Tips on Traveling When You Have Sleep Apnea from Broward County’s Sleep Disorder Experts

If you are a Broward County resident suffering from sleep apnea and you are using a CPAP medical device to control your condition, traveling away from home overnight can present some challenges. Broward County dentist and sleep apnea expert Stephen J. Pyle DDS offers up some helpful tips on traveling with your CPAP device to ensure you can enjoy your trip without worrying about missing a session of your therapy.

Traveling With Your CPAP - Don't Leave Home Without It

We all travel. Sometimes it's vacation, sometimes it's business, sometimes it's to visit family and sometimes it might be camping out in the great outdoors of the backyard with the kids. Regardless of where you go, if you are a CPAP user you are going to need your medical device with you when you go to sleep.

Here are a few tips to make sure your CPAP sleep apnea therapy goes without a hitch:

• If there are parts on your device that are near their replacement date, replace them now. You don't want to have a part fail when you're in an unfamiliar place and unsure where replacements can be found.
• Inventory your parts before you pack to be sure you have the entire kit. Make sure the humidifier chamber is empty and completely dry.
• If you are flying, you can carry on your CPAP as a required medical device. It will not count against your carryon allowance. Keep the mask and tubing in your carryon and put the CPAP in a large zip lock bag before placing it in the x-ray tray. To be on the safe side, carry a copy of your prescription or letter of Medical Necessity in case TSA needs further assurances.
• Include an extension cord in your luggage. You don't know how close an outlet will be to your bed and an extension cord will ensure you have power available without rearranging the furniture.
• Speaking of power, you may want to purchase a rechargeable battery; an absolute must if you plan on camping and great insurance against a power outage.

Travelling with a CPAP can be bothersome but is obviously necessary to keep your sleep apnea under control.

There is however, an alternative therapy available to persons with sleep apnea in Broward County that doesn't require the cumbersome and restrictive requirements of a CPAP. For many sleep apnea sufferers a simple dental appliance worn at night can replace the mask, hose and compressor of a CPAP.

Dr. Pyle is an expert in evaluating the potential effectiveness of the simple mouth guard-like appliance for sleep apnea patients. If you are tired of dealing with the hassle and restrictions of a CPAP and would like to learn more about a simpler alternative, don't hesitate to call our Broward County dental office today!