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New to CPAP? Try Our CPAP Starter Pack!

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For those newly diagnosed with Sleep Apnea, there’s so much to figure out. What CPAP mask should I get? What type of machine do I need? To help make it easier to pick out your first CPAP system, we’ve created a CPAP Starter Pack designed to simplify things to 3 total steps.

How Does the CPAP Starter Pack Work?

Instead of shopping our site, and having to compare the features of all the different products we have, you’ll be presented with a few curated options that include “good, better, and best” callouts. No need to worry, as these products will always be popular, well-liked machines that have a good track record with customers. Once you’ve made your selection, you’ll choose from a few popular masks.

For your CPAP mask you’ll have the option between full face, nasal, or nasal pillow, and just like our machines, these masks will be highly rated and well-liked among our customers. In addition, the masks will come with multiple sizes included, taking the guesswork out of sizing. Your mask selection will also include free returns within 30 days!

It’s our hope that this feature helps to remove the worry and confusion that can be involved in selecting the best CPAP machine and mask for your CPAP therapy needs.

Before getting into greater detail about purchasing your first CPAP machine and CPAP mask, it’s important to know what these things are and why you need them. We’ll go over these points in the next section.

What’s a CPAP Machine? What’s a CPAP Mask?

When starting CPAP therapy, you’re going to need 2 things: a CPAP mask and a CPAP machine. A CPAP machine is a device that gently pressurizes the outside air and blows it into your airway. The increased air pressure works like a splint, opening the airway and allowing air to reach the lungs.

When this happens, blood oxygen levels rise, and it begins to counteract the impacts Sleep Apnea has on the heart and rest of your body. The CPAP machine creates the pressure, but you need a mask to ensure the air remains pressurized as it enters your airway. The mask will cover your nose, mouth or seal at the base of the nostrils.

There are three different types of CPAP machines, and there are three different styles of CPAP masks. Which one is right for you will depend a lot on the type of prescription you have. In the CPAP family, there are CPAP machines, APAP machines, and BiLevel Machines. The differences between the three machines involve how the machines choose the right pressure.

CPAP machines are programmed to only provide one pressure, and cannot automatically adjust to changes in breathing patterns. APAP machines, on the other hand, can. APAP machines evaluate a person’s breathing on a breath-by-breath basis and change based on the needs of each person. BiPAP machines blow at two distinctly different pressures, a lighter pressure for exhalation and a stronger pressure for inhalation. Which machine is right for you will depend on what you’ve been prescribed by your doctor.

Masks are available in full face, nasal, and nasal pillow varieties. A full face mask covers your nose and mouth, while a nasal mask covers the nose. Nasal pillows are a little bit different, in that they seal around the base of each nostril. Which one is right for you will depend on how you breathe during sleep. If you breathe through your mouth, you’ll likely want to go with a full face mask or be prepared to use a chin strap with the other options.

Full face masks are also really handy if you occasionally have allergies, as you won’t have to worry about stuffy noses preventing you from using your mask. If you breathe through your nose and keep your mouth closed throughout the night, you can go with a CPAP nasal mask or a nasal pillow mask.

Starting Your CPAP Journey

The most important thing to remember is that you can do this! There are tons of resources to help you answer any CPAP questions you may have, and tons of support from people who have been where you are. Feel free to reach out with any questions by calling our awesome customer care team at 1-800-356-5221 or emailing us at cpap@cpap.com.

Good luck on your journey to better rest through better sleep!

  • David Repasky

    David Repasky has been using CPAP treatment since 2017 and has first-hand experience with what it's like to live with Sleep Apnea. He brings the patient's perspective to the CPAP.com blog and has received formal training in CPAP machines, masks, and equipment.

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