Treatment
At this point, your Sleep Specialist will have evaluated your condition, and determined that you are in neat of treatment. Your doctor will refer you to a Respiratory tech who will set you up with the necessary equipment needed for your treatment as well as train you to use it.
Some of the equipment you may use:
CPAP Machine- A CPAP Machine pushes air into your airway and creates positive airflow into your lungs. This keeps your airway from collapsing, which is a main cause of Sleep Apnea
Full Face Mask- A full face mask is used in conjunction with the CPAP machine to provide the air pressure. A full face mask covers both the mouth and nose. A Full Face Mask is typically used with people that sleep with their mouths open.
Nasal Mask (image courtesy 1800cpap.com)- A nasal mask is just like a full face mask, but is used in cases where the patient sleeps with his or her mouth closed
Humidifier- A humidifier can be used as an attachment to the CPAP machine. The humidifier is used when a CPAP is causing a severe drying of the nasal passage, and is commonly used with machines set for a very high pressure
Oxygen- In some cases, when a patient's Sleep Apnea is causing blood oxygen saturation to fall too low, a doctor may also prescribe supplemental oxygen to be bled into the CPAP's output.
This list is certainly not definitive, as there is certainly more equipment that you may be prescribed or recommended.