For many years, men were the focus of sleep apnea treatment, but today, women are getting their rightful attention. More than 40% of new sleep apnea diagnoses are women, and some believe that more ought to be diagnosed but are missed because their symptoms may differ from their male counterparts.
While the number one symptom for men is snoring, women often complain of insomnia, fatigue, and depression. Sometimes these symptoms are overlooked by health care practitioners whole label them as signs of the normal aging processes. But, as with men, it’s absolutely necessary for women with sleep apnea to be treated via Continuous Positive Airway Pressure therapy so that the adverse effects of the disease are kept at bay.
If you’re a woman starting your CPAP therapy, ensure that you invest in the right CPAP mask for you. A mask that doesn’t seem to form a proper seal to your face, is uncomfortable, or is just downright frustrating could put your treatment in jeopardy. The more tedious working with your mask becomes, the less likely you’ll want to continue treating your sleep apnea; a condition that when untreated increases your risk of developing cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and stroke.
A Good Fit Makes For Effective Therapy
The biggest problem CPAP users generally encounter is issues with mask leaks. A mask leak occurs when air from your CPAP machine blows out around loose areas in your sleep apnea mask. This results in ineffective treatment and even discomfort. Mask leaks are usually caused by badly adjusted or poorly fitting masks.
Many women have trouble finding a mask that forms a nice seal against their skin because their faces are narrow and smaller in comparison to most men. A quality CPAP dealer should sell select sleep apnea masks for women to accommodate their varied sizing needs.
Comfort
Women with sleep apnea shouldn’t have to endure discomfort in order to have their medical condition treated. For this reason, ResMed has produced a few full face masks that offer women a practically indulgent feel. The AirFit F10 For Her sits snugly against petite frames and comes with a “Spring Air” cushion designed to create a perfect seal that will stay put throughout the night. Some mask options designed for women are made with light weight materials and touch the face as little as possible, so that the likelihood of skin irritation is decreased. The Quattro FX mask is one example of a mask that manages to keep a slight profile and keep skin clear after wear.
Having a comfortable sleep apnea treatment experience is very important. Stopping sleep apnea treatment because of an uncomfortable mask increases the risk of sleep apnea related complications, especially in women. When compared to men, women are more likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease and have trouble completing tasks during the day as a result of their untreated or poorly controlled sleep apnea.
Don’t Risk Buying the Wrong Mask
If you don’t know which mask is the right fit for you, don’t invest in just any equipment on a whim. The staff at Breatheeasycpap.com are respiratory therapists ready to offer advice and to support your search for the right sleep apnea mask. Don’t let a badly fitting CPAP mask keep you from combating your sleep apnea, get in touch with a quality CPAP supplier today.
