FAQs

There are three types of CPAP masks. They vary in design but also how the mask delivers air pressure to you.

Pillow masks – These are the sleekest masks, and are designed to be minimalistic. They have pillows that sit just inside the nostrils to deliver air into the airways.

Nasal masks – These sit over the nose instead of sitting inside the nostrils. It is therefore slightly more secure than the pillows masks and will not irritate the nostrils for those with sensitivities.

Full Face masks – These sit over your nose and mouth and are a good option for those with sinus issues or have suffered from a broken nose. They are also good for those who breathe through their mouth.

Sleep Apnoea is a sleeping disorder in which breathing is repeatedly interrupted during sleep.

When you sleep, your muscles start to relax, including the ones controlling the upper airway. When that happens, the airway collapses, causing you to stop breathing. The brain senses this and wakes you up, allowing the airway to reopen. Breathing usually resumes with a loud gasp, snort or a body jerk.

PAP (Positive Airway Pressure) commonly known as CPAP therapy is the gold standard for treating Sleep Apnoea. It is a safe and non-invasive treatment, consisting of 3 main parts – an air pump, a mask and a tube that connects the two.

How PAP therapy works is that the air pump provides air pressure via the tube and mask into the throat, keeping the airways open while you sleep. Receiving enough airflow during your sleep means your brain will not jolt your body awake to breathe, and you will not experience disruptions through the night when you sleep.

PAP therapy is an ongoing treatment and is designed to work straight away. The best way to get an effective therapy with PAP therapy is to persist at using it every night when you sleep. If you stop PAP therapy, the symptoms you used to experience will also start coming back very quickly.

Regular cleaning with the right cleaning products will prolong the life of your equipment.

Daily: When you wake up every morning, wipe your mask with Clinell and leave it to dry. It should be ready for your use at night. If you use a humidifier, you should also empty the water every morning, rinse it in warm soapy water using a gentle soap and let it dry. You can then fill it up before using it at night.

Monthly: You should do a more thorough clean and check of your equipment to make sure it lasts as long as possible. If you use a disposable filter for your machine, discard and replace it every month. If it’s a reusable filter, you can remove it from the device, rinse and dry it before popping it back into the device for use. The reusable filters should last you 6 months if you clean it regularly. You should also take your mask apart into its various components, wash them along with your hose in warm soapy water using a gentle soap. Let it dry in a cool area away from direct sunlight to prevent moisture build-up in the mask parts and hose. It is then ready for use at night.

We ship our products to all states in Australia.

You may be eligible for a rebate on your CPAP devices if you have private health cover, depending on your level of extras coverage. Please note every health fund may have different requirements; most have a minimum 12 months' waiting period and some require a Doctor's prescription and/or other documentation before approving your claim. Kindly contact your health fund before your purchase to find out the requirements for your level of coverage.

Please read this Private Health Fund CPAP Cover for further information.

No, it is not recommended you do so. The dishwasher washes dishes at a high temperature with a soap that may not be gentle enough for your CPAP equipment. Using the dishwasher may damage your equipment, or cause the mask parts to lose their seal by eroding the silicone sooner.

We provide an express postage option for an additional charge of $10.

In most cases, you will stop snoring as soon as you commence treatment, and as long as you are continuing with treatment. If you still snore while using your CPAP, please contact your doctor as your pressure level might need to be adjusted.

The severity of Sleep Apnoea can range from normal, mild, moderate to severe. The severity is measured by the Apnoea/Hypopnea Index (AHI). The higher the AHI, the more severe the disorder.

Some Sleep Apnoea patients may stop breathing up to 100 times in one night during sleep. This results in continuous sleep interruption that may lead to poor sleep quality and other serious health conditions such as cardiovascular disease and hypertension, to name a few.

Your mask will get worn out over time, since you put it on every night. For optimal performance and comfort, you should be replacing your mask or its parts regularly as soon as it starts to lose its effectiveness. The lifespan of your mask will depend on how well you take care of it such as cleaning it regularly with the right products, or the oils from your skin breaking down the silicone in the cushions. Small tears are also bound to happen, which will affect its seal. These various factors mean there is no set lifespan. However, manufacturers generally recommend for your mask to be replaced every 6-12 months. If you find your mask functioning fine, but only need to replace some of the parts, you can also replace only those components individually.

Technically, all CPAP devices regardless of the brand are designed to work the same way. However, as technology improves with new devices, there might be algorithm differences or slight technological differences. The noise volume for different devices of different brands may also differ. We only work with reputable brands with sound technology that will provide optimum results for the patient.

There is another type of device which is less commonly prescribed. This is the BiLevel Positive Airway Pressure (BiPAP or BPAP) device. Like the CPAP devices, they are also a non-invasive form of treatment for Sleep Apnoea. However, BiPAP devices deliver two pressure settings instead of one.

In the BiPAP, one pressure setting is for inhalation (IPAP) and a lower pressure setting is for exhalation (EPAP). For some patients on CPAP, exhaling is uncomfortable because the constant pressure makes it difficult for them to breathe against. This is the case especially for those who require high pressures on CPAP. With a BiPAP device, the pressure can be set to a higher setting for inhalation in order to keep the airways open, but deliver a lower pressure during exhalation so the user can breathe out comfortably without feeling like they are fighting against the pressure.

BiPAP may be prescribed for patients who require high pressures but cannot get used to CPAP especially for exhalation. It can also be recommended to patients who require some breathing assistance, or for those who have congestive heart failure and other conditions affecting the heart and lungs.

You may have heard of a mask leak or even experienced one without knowing it was a mask leak. CPAP devices deliver air pressure through your hose and mask to your upper airways to keep it open whilst you are asleep. A mask leak is when some of the air pressure escapes through the mask, due to a host of reasons that may include incorrect fitting of your mask, or your mask losing its effectiveness due to the mask components needing replacement.

Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) can occur in men, women and children of all age and sizes. A Sleep Apnoea sufferer may sometimes not be aware of their own symptoms so it is important for loved ones to look out for the following symptoms:

• Loud persistent snoring
• Excessive daytime sleepiness
• Dozing off while driving, reading or watching TV
• Choking or gasping for air during sleep
• Morning headaches
• Depression and irritability
• Restlessness during sleep
• Frequent night time visits to the bathroom
• Sexual dysfunction

CPAP therapy is a treatment for Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) but not a cure. This means that CPAP therapy should continue as long as a patient is suffering from OSA. That said, there are patients who have been able to go off CPAP therapy after making some lifestyle changes such as exercising more and losing weight. If applicable, they can do another Sleep Study to investigate if they are still suffering from OSA. If they are not, they can stop CPAP therapy.

There are more complications to OSA than just losing weight. Your best advice can come from your Respiratory and Sleep Specialist.

Yes, a standard tubing can be placed in soapy water. In fact, it might be a good idea as it can flush out the insides of the hose better. However, a heated tubing’s connector cannot be immersed in warm soapy water, so please remove the connector before doing so.

We do not ship internationally at the moment.

• If payment is received before 1pm, then the goods are normally sent out on the same business day.
• If payment is received after 1pm, then the goods are usually sent out the next business day.

You can wash the water chamber with clean tap water and warm soapy water with gentle soap. However, it is recommended that when you fill up the water chamber for use at night with your CPAP device, you use filtered, distilled or demineralised water so as to prevent the build-up of limescale.

If you do find lime scale built up in your water chamber, soak the water chamber with a solution of one part white vinegar to ten parts of water and leave it for a few hours. Rinse off the vinegar solution and wash with warm, soapy water, scrubbing lightly with a non-abrasive brush to clean out the lime scale deposit. Let it dry for your next use.

Yes, you can and you should travel with your CPAP equipment. Your machine and mask can usually be included as a carry-on baggage. Please check with your airline to find out more about your baggage allowances as they differ across airlines. Also, remember to remove the water from the water chamber in the humidifier before you pack it up to transport as water spillage can damage your device.

If you suspect you or a loved one may be suffering from Sleep Apnoea, you should first consult your doctor and discuss your concerns. If your doctor establishes that you will require further investigation, your doctor can sign off on a referral form and you can make an appointment with us for a Sleep Study.

For your CPAP therapy to work correctly, the air pressure prescribed to you needs to be maintained throughout the night. A mask leak may affect the air pressure being delivered to you, and you may not receive enough air pressure to keep your upper airways open, thereby interfering with your therapy.

The recommended lifespan of your CPAP device is about 5 years. However, many people who take care of their device well can continue using it beyond 5 years, provided they make sure it continues to function as it should. With technology constantly evolving to optimise CPAP therapy and provide more comfort to the user, it is a good idea to always be on the lookout for the latest devices and decide if it is worth upgrading your device. Especially as you use the device every night, and it brings you quality sleep.

If your machine is a genuine product, it should technically operate the same way regardless of where you purchase from.

However, the warranty that comes with your machine may be void or not applicable. This is where you have to be very careful. The 5 year warranty for your CPAP machine only applies to devices that are TGA-approved for Australia.

So if you are looking to purchase a machine from overseas, your warranty may only be applicable in the country where you have purchased it from, meaning you will not be eligible for servicing or replacements of parts as required in Australia. You may have to cover your shipping fees to get it serviced overseas, or travel overseas to get the support you need. So you will have to decide if the costs and hassle are worth it, if and when you run into issues with your machine.

Our machines are all TGA-approved for Australia.

The masks with magnet clips are designed to be easy to put on and remove, as it snaps on and off with ease. However, not everyone is suitable for these masks. The magnets used on these clips could potentially affect pace makers, defibrillators and cochlear implants. So if you have or use any of the above, please do not choose the masks with magnet clips. We have a wide range of masks available to suit everyone, so you should be able to find something for yourself.

No, we do not recommend you using your CPAP device and mask with your dentures on.

As air pressure is delivered from the device through the hose and mask to your upper airways, the air pressure might dislodge your dentures and cause you to accidentally swallow it, especially when you are asleep.

CPAP Machines need to be set up to your specific pressure requirements, based on your Doctor's prescription or existing equipment machine configuration. Usually, we cannot dispatch machines until we have this information.

Please ensure you provide us this information when you process your order. If you do not have a prescription, please contact us for advice. You will receive an email once the goods have been shipped.

It depends on your postcode and the type of product ordered.

All domestic orders are shipped via the Australia Post Parcel network, or via Express courier for eligible destinations.

• Standard Free Shipping is between 2 - 4 Business Days for most orders, up to 7 days for Rural Locations.
• While Express $10 shipping is Next Business Day to Most Metro Areas, or up to 2 - 4 Business days for Rural Locations.

Humidifiers are designed to moisturise the air being delivered to your upper airways from the CPAP device. This provides more comfort as it can reduce some of the side effects of therapy, such as dry nose or nasal passage. Depending on your requirements, and whether you live in a humid or dry area, you would likely benefit from using a humidifier with your CPAP device.

Yes. Unless otherwise advised, you should use your CPAP device whenever you go to sleep. Also, if you are having surgery, it is important to tell the surgeon and anaesthesiologist that you are using CPAP at home. You should also inform the doctor treating you for sleep apnoea that you are going into the hospital.

We sell genuine ResMed and Fisher & Paykel CPAP Masks.

We sell genuine Fisher & Paykel , Philips and ResMed CPAP Devices.

The standard warranty is 2 years for CPAP devices from date of purchase.

An option of extended warranty of 3 years to 5 years may be purchased with additional cost.

You will find complete warranty information Resmed here, and Fisher & Paykel here.

All warranty repairs out of the warranty period will be processed subject to the goods being returned to us at the purchaser’s expense. CPAP Sleep Solutions will supply a rental CPAP machine at no cost for all purchases made for machines made at CPAP Sleep Solutions. Fees will apply for loan machines where a machine has not been initially purchased at CPAP Sleep Solutions.

The standard warranty of 3 months for CPAP masks from date of purchase.

You will find complete warranty information Resmed here, and Fisher & Paykel here.

In the event that an item needs to be returned or repaired under warranty, it should be shipped by Registered Post, freight pre-paid, with evidence of original purchase (Eg. a copy of the original invoice), to:

CPAP Sleep Solutions
57 Fullarton Road
Kent Town SA 5067

We recommend you send goods to us by Registered Post so we can track the item and sign for the goods.