Monday, March 12, 2018
If you are flying, here are some tips you may have not been aware of. Your PAP device is considered a piece of medical equipment and therefore should not
be counted against you as one of your carry-on (You can check with your airline to make sure of the policy). DO NOT put it your checked luggage. Checked
luggage are at times subject to rough handling and your PAP may not arrive in the…
Monday, October 16, 2017
By Carol Smith, PA-C. Sleep Medicine Physician Assistant at Iowa Sleep
I get many questions on cleaning of CPAP equipment so I decided to write some information about the topic.
There are things that need to be done each day and there are things that can be done on a less frequent basis.
DAILY : Wash your face before putting mask on. Wash mask liner when removing it in on awakening with…
Monday, January 16, 2017
Written by Carol Smith, PA-C
There are many different signs of sleep apnea. We have listed the 10 signs that see very frequently in our patients.
Snoring. Loud snoring is common but not consistent across the board with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients. Lack
of snoring does not negate risk of sleep apnea.
Gasping or choking arousals from sleep. These symptoms…
Wednesday, November 16, 2016
If you wear Positive Airway Pressure (PAP) therapy, you were walked through the steps in cleaning your equipment. For many, that may have been a long time
ago, in a place far, far away…so let us have a refresher!
One of the most important factors in determining compliance with PAP wear (aside from mask fit) is taking proper care of your equipment. For therapy to
be successful, you…
Monday, September 19, 2016
By Vicki Richmond, RPSGT, Technical Director
Home sleep testing is becoming popular with patients and and more insurance companies require them, rather than in laboratory testing as a starting
point. Home sleep tests are capable of diagnosing sleep apnea, but are unable to diagnose other sleep disorders like narcolepsy, parasomnias, and
sleep movement disorders.
The question…
Monday, May 23, 2016
Summer is almost here, which means kids will be out of school and family vacations will be underway. To make sure you have enough energy to enjoy the sights,
activities and long hours that come with vacations (or long meetings that come with business travel), it’s important to make sure you’re getting quality
sleep every night.
For people with sleep apnea, traveling with a CPAP can seem…
Monday, February 08, 2016
More than 18 million American adults have sleep apnea, but many more let it go untreated. Last week, we discussed what happens when OSA goes untreated on our blog, and the health concerns that can arise if
it is left untreated. Like many other health issues, the risks associated with this sleep problem significantly decrease when it is treated.
There are multiple ways to treat sleep…
Monday, February 01, 2016
Obstructive sleep apnea, otherwise referred to as OSA, is a sleep-related breathing disorder that involves a decrease or complete halt in airflow,
despite an ongoing effort to breathe. While sleep apnea affects more men than women, anyone can experience OSA. Learn more about the different types of OSA.
During sleep, breathing pauses can last from a few seconds to minutes long, and…
Monday, October 19, 2015
If you’ve ever been told you snore, or suddenly stop breathing during your sleep, you may be experiencing obstructive sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is
a common disorder where a sleeper experience one or more pauses in breathing or shallow breaths because of excess skin blocking the airway the throat
while they are asleep. These pauses can last anywhere from a couple seconds to more than 30…
Monday, October 05, 2015
During Iowa’s colder months or periods during of stressful events in our lives, it’s natural to occasionally feel sad or “down in the dumps.” However,
when that feeling seems to linger for longer periods of time, it could be a sign of depression. How does this relate to sleep? Well, individuals who
experience depression are also more likely to have symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea. OSA…