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Besides feeling better during the day, patients with sleep apnea may live longer when using CPAP. This page provides information on CPAP, answers common questions, and can help solve some problems that may occur when initially using CPAP.

What is CPAP?

A mask is placed over the nose (and mouth, in some cases) during sleep. The CPAP machine blows air into the upper airway. This holds the throat open and prevents both snoring and apnea events (periods of not breathing).

Sucking hard on a thin paper straw when drinking a thick milkshake may cause the straw to collapse. This is similar to what happens to the airway during an apnea event. Blowing into the straw will cause it to open. Likewise, blowing air into the upper airway during sleep also holds it open.