What Pro2 is Up2

Avoiding Water Damage:

It's important to change the distilled water in your humidifier on a daily basis. When changing the water, please be sure to remove the water chamber from the unit before filling. You should also avoid moving your unit when water is in the humidifier chamber. We're seeing several CPAPs that have water damage inside due to moving the unit while the humidifier contains water, overfilling the chamber, or accidentally pulling the unit off of the nightstand.

We have a CPAP Holder available to keep your unit securely in place and free up space on your nightstand. Just slide the CPAP holder between your mattress and box spring, and the Velcro will secure your CPAP to the shelf!

The Importance of Heated Humidity:

When we breathe, our airways warm and moisten the incoming air for our lungs. Healthy lungs function under very specific conditions (37°F and 100% humidity). If we are ever exposed to air that's too dry or cold for our lungs, our nose attempts to add warmth and moisture. But in doing so, it can become overwhelmed. As a result, we experience nose and throat symptoms such as a sore/dry throat, nasal congestion, a runny nose, or in extreme cases- a nose bleed.

During CPAP therapy, up to 75% of users experience these kinds of side effects as a result of the dry CPAP air. Heated humidification is an important adjunct to CPAP therapy in order to prevent these annoying symptoms from occurring. As always, if you continue to experience problems, please contact one of our Respiratory Therapists at 716-667-9600 option 8.

Doctors Christopher J. Lettieri and Arn H. Eliasson acknowledge the irony in their treatment for restless legs syndrome (RLS). While the sleep disorder is generally precipitated in patients by inactivity such as sitting or lying, patients who undergo the duo’s treatment are required to remain still for at least an hour to reap the benefits.

In two studies, the MDs at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (Eliasson has since retired) showed that pneumatic compression devices (PCDs), the same ones that prevent deep vein thrombosis, can alleviate RLS symptoms in patients and even completely resolve the disorder in some people. “Because of the available treatments for RLS, we were looking for something different. The pharmacological treatments are largely effective but have side effects, plus some people can’t tolerate them,” says Lettieri, who is the Program Director of Sleep Medicine at Walter Reed and a Professor of Medicine at Uniformed Services University. “And the medications can cause other problems, such as fragmenting sleep. So sometimes you’re treating one sleep disorder but causing a different one. We were looking for a nonpharmacotherapy.”

The solution came in the form of an air pressure generator that’s approximately the size of a large toaster. The doctors employed Aircast VenaFlow PCDs in their large-scale study, although Lettieri says many other brands will yield the same results. Once the PCD is plugged in, flexible hoses carry compressed air to plastic bladders embedded in soft cloths wrapped around the patient’s lower legs. Patients easily don them at home in less than 30 seconds. “They’re pretty simple,” Lettieri says.

In one study, the PCDs were programmed to inflate the leg wraps for 5 seconds every minute. The therapeutic devices generated 40 cm H2O of air pressure with each inflation cycle, while the “sham” devices generated a 3- to 4-cm H2O pressure rise. Participants were instructed to wear them for 1 hour in the evening. The results were astounding. More than a third of subjects using therapeutic PCDs experienced a complete resolution of symptoms,1 while none using sham devices experienced complete remission. Subjects with more severe RLS experienced greater symptom reduction. After unblinding, therapeutic devices were provided to eight subjects, and three patients purchased commercially available, similar devices.

“It worked great,” Lettieri says. “People discontinued their medication without any rebound symptoms. Every measured variable, such as quality of life and daytime function, got better.” An intriguing residual benefit also came to light. While some patients’ symptoms returned within a few days of discontinuing PCD use, others reported continued improvement for weeks, even when not using the device. The cause for the residual effectiveness remains unknown. Lettieri cautions that at a point, each patient needed to return to using the PCD as symptoms came back.

Click here to read the entire article.



Roy, Sree. (2014, February 27). Resting Easy with RLS. Sleep Review Magazine. Retrieved April 15, 2014 from http://www.sleepreviewmag.com/2014/02/resting-easily-rls/.

Patients who have COPD and asthma can benefit greatly from using a nebulizer to administer breathing treatments at home.

There is a correct way to take these treatments to get the most benefit. Do you know these tips?

1) Breath in and out through your mouth. If you get light headed, you're breathing too fast.
2) Every third breath, take in a deeper breath and hold for an extra count.
3) Treatments using your Pari Neb Kit should take no longer than 8-10 minutes. Any longer than that and your compressor may be aging.
4) Stop several times while taking your treatment to make yourself cough. Use a tissue to cover your mouth and capture any mucus that moves up.
5) After you're done with your treatment, wait five minutes and then make yourself cough again.

If you only use a pocket inhaler, you may want to speak to your healthcare provider about using a nebulizer at home. You'll get much better results than with a pocket inhaler.

Adjusting to CPAP can make your sleep- and life- better, especially if you have severe sleep apnea. Read on to get sleep specialists’ top five tips on how you can make peace with your CPAP.

Focus on the Health Benefits of CPAP

"Your body is in this constant struggle at night between breathing and sleeping," says Collop, who directs the Emory University School of Medicine sleep center. "Fortunately, breathing wins, but it wins at the expense of your sleep."

This causes daytime sleepiness, which can make it difficult to function at work and elsewhere. Lost sleep can also have an adverse effect on aging, diabetes, and blood pressure.

The majority of CPAP users report immediate symptom relief, according to the National Sleep Foundation. They also report increased energy and better mental alertness during the day.

"Very few people like CPAP, but they love the outcome," Kryger tells WebMD. Kryger says that using CPAP improves heart rhythms in some people. (Abnormal heart rhythms can increase the risk of stroke.) CPAP use may also reduce high blood pressure, at least a little.

Consider CPAP a Gift to your Bed Partner

Often, the bed partner of someone with obstructive sleep apnea has a sleep problem too- brought on by the constant awakenings and snoring of the person with apnea. The interruptions can be bad enough to drive the partner from the bedroom altogether, some research suggests.

CPAP treatment will likely improve their lives and the lives of those they love.

Learn all you can About CPAP

It's not enough for you to be handed a mask, machine, and instruction book, Kryger says. Ideally, a representative from the company providing the device should deliver it and demonstrate it.

You should learn what pressure is recommended for you and other basic facts about the machine. The representative should also be able to answer any questions you have or to get answers for you.

Customize the System for You

CPAP machines are not one-size-fits-all. These tips can help you ensure your device is the right one for you:

-Get a CPAP mask that fits well. People often say they’ve given up on their device because it’s uncomfortable. However, that can typically be remedied by getting a different mask or other measures, according to sleep specialists. There are a wide variety of masks available.

- Upgrade your machine. If your CPAP machine seems outdated, try to upgrade. Typically, the devices are covered by insurance.

- Talk to your doctor. Tell your doctor about any symptoms you experience. If symptoms such as snoring that initially went away on CPAP start reappearing while using the device, get reevaluated, Kryger says. In about half of CPAP users, other side effects can occur- such as nasal congestion, dry mouth, or skin irritation.

Stick With It

"It's not a cure," Collop tells her patients. "It's just a treatment. It only works if you wear it."

What's the harm if people miss a night or two- say, if they’re on the road? "Whenever you sleep without it, you still have sleep apnea," she says. "If they miss a night or two, life will go on, but they will notice a difference."

If you make the effort to adjust to the CPAP device and wear it regularly, however, the payoff is big: "CPAP works for almost everybody," Collop says.



Doheny, Kathleen. (2011, January 7). 5 Ways to Live With Your CPAP Machine. WebMD. Retrieved February 15, 2014 from http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/sleep-apnea/features/cpap-machine.

What is the Lung Flute?

The Lung Flute is a device used to help loosen, mobilize, and eliminate secretions from your airways. It consists of a mouthpiece and a reed inside a horn.

How the Lung Flute Works:

When you blow gently into the Lung Flute in a series of repetitions, your breath moves the reed inside. This causes acoustic vibrations, which thin and loosen secretions deep in your lungs and result in the secretions moving progressively up your airways until they collect at the back of your throat.

In many chronic conditions there is a build-up of secretions in the airways. Bronchial hygiene therapy with the Lung Flute can help clear these secretions so they can be swallowed or coughed up.