CPAP, or continuous positive airway pressure, is one of the most effective treatments for obstructive sleep apnea. However, the treatment often comes with frustrations and rarely the therapy has side effects. These are some of the most common CPAP therapy side effects you should know about and tips on how to deal with them.                                            

Skin Rashes or Marks

If your CPAP mask doesn’t fit properly, it is very likely that it will leave your skin with marks or even rashes. The rashes usually occur in people with sensitive skin as some of the masks contain latex. In order to eliminate this issue, you should use barrier creams or mask liners. Also, try loosening the mask or get a new one which fits better.

Air Leaking

This is one of the most common complaints about using CPAP. Air leaking around the edges might occur if the mask doesn’t fit perfectly. This issue is more common with masks which cover the nose and mouth. This CPAP side effect might compromise your therapy. Hence, it’s very important to reduce the air leaks with the help of nasal pillows or nasal mask. Likewise, you can also consult your physician to change the pressure settings.

Breathing Discomfort

Experiencing discomfort breathing out when you first start using CPAP therapy is another common issue. Even though most patients feel improvement over time and overcome it, the efforts might lead to insomnia. Thus, lowering the initial pressure or using bi-level therapy might be very helpful.

Dry Mouth

Besides experiencing air leaks, you might also experience dry mouth or nose. As a result, you might deal with gums and teeth damage and nosebleeds.

Developing Central Sleep Apnea

Using CPAP therapy comes with yet another side effect and that’s developing central sleep apnea. Even though the condition might resolve over time, you can alleviate the symptoms by lowering the CPAP pressure or changing to adaptive servo-ventilation (ASV) therapy.

Air Swallowing

Air swallowing, or aerophagia, can be a common CPAP therapy side effect. Waking up with your stomach is filled with air and experiencing farting, bloating, and burping are clear signs that you swallow air. This usually occurs when the CPAP pressures that are too high. Hence, you can prevent this by simply lowering the pressure. If this doesn’t help, sleeping wedge pillows are often recommended.

Loud Noise

CPAP machines come with a loud noise which can be challenging to get used to. Nevertheless, many partners realize that it’s better to listen to the sound of CPAP than the sound of snoring.

Face Growth Problems in Children

There are many children which are likely to experience face growth problems due to the pressure of the mask across the nose. Thus, many people opt for newer masks which include nasal pillow to avoid such issues.

Inhibited Sex Drive

There are many people who have reported that CPAP therapy has negatively affected their sex drive mainly because the mask is unappealing. If this happens, it’s recommended that you talk with your partner to find a solution.

In a nutshell, it might appear that CPAP therapy comes with numerous side effects, but the good thing is that they can all be managed. If you experience any of these issues, make sure to talk to your health provider.