{"id":144,"date":"2020-04-28T18:19:44","date_gmt":"2020-04-28T18:19:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sleepbetterflorida.com\/blog\/?p=144"},"modified":"2020-05-14T18:21:58","modified_gmt":"2020-05-14T18:21:58","slug":"should-firefighters-stop-using-cpap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sleepbetterflorida.com\/blog\/2020\/04\/28\/should-firefighters-stop-using-cpap\/","title":{"rendered":"Should Firefighters Stop Using CPAP?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Close-up<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The COVID-19\npandemic is forcing people from all walks of life to change many of their\nhabits. As just one example, in Canada firefighters are being told not to use\nCPAP machines whenever they sleep at the station. Instead, those who suffer\nfrom sleep apnea are encouraged to switch to a different form of treatment instead\n\u2013 and in fact, in many cases, that may be a good idea even after the pandemic\nis over. Read on to learn why a first responder should strongly consider using\nan oral sleep appliance in Lutz for their own health and the safety of those\naround them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Why Do Firefighters Need CPAP?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

More than a third of firefighters have a sleep disorder such\nas sleep apnea, a condition where breathing is often blocked. Keeping such\ndisorders under control is vital, especially when you\u2019re on duty. After all,\nyou don\u2019t want to lose quality sleep time and end up feeling exhausted all\nthroughout the next day. That\u2019s why many of them use CPAP in the first place; the\nmachine keeps the airway open so that the flow of air continues uninterrupted. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Risks and Disadvantages of CPAP<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While there\u2019s little debate about the effectiveness of CPAP machines\nfor reducing sleep apnea symptoms, there are currently concerns that the\ndevices could accidentally spread COVID-19. Bacteria or viruses in your body\ncould become aerosolized when you breathe out, and in turn these harmful\norganisms could spread to other people. Needless to say, the last thing you\u2019ll\nwant to do is put your friends and co-workers at risk, especially if they may\nbe needed during an emergency at any moment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even without the threat of COVID-19, using CPAP has some\ninherent disadvantages. For one thing, it can be inconvenient to transport the\nbulky machine to and from the station. Also, some people find that they have\ntrouble falling asleep between the noise of the device and the uncomfortable\nmask; obviously, treating your sleep apnea is pointless if you\u2019re being kept\nawake anyway. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Should I Switch to an Oral Appliance?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you decide that you don\u2019t want to use CPAP anymore, you\u2019ll\nhave to find another sleep apnea treatment in Lutz. Oral appliance\ntherapy<\/a> is usually an excellent option to consider. Each oral appliance is\ncustomized to bring the jaw slightly forward so that nothing blocks the airway\nwhen the tissues in your mouth and throat relax at night. These appliances are\neasy to carry, are less restrictive than CPAP masks, and are completely silent.\nAnd of course, they won\u2019t produce any disease-spreading aerosol, so nearby\nsleepers will have nothing to worry about!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you have concerns about your CPAP machine or simply want\nto pursue another form of sleep apnea treatment, get in touch with a sleep\ndentist right away; pandemic or not, you deserve a good night\u2019s rest, and an\noral appliance just might be the best \u2013 and safest \u2013 way to get it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

About the Author<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Jay A. Nelson has pursued extensive postgraduate\ntraining in dental sleep medicine and has been named a diplomate of the\nAmerican Sleep and Breathing Academy. He is certified to use Somnodent and other\nhigh-quality oral appliances that let his patients treat their sleep apnea\nwithout the use of CPAP therapy. To schedule an appointment at his Lutz practice,\nNelson Dentistry and Dental Sleep Medicine, visit his website<\/a> or call (813)\n949-0424.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The COVID-19 pandemic is forcing people from all walks of life to change many of their habits. As just one example, in Canada firefighters are being told not to use CPAP machines whenever they sleep at the station. Instead, those who suffer from sleep apnea are encouraged to switch to a different form of treatment […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-144","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sleepbetterflorida.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/144","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sleepbetterflorida.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sleepbetterflorida.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sleepbetterflorida.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sleepbetterflorida.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=144"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.sleepbetterflorida.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/144\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":146,"href":"https:\/\/www.sleepbetterflorida.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/144\/revisions\/146"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sleepbetterflorida.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=144"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sleepbetterflorida.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=144"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sleepbetterflorida.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=144"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}