Frequently Asked Questions

I Think I Might Have Sleep Apnea. How Do I Find Out For Sure?

If you suspect that you have sleep apnea or any other sleep disorder, you should speak with your family physician. Your family physician will refer you to a sleep specialist who will most likely order a sleep study (polysomnogram) in a sleep lab. During a sleep study, your sleep will be monitored by sleep technologists. Some of the parameters recorded during the study are brainwaves, muscle tone, breathing efforts, heartbeat, body position, blood oxygen level and airflow at the nose and the mouth. All of this information will be interpreted by the sleep specialist and will notify you of the findings. If the diagnosis of a sleep disorder is made, you will be advised by the sleep specialist of the available therapeutic options.

Is There Any Financial Assistance Available For CPAP Equipment?

Third-party (private) insurance policies will usually pay for at least a portion of the cost of CPAP equipment. Please check with your health insurance provider.

How Often Should I Replace My CPAP Equipment?

For optimum performance and hygienic purposes replace every 6 months. Please note that the replacement intervals shown below are only guidelines. You should refer to your equipment’s operation manual(s) for manufacturers’ recommendations.

NOTE: Most insurance providers will fund replacement CPAP masks and CPAP accessories at the intervals below.

• CPAP Mask - For an optimal mask seal and for hygienic reasons, replace every 6 months.
• CPAP Filters (Washable) - Replace every 4-6 months
• CPAP Filters (Disposable) - Replace every 2 months (when dirty or gray)
• CPAP Tubing - Replace yearly or earlier if broken or worn out.
• CPAP Machine - as required. Although many machines continue to operate with no issues, all CPAP machines have an intended service life of five (5) years.

How Often Should I Clean My CPAP Equipment And What Do I Use To Clean?

Please note that the cleaning intervals and methods listed below are only MINIMUM guidelines. You should refer to your equipment’s operation manual(s) for manufacturers’ cleaning instructions.

• CPAP Mask - Wash daily. Wash mask cushion with dish detergent and water.
• CPAP Filters (Washable) - Clean weekly by rinsing in water and by letting air dry.
• CPAP Tubing - Wash weekly in warm soapy water.
• Humidification Chamber (Water Container) - Wash weekly in warm water and dish detergent.

I Wake Up With A Dry Nose And/Or Mouth. Is There Anything I Can Do To Remedy This?

This is first and foremost a symptom of a lack of humidity in the air delivered to your CPAP mask. To add more humidity (moisture) to the CPAP air flow, you will have to increase your heated humidifier setting. If you do not know or remember how to adjust your humidifier setting, please contact your CPAP vendor or refer to your CPAP machine’s operation manual. If you have a dry mouth despite increasing your humidifier’s setting, it is possible that air is escaping from your mouth while you sleep. A chin strap or full face mask will usually solve this problem. Your CPAP vendor will be able to further advise you if this sounds like your situation.

How Often Will My CPAP Machine Setting Need To Be Adjusted?

Unless you experience a significant weight gain or loss, the CPAP setting does not normally change. It is possible that your sleep specialist will want you to have follow-up sleep studies to evaluate the effectiveness of your therapy. If this is the case, you will be notified by the sleep specialist if your CPAP prescription changes after a follow-up sleep study. Some sleep specialists will perform follow up sleep studies only if sleep apnea symptoms return. If you feel as though your CPAP therapy is no longer effective, you are encouraged to contact your sleep specialist and to notify your CPAP vendor.