The word mold can trigger a lot of fear and anxiety, as it should. Mold requires only scant amounts of organic matter in the presence of moisture, air, and darkness to begin growing. Unfortunately, these factors are available in significant quantities within your home as well as inside your CPAP machine. CPAP mold is one of the most common issues faced by sleep apnea patients undergoing CPAP therapy. Exposure to CPAP mold is known to cause a number of allergies and medical disorders. One of the most dangerous side-effects of having a dirty CPAP machine is the development of mold within the device.
Is mold in your CPAP machine threatening your health? Find state-of-the-art CPAP cleaning solutions and kick mold to the curb.
What do studies say about mold and its effects on human health?
In the past, the debate about the effects of mold exposure was filled with uncertainty. But scientists today have clearly demonstrated the association between mold and many health hazards such as sick building syndrome (SBS).
In 2009, the WHO recognized strong connections between the presence of moisture, microbes, and inflammatory responses in humans. The researchers also noted that the “synergistic interactions among microbial agents” could make it difficult to detect exposure and find its exact cause. In other words, it is difficult to pin down the specific contributions of individual microbes like bacteria and mold in causing ill health. But there is clear evidence that shows that combinations of microbes cause stronger negative immune responses taken together than compared to the effects caused by individual microbes.
How does CPAP mold weaken your immune system?
Your CPAP device functions through a highly calibrated atmosphere that needs to be kept sterile. If your machine is not sanitized regularly, there is a significant risk of mold growing in it. If there is any mold, then the dark crevices of your device tubing or the perpetually moist interior of your CPAP humidifier tank are also home to other microbial life. You will then inhale this cocktail of CPAP mold and other bacteria and fungi while using the device. Once inside your body, the mold begins interacting with other microbes and can have a debilitating effect on your immune system. Consistent usage of a dirty device that is rife with mold can slowly weaken your immune system.
In 2009, a seminal study demonstrated that mold exposure has severe adverse effects on multiple physiological systems. This exposure resulted in a variety of abnormalities. The study attributed these problems to the toxins produced by some molds. The current data suggest that the effects caused by mold are a result of the chronic activation of the immune system. This repeated stimulation is due to the interaction of different kinds of microbes. This resulting consistent activation leads to chronic inflammation.
Among the many abnormal effects of this inflammation are impaired color vision and visual fields, impaired memory and slowed reaction times, severe problems with balance, decreased grip strength, slowed perceptual and motor skills, and decreased ability on problem-solving tasks. In addition to these, a variety of neurobehavioral abnormalities and respiratory problems are also known to be the result of mold exposure.
What do you do when you have CPAP mold in your device?
CPAP therapy works wonders for patients with sleep apnea if done correctly. The two most important aspects of your CPAP therapy are using the device every night and maintaining a rigorous sanitation regimen. If you are using the CPAP machine regularly, as prescribed by your doctor, it is of utmost importance that you keep it free of mold.
There are many ways to keep your device free from CPAP mold. You can choose to manually clean your CPAP device. While it is essential to know how to do it on your own, cleaning a CPAP machine thoroughly by hand can prove to be ineffective in eliminating CPAP mold in the long term. You can upgrade your cleaning regimen by adding some gentle soaps and CPAP cleaning wipes. It is always a good idea to keep a set of separate CPAP cleaning supplies on hand. The usage of baby wipes , hydrogen peroxide, and bleach , on the other hand, should be avoided as they can harm both your health and your device.
Manually cleaning your CPAP machine to remove CPAP mold and other contaminants can be a very long and tedious process. Committing yourself to daily cleaning by hand to restrict the growth of CPAP mold altogether is even more difficult. Thankfully, with the progress in CPAP cleaning technologies, we now have revolutionary CPAP cleaners that can efficiently and effectively sanitize your device in under thirty minutes. They are designed to disinfect all the CPAP device components in a single process to remove mold, dirt, organic matter, and other contaminants.
How can you ensure that CPAP mold never grows in your device?
Due to the perpetual presence of moisture, organic matter, and oxygen within your CPAP device, it’s an ongoing challenge to restrict mold growth on a long-term basis. This is why regular cleaning is essential. CPAP cleaners have proved life-changing to many sleep apnea sufferers. They not only make the process of cleaning your CPAP device extremely simple and easier to stick to, they also maintain the rigorous levels of cleanliness required to ward off CPAP mold. These CPAP cleaners can help reduce your treatment costs by avoiding having to replace CPAP machines damaged by mold.
Don’t take risks with your health by using a mold-contaminated CPAP machine. Invest in yourself today with an easy-to-use CPAP cleaner, and enjoy breathing clean, safe air every night.