About 50 million Americans experience seasonal allergies yearly. Your body releases histamine in an attempt to fight the invasive pollen, but instead causes symptoms such as sneezing, coughing, congestion, and nasal passage inflammation.
 
Seasonal allergy symptoms interfere with your breathing, especially when you lay down to sleep at night you may struggle to use your CPAP device. While it can be tempting to stop your CPAP therapy until your allergies subside, disrupting your treatment can have negative effects in the short-term and long-term.

Here are tips to effectively use your CPAP machine during allergy season:

• Rid your home of allergens: Minimize the presence of allergens in your home by washing your bed linens, vacuuming and dusting regularly, changing out of your clothes after being outdoors, and keeping the windows and doors shut.
• Keep your CPAP equipment clean: Regularly clean and sanitize your CPAP supplies to limit bacterial growth.
• Use hypoallergenic filters: Hypoallergenic filters can keep even the smallest particles out of your airway, which can increase your allergy symptoms.
• Limit your exposure to pollen: Avoid being outdoors when the pollen count is high, which is typically early in the morning and on windy or dry days. 
• Use a CPAP humidifier: A CPAP humidifier provides moisture to your upper airway and nasal passages, which help you, sneeze less and produce less mucus. This allows your CPAP therapy to be more effective and you can reduce your allergy symptoms.
• Switch to a full-face CPAP mask: If your nose is clogged during allergy season, using a nasal CPAP mask is not going to be effective for your CPAP therapy. Switch to a full-face mask that covers your mouth.
• Talk to your sleep specialist about APAP therapy: APAP (automatic positive airway pressure) machines can adjust the air pressure based on your changing needs throughout the night, such as when your inflamed nasal passages block your breathing.

To sleep comfortably for the rest of allergy season, contact YourCare Medical Supply today. We can help you find a full-face mask, get a humidifier, and/or replace old equipment. Call us today 585-377-5350 to learn more!