Is Your CPAP Pressure Too High? Here's How to Fix It.
Robert Kitt
One of the important things to get adapted to your CPAP therapy is discovering the right air pressure for you.
This isn’t always simple especially if you have a CPAP device that requires an accurate pressure to be set. Auto-adjusting CPAP devices are set to a specific pressure scale. Auto-adjusting CPAP machines use the input they receive from your breathing, indicating they’re easier to get adjusted to.
It can take time and changes to get your CPAP pressure scale just right for you. There isn’t a right or wrong pressure fixing; the best one is the one that handles your sleep apnea and provides you with a comfortable sleep.
By obtaining your ideal CPAP pressure, you can guarantee that you are using your CPAP therapy in a form that is comfortable, safe, and efficient while also limiting any side effects.
What Is the Normal Pressure for Managing Sleep Apnea?
When you begin using CPAP therapy for sleep apnea, your doctor will have you go through a method known as titration to come at the right pressure suitable for you. This means that you will experiment with different CPAP pressure scales until your ideal level is reached.
The average device can auto-adjust between 4 and 20 cm of water (cmH2O). CmH2O is the unit that estimates the pressure in CPAP machines and the centimetres of water pressure. One cmH2O is the value of air pressure needed to raise a column of water by one centimetre.
The most frequent pressure setting for a CPAP machine is 10 cmH2O, and the average pressure scale for treating Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) ranges from 6 to 15 cmH2O. In some cases, a person may require higher or lower pressure than that 4 to 20 range.
The highest pressure possible on your CPAP machine will depend on the type you own, but in most cases, CPAP pressure settings max out at 20 cmH2O.
What Type of CPAP Masks Are Ideal for High Pressures?
The mask option is personal and ranges from person to person. One that works well for you may be a bad fit for different CPAP users. This is because we all have separate mask requirements based on which of the three types of sleep apnea you’re treating, face shapes, amount of facial hair, sleeping postures, and all the other things that go into finding the perfect mask for you.
How to Tell if Your CPAP Pressure Needs Adjusting
Your CPAP device needs a check-up regularly just like your body. If your CPAP therapy is feeling exhausted, you are still tired after getting your prescribed hours of sleep, your sleep was poor quality, or you are beginning to feel sick after not sufficient quality sleep, it might be time to see if you need to have your CPAP pressure balanced.
Not having the right pressure dialled in is akin to not having CPAP therapy at all. You’ll continue encountering the same problems you had before you began your CPAP therapy, such as difficulty breathing while asleep and loud snoring although the latter may be characteristic of a leaky mask.
Another pressure-related distress is if you awake from your set CPAP pressure. You could indeed need an adaptation, but this is a general problem for new CPAP wearers who are getting fixed to the pressure. Some new CPAP users report waking up in the morning without their mask on and do not remember removing it during the night. If you do this more than several times when you start your CPAP therapy, you’re likely using the wrong mask or your pressure requires a tweak.
If your pressure was continuously set at a certain cmH2O level and now it’s waking you up, it’s time for a new titration study. However, if you’re new to CPAP therapy and are encountering issues, give it a few more nights to get accepted to CPAP therapy.
Feeling awkward due to the pressure frame may be a sign that you need to titrate your way up or down. Pay careful consideration to how you feel during practice, throughout the night, and the day following to measure whether you are using the right level of pressure.
What Are the After-effects of Your CPAP Pressure Being Too High?
Getting a level of pressure that is sufficient to keep your airway open in a safe way is required. However, there is such a thing as ‘too high’ when it comes to your CPAP settings. If your CPAP pressure is too high, your signs and side effects can include:
1. Air leaks from your mask
2. Dry mouth and throat
3. Aerophagia: a condition that makes a CPAP wearer swallow air into their bellies and can result in bloating.
4. An Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI) above the normal five events per hour
5. Feeling tired or fatigued during the day
Some specialists worry that installing your CPAP pressure too high can lead to pressure-induced CSA. In opposition to OSA, which is created by your airways being checked, CSA is the result of the breathing signs failing to be transferred from your brain.
How Do I Adjust My CPAP Pressure?
Individuals shouldn't adjust their CPAP pressure themselves. If you are having difficulty with your pressure levels, you can request your doctor to order a new titration study to assess the right scale of pressure for you.
Another choice to discuss with your doctor is changing to an auto-adjusting CPAP machine (APAP). APAPs automatically modify your pressure during your therapy, which considerably decreases the chances of having a pressure that is too steep.
Your device may also have a CPAP pressure support setting called expiratory pressure relief. Expiratory pressure relief enables you to change between three different pleasure settings to relieve any feeling of breathlessness.