing the disorder. When your breathing becomes regular, your body stops waking up, allowing you to have a more peaceful, deep sleep throughout the night. Improper CPAP machines may cause problems, including leakage of the mask, difficulty falling asleep, a stuffy nose, and a dry mouth. So, always keep your CPAP machine with an adjustable pressure level and use it correctly.

What is the importance of pressure management in a CPAP machine?

The most important thing is to make sure your CPAP equipment settings are suitable for your situation, especially the pressure setting, which should be under the guidance of a sleeping specialist or physician for a decent night's sleep. A CPAP machine will consider several factors for a comfortable pressure setting for you: age, gender, weight, sleep posture, and present condition. Sleep apnea is not only the criterion determining your CPAP machine pressure level. The pressure in your CPAP machine is measured in centimetres of water pressure or cmH2O. Most CPAP devices can provide up to 25 cmH2O, which is considered too much for the average sleep apnea patient; it is better to discuss with your physician and set your comfort level with his assistance. Your CPAP device pressure may need to adjust with your present condition. For example, snoring while using your CPAP equipment may signal that the level is no longer appropriate for you and some fine-tuning is required.

What happens if your CPAP pressure adjustment is avoided

Despite using your CPAP machine, you may still have difficulty breathing during the night if the pressure is too low. Your body needs enough pressure to keep your airways open, or it will not obtain the required oxygen during the night. Those who have more than five apneas or hypopneas will almost certainly require additional air pressure. You'll probably need to raise the air pressure if you're still snoring loudly despite using your CPAP accessories. It's crucial to ensure your equipment isn't leaking air, as this might lead to snoring. If your device's pressure setting is too low, you may develop aerophagia, which leads patients to swallow air into their stomachs while gasping for breath throughout the night. Bloating, gas, pain, and excessive belching are possible side effects.

What happens if CPAP pressure adjustment is very high

If you are adjusting to a very high CPAP pressure, it results in discomfort in your mouth, nose, or airways, making it difficult to fall asleep at night and causing your overall therapy to fail. You won't get enough sleep, and waking up during the night due to discomfort from too much air will leave you tired in the morning. Daytime weariness is precisely what your CPAP equipment is designed to prevent. So if you're feeling discomfort because the device's settings are too high, it defeats the purpose. If the air pressure in CPAP equipment is too high, it may result in aerophagia, where you swallow air in a gasp. Extreme air pressure can also render a burning feeling in the nose and throat and fluid entering the ears at night, causing hearing problems and fluid leakage.

How to set up your CPAP machine

The first step is to determine where you want to fix your machine; a stand or table near your bed would be ideal. Ensure the hose easily reaches your bed to manage its plug, and don't forget to add water to the humidifier. Most CPAP machines have a filter check to ensure that the hose is attached correctly to the CPAP machine and the face mask. To avoid dry mouth and throat at night, many CPAP machines have humidifiers that keep the air moist. Ensure that the CPAP humidifier is filled with distilled water only. Distilled water prevents mineral buildup or contamination problems caused by tap water. After all, you can connect it with your electrical outlet after these checks out. 

A gauge pressure sensor measures the air pressure applied to the machine by the patient. With a CPAP machine, the pressure is set to a particular value according to the patient's health condition and is applied continuously throughout the treatment. In some procedures, a second gauge sensor monitors the air pressure coming back from the patient to ensure that there is no leakage due to the incorrectly placed mask.