CPAP Clinic

This section provides comprehensive information on CPAP use and potential issues you may encounter.  Simply click on any of the headings below to go to the relevant section:

Frequently Asked Questions about CPAP

User-friendly CPAP Guide

CPAP and Humidification

Frequently Asked Questions about Humidification

CPAP Equipment Maintenance

More Information on CPAP

Links to CPAP Manufacturers

Sleep Services Australia can offer you troubleshooting and CPAP purchasing advice - including which equipment would suit you, and how to take care of your equipment.

We recommend that you have a Sleep Study every 12 months, or more if you have lost or gained weight.  This will ensure that your CPAP equipment is working as well as it should, and to make any necessary adjustments to the CPAP Machine and/or Mask.

During that time, you take some positive steps to help with your Obstructive Sleep Apnoea:

• Lose weight, if required (click here to go to our "Obesity Management"  Page for detailed information)
• Exercise regularly
• Avoid alcohol 4 hours before going to sleep
• Avoid caffeine and smoking 4 hours before going to sleep

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This user-friendly section of our website is dedicated to providing detailed information on Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) treatment.

A major role of the upper airway is to cleanse, warm, and to humidify the air we breathe. This protects our airways by preventing the cells from drying out, and is an important defence against lung infection.

Exposure to cool dry gases, as in Continuous Positive Airways Pressure (CPAP), especially during winter, creates a humidity deficit in the airway because moisture is absorbed from the lining of the airway to compensate for this deficit.  The following diagram illustrates this:

Nasal symptoms are common in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), before treatment. A minority of patients starting CPAP will report a decrease in nasal symptoms, many will report new or increased symptoms such as nasal congestion, dry nose and throat, sore throat and bleeding nose.

>Many patients on CPAP have difficulty breathing through their nose, which predisposes them to mouth breathing. When CPAP is applied to a chronic mouth breather, the result is usually a mouth leak, which worsens the nasal symptoms.

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CPAP humidification heats water in a canister via a heater plate, thereby creating water vapour.

Water vapour is then carried through the CPAP tubing and mask to the CPAP user’s airway.

Symptoms:

• Nasal congestion, blockage or nasal discharge
• Dry nose and throat - May indicate mouth leak
• Sore throat - May indicate mouth leak
• Bleeding nose
• Mucous production

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If you are using humidification and the symptoms of nasal congestion are still present, your humidification setting may not be adequate. Each night increase the temperature setting by one unit until symptoms are alleviated. If your symptoms persist, contact Sleep Services Australia for assistance.

Breathing through your mouth can make your nasal symptoms worse, if you are suffering a dry and/or sore throat, you may require a strap to keep your mouth closed. Contact Sleep Services Australia for advice and assistance with this.

• ALWAYS have the humidified CPAP machine lower than yourself.

• Close your bedroom windows at night.

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The ideal setting for your humidification will depend on your needs and on the temperature and humidity of your bedroom room. This may vary from night to night due to the over night temperature.

When using a humidifier with your CPAP you may notice condensation build up in the mask and tubing. A small amount of moisture beading on the inside of the CPAP tubing is acceptable.  However, if condensation is more visible than this, we advise that you take the following steps:

1. Increase the temperature in you bedroom
2. Decrease the humidifier temperature
3. Insulate the tubing with a fabric or knitted sleeve, bubble wrap, or purchase a commercially made insulating sleeve or heated CPAP tubing.

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Please note: These cleaning recommendations should NOT replace the instructions supplied by your equipment manufacturer.

• Your mask should be cleaned every morning. Wash the mask in warm soapy water, using a pure soap. Do not use hot water, detergents or bleaches as these may damage the mask. Rub the mask between your fingers to remove any oily residue.
• Rinse the mask, shake off any excess water, and leave the mask to dry.

• The head strap should be washed approximately once a week.
• Always wash it by hand in warm soapy water, using a gentle soap and thoroughly rinse the head strap, gently wring out any excess water.
• Dry away from of direct sunlight.

Humidifier chambers should be emptied each day, rinsed and left to dry.

• If you use a humidifier you should rinse the tubing with water each day and then hang to drip-dry.
• If you don’t use a humidifier, rinse the tubing monthly.

• All CPAP units have the dust filters at the back of the machine, which must be cleaned and/or changed periodically.
• Please check your instruction booklet to find instructions for you particular pump.
• It is important to check the filter as they do become blocked, your machine has to work harder to draw air into the unit and thereby reducing the CPAP machines efficiency and over time reducing its longevity.
• As a rule, we recommend you check your filter every two weeks, and clean it if necessary - you may use a vacuum or rinse it out, as per the instructions from the manufacturer of your equipment).
• The filter should be replaced at least every six months, or more often if you live in a dusty environment.

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• Click Here to go to our Introduction to CPAP page;
• Call our CPAP Clinic on 1300 867 533 (for the cost of a local call) *Charges may apply if you do not have an SSA Customer Card.
• Click here to download our user-friendly CPAP Guides and resources (in PDF format) - CPAP Troubleshooting Guide and
  Glossary of Terms

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• Fisher & Paykel - http://www.fphcare.com.au/osa/cpap.asp
• Respironics - http://mseries.respironics.com/ or http://remstar.respironics.com/
• ResMed - http://resmed.com.au/portal/site/ResMedAU/index.jsp?front_door=true

To view (pdf) files you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader. Click here for download or more information.

Please Note: The information on this page is intended to be used as a guide only and is not an authoritative statement. Please consult your family doctor or sleep  physician if you have further questions relating to the information provided here.

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