BiPAP vs CPAP

Sleep Apnea, Sleeping Disorders & Why Can't I Sleep?

BiPAP vs CPAP: Which Machine Works Best for You? - Originally posted here
If you’re suffering from sleep apnea, you know how potentially dangerous it is. When you stop breathing all of a sudden, you’re opening up a whole bag of risks and complications like high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart diseases.

CPAP or BiPAP Machine? That is the question!

One of the most effective methods of treating sleep apnea is by using a continuous positive airway pressure or CPAP machine to keep your airway open while sleeping. This ensures that you get a steady supply of air in your lungs.

But there is also another machine that can help you deal with sleep apnea: the bi-level positive airway pressure or BiPAP machine. It’s newer than the CPAP machine as it was invented around a decade after the original CPAP machine.

Given these two, sleep apnea sufferers often wonder what type of machine to use; whether they should use a CPAP or a BiPAP machine to treat sleep apnea.
To answer this, we’ll be discussing what both machines do and under which situations they can be used.
Different Types of Sleep Apnea - And Should I Choose a CPAP or BiPAP?

Before going into detail about the various apnea machines, it’s important to know the different sleep apnea types first. Doing so will help you better decide which type of device might work best for you.
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common kind of sleep apnea. Your airway gets blocked, so air can’t pass through, resulting in a momentary stopping of breath.

The blockage is usually caused by your throat muscles’ tendency to relax, causing you to snore as air has to be forced out during exhalation.

If your sleep apnea isn’t caused by any airway obstruction, then you might have the less common type--central sleep apnea (CSA). You stop breathing for up to ten seconds while sleeping because your brain did not send the signal instructing your lungs to continue breathing.

There’s also the complex sleep apnea or mixed sleep apnea, which is characterized by a combination of symptoms from OSA and CSA. The diagnosis of complex sleep apnea usually comes only after the sleeping disorder does not respond to CPAP therapy.
Which Is the Better Choice: BiPAP vs CPAP?

Both the CPAP and BiPAP machines work extremely well in treating sleep apnea. However, there are a few minor differences that you need to take into account when deciding which type of machine to purchase.

If you have OSA, the first choice is usually the CPAP machine. The BiPAP machine is usually the go-to option if you have CSA and other diseases like chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder and congestive heart failure.

Moreover, the BiPAP machine can be programmed to monitor your breathing if you have CSA. In case it detects that you did not breathe for a set period of time, it pushes air into your lungs, essentially forcing you to breathe once more.

But take note that you can also use the BiPAP machine even if you have OSA. If you find the constant pressure of the CPAP machine too uncomfortable, or if your OSA remains unresolved, then the BiPAP machine is the next best thing.

Price-wise, the CPAP machine is cheaper than the BiPAP machine.

Keep in mind that you need a prescription to use these medical devices, so your doctor will be the one to recommend the type of machine you’re going to use.

But be sure to talk things through with your physician and explore the pros and cons of if to choose a BiPAP vs CPAP or CPAP vs BiPAP machine so that you can buy the one that’s right for you.

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