The CPAP mask is a highly effective treatment for many, but it doesn’t suit everyone. In fact, a sizable percentage of sleep apnea sufferers and snorers end up not using the mask at all due to discomfort. There’s also a contingent of people who do not follow the treatment regimen as directed, making them “non-compliant” CPAP users.
People who dislike CPAP can be very vocal about why. It’s not hard to find online discussions about all of the treatment’s disadvantages, and the complaints, for these former users, are legitimate. CPAP problems often involve physical and emotional side effects such as:
- Distracting noises from the device, which can be just as troublesome as snoring in terms of interrupting sleep for both the CPAP user and his or her bed partner
- Skin irritation
- Physical discomfort from the mask and its straps
- Dryness and irritation in the nasal cavity, throat and mouth
- Runny nose
- Claustrophobic feelings and the impression of being suffocated when wearing the mask
If you are currently an unhappy CPAP user, these complaints may resonate with your own experience. But for those who suffer from a chronic snoring problem or sleep apnea and are not currently undergoing treatment, any of these complaints may be enough to make you think that the treatment for sleep apnea and snoring might be worse than simply muddling through with these conditions untreated. However, that’s not the case. And foregoing treatment for sleep apnea presents numerous health risks such as high blood pressure and increased chance of stroke, just to name a few.
Fortunately, Boston Center for Oral Health has another option to improve your quality of sleep. We are pleased to offer a CPAP alternative that can lessen or eliminate these undesirable CPAP side effects while considerably improving the symptoms of snoring and sleep apnea.