Allergies and CPAP – What’s the connection?

19 March 2022 Categories: Better Health Author: Katrina Stubbs
Spring allergies can make CPAP therapy more challenging for sleep apnea sufferers.

Here in the great white north, spring is always a welcome sight. However, the longer, brighter days and warmer temperatures aren’t always good news for everyone. While seasonal allergies can be a nuisance for some, they can be debilitating for others. For people who also suffer from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), the additional burden of seasonal allergies can make the condition worse and make treatment with CPAP therapy more challenging.

How do allergies affect your sleep?

While allergies may not specifically cause sleep apnea all on their own, they can turn the volume up on an already existing problem. Allergies create nasal congestion, which in itself can disrupt normal, healthy sleep. Nasal congestion can dry out your mouth or block your airway while you’re sleeping, which can lead to stops in breathing, also known as apneas. Allergies can also cause swelling of the tonsils or adenoids, which causes them to grow larger, potentially increasing your chance of a blocked airway.

Being proactive and taking steps to reduce allergies can help improve your sleep quality, but treating the allergies alone isn’t an adequate treatment for patients with OSA. A 2011 study published by the European Archives of Oto-rhino-laryngology states that while “nasal steroids could improve the subjective quality of sleep,” such treatments are “not by themselves an adequate treatment for most OSA patients.”

Should you suspect yourself or a loved one’s sleep is suffering from more than just seasonal allergies, you should speak to your doctor or contact Snore MD to discuss home sleep testing to determine if sleep apnea is also at play. Untreated sleep apnea has been linked to a variety of serious medical conditions if left untreated: high blood pressure, heart failure, diabetes and stroke, to name a few.

What about CPAP users who suffer from seasonal allergies?

Nasal congestion and other symptoms of seasonal allergies can make CPAP a bit challenging to wear. Still, there are different solutions patients can try to improve their sleep while experiencing allergic symptoms.

For those who struggle with breathing through their nose due to congestion, having the option of a full face mask can help ensure air is delivered to you, even when breathing from the nose isn’t possible. Adding a pollen filter to your machine is another great way to ensure the air you’re breathing is clean and filtered of any potential allergens before reaching you. Snore MD has pollen filters in stock for your CPAP!

Speak to your local Snore MD sleep clinician to learn more about these and other options if allergies are making CPAP therapy difficult for you this season.

Katrina Stubbs Sleep Clinician
Katrina Stubbs
Author

Katrina Stubbs is a Regional Manager and Sleep Clinician at Snore MD and brings over 15 years of experience in the medical field. She prides herself in providing exceptional patient care and education, not only to her patients but to the entire team at Snore MD.

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