Sleep apnea is a disorder where a person’s airway collapses, which causes their breathing to stop and start while they are sleeping. This disorder affects five to ten percent of adults in the United States. Sleep apnea causes symptoms like excessive daytime fatigue, poor concentration, loud snoring, gasping for air during sleep, and morning headaches.

When sleep apnea goes untreated, it can cause serious health problems. Some of the potential issues caused by sleep apnea include high blood pressure, heart problems, type 2 diabetes, and liver problems. However, there is a simple way to treat sleep apnea, and that is through the use of a CPAP machine. Learn more about how CPAP machines work, replacing the parts in a CPAP machine, and cleaning a CPAP machine below.

How Does Your CPAP Machine Work?

A CPAP machine is made up of several different parts. The parts of your CPAP machine include a mask, filters, tubing, and a humidifier. Your CPAP machine Getting Used to The CPAP Face Maskbrings in air from the room and filters it to remove dust, dirt, and other particles. After filtering the air is pressurized. It is essential that the air be a specific pressure to prevent your airway from collapsing. The pressurized air then flows through the tubing and into the mask which covers your mouth while you sleep. CPAP machines also often have a humidifier. A humidifier is not required, but it is useful for making the air warmer and adding moisture so that it is easier on your throat as you breathe.

These different parts of your CPAP machine work together to treat your sleep apnea. This machine helps you have a restful night’s sleep so that you do not experience the symptoms associated with sleep apnea. However, it is imperative that you replace the parts in your CPAP machine regularly and maintain the machine correctly.

When Do the Parts in Your CPAP Machine Need to be Replaced?

There are a few different parts to your CPAP machine, and these parts need occasional replacement to keep your machine functioning at peak performance.

Your mask is an integral part of your CPAP machine. It is essential that your mask fits well to ensure the pressurized air gets to your throat and lungs. CPAP masks wear out more quickly than other parts of the machine, so they require regular replacement. You should consider replacing your CPAP mask every three months. Your CPAP tubing experiences wear and tear after repeated nightly use and need replacement a few times a year as well. Finally, you have filters on your CPAP machine. These filters make sure you are getting clean air into your system. Your CPAP filters require replacement twice a month for optimal performance.

Replacing the parts in your CPAP machine is just one way that you maintain this machine. It is also vital to clean your CPAP machine regularly.

How Often Should You Clean Your CPAP Machine?

Cleaning your CPAP machine is very a necessary step toward keeping it running correctly. To effectively treat your sleep apnea it is recommended that you use your CPAP machine every night while you sleep. Regular use allows dirt, germs, and bacteria to collect in the machine components. You could be breathing in those germs and bacteria every night unless you clean your CPAP machine regularly. A dirty CPAP machine can cause airway irritation, sore throat, sneezing, skin irritation, and even respiratory infection.

As discussed above, there are multiple parts to your CPAP machine. These parts require cleaning at different frequencies in connection with their usage. For example, your CPAP mask comes into contact with your skin every night, so manufacturers recommended that you clean your CPAP mask after each use. Your CPAP tubing should only need cleaning once a week.

Since frequent cleaning of your machine is necessary, what is the best way to clean your CPAP machine? You may wash the CPAP machine parts with soap and water, but that can be challenging and time-consuming. Another way to clean your CPAP machine is with a CPAP cleaning device.

A CPAP cleaning device like VirtuCLEAN will do all the work of cleaning your CPAP machine for you. You simply attach your VirtuCLEAN device to the CPAP tubing, put your CPAP mask in the VirtuCLEAN bag, and then turn the machine on. The VirtuCLEAN CPAP cleaner sanitizes your CPAP machine in just 30 minutes and kills 99.9% of germs and bacteria.

If you are treating your sleep apnea with a CPAP machine, it is critical that you maintain it correctly. We hope this article helped you learn more about caring for and cleaning your CPAP machine.