CPAP: A Guide to the Different Types of Mask
CPAP stands for continuous positive airway pressure. A CPAP device uses a mask to force air into your nose or mouth and is very effective in treating moderate to severe sleep apnea, a condition where the airway repeatedly closes during sleep. Contrary to popular belief, CPAP does not give you more oxygen, it simply establishes a current of normal air that props open your upper airway to prevent it from collapsing. Normal breathing works via negative pressure, where expansion of the chest creates low pressure that then acts like a vacuum to suck in air. Conversely, by using CPAP, the constant flow of air creates high, positive pressure that forces outwards and pushes the airways open.
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