Sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder where the upper airway becomes blocked during sleep. This happens repeatedly, and it causes airflow to slow or stop altogether. Sleep apnea can be a severe disorder because it can lead to other health problems. Those with sleep apnea can suffer from fatigue, excessive daytime sleepiness, and more. They also have a higher risk of developing heart problems and diabetes. The good news is that you can treat sleep apnea. Most often, the treatment recommended for this disorder is using a CPAP machine.
A CPAP machine works to regulate a person’s breathing by delivering pressurized air to them through a CPAP mask and tubing. This method can be very useful intreating sleep apnea and giving a person a good night’s rest. However, a CPAP machine requires regular cleaning and maintenance. A dirty CPAP machine can cause various health problems for the person using it. Learn more about the problems caused by a dirty CPAP machine and how to use a CPAP cleaning device to clean your machine below.
Dangers of a Dirty CPAP Machine
As stated above, it can be dangerous to use a dirty CPAP machine. Your CPAP machine is something that you use every night while you sleep, so it collects germs and bacteria easily. That means if you continue to use your CPAP machine without cleaning it regularly, you will be breathing in germs and bacteria while you sleep. There is also a danger of breathing in mold while you are using your CPAP machine because the humidifier is a warm, moist place where mold can grow. If you breathe in germs, bacteria, or mold, it can lead to health problems including:
- Airway Irritation
- Skin Irritation
- Sore Throat
- Sneezing
- Skin Irritation
- Respiratory Infection
As you can see, there is quite a list of health problems associated with a dirty CPAP machine. A dirty CPAP machine will also cause your CPAP equipment to stink, which means it is past due for a good cleaning. To prevent the illness and irritation caused by dirty CPAP equipment, all you have to do is clean your machine regularly. Learn more about how to clean your CPAP machine below.
How to Clean Your CPAP Machine
There are a few different ways to clean your CPAP machine. The first way is to use soap and water. This is an acceptable way to clean your CPAP machine, but you will want to be sure that you use a gentle and non-fragrant soap if you are cleaning this way. Another way to clean your CPAP machine is by using vinegar. Many people do this for their CPAP hose, but it is important to remember to dilute the vinegar with water and not to use any other products while you are doing this part.
Both of these cleaning options are good ones, but they can be time-consuming and challenging. You will also want to be sure you get your CPAP machine entirely dried out once you finish cleaning it. That can take a while! If you want a clean CPAP machine without all the work that hand washing takes, you should use a CPAP cleaning device like RESCOMF. RESCOMF will do all the work of cleaning your CPAP machine for you so that you don’t have to worry about it.
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