Who Needs CPAP?

You may need CPAP if you have obstructive sleep apnea. CPAP is often the best treatment for adults who have this condition.

Children also can have obstructive sleep apnea. The most common treatment for children is surgery to remove the tonsils and adenoids. If symptoms don't improve after surgery, or if the condition is severe, CPAP may be an option.

If you have sleep apnea symptoms, your doctor may recommend an overnight sleep study. A sleep study measures how much and how well you sleep. It also can show whether you have sleep problems and how severe they are. (For more information, see "What To Expect Before Using CPAP.")

Your doctor will likely refer you to a sleep specialist for the sleep study. Sleep specialists are doctors who diagnose and treat people who have sleep problems.

A special type of CPAP device is used to treat breathing disorders that are similar to sleep apnea, such as chronic hypoventilation or central sleep apnea. In these conditions, the airways aren't blocked. However, the brain may not send the signals needed for breathing to occur properly. This causes breaths that are too shallow or slow to meet your body's needs.

In central sleep apnea, you may stop breathing for brief periods. This disorder can occur alone or with obstructive sleep apnea. Only a sleep study can find out what type of sleep apnea you have and how severe it is.

In addition to CPAP, there are other positive airway pressure devices. If you don't feel that CPAP is working for you, talk to your sleep specialist about other possible options.