1.What is the difference between a ventilator and an oxygen concentrator?
Oxygen concentrator – as the name suggests, is a device that produces oxygen. Its internal principle is to use a molecular sieve to filter out other gases from the air and retain oxygen. It is generally recommended for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and hypoxemia to have one at home.
Ventilator (CPAP/BiPAP machine) – a ventilator works on the principle of continuous positive airway pressure. The type of machine varies depending on the disease:
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For sleep apnea, a single-level auto CPAP machine is sufficient for most people and can achieve excellent treatment results.
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For type II respiratory failure due to COPD, or for patients with motor neuron diseases, a bi-level ST ventilator is required.
Importantly, a ventilator does not produce oxygen. It pressurizes ambient air and delivers it into the airway under algorithmic control—either to open the upper airway or to create a pressure difference. The working principles are different, and they are used for different types of diseases.
2.How many years can a ventilator last?
First of all, home-use ventilators fall under the category of medical devices. In practice, using a machine for over five years is generally not a problem at all.
The main components of a ventilator are the motor and the PCB (printed circuit board). These are well-established technologies:
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Motors, as long as quality materials are used, are known for their durability.
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PCBs are highly integrated and typically reliable unless exposed to water or physical damage.
Tip: Regularly changing the filter pads is good for the motor’s longevity and helps maintain the machine’s overall performance.
3.Do I have to wear a CPAP machine for the rest of my life?
Most of the users we encounter are sleep apnea patients. The primary cause of their condition is upper airway narrowing, which is often due to obesity, nasal issues, or jaw structure problems. If these underlying issues can be addressed, sleep apnea symptoms can also be alleviated to some extent.
For example, some of our users experience sleep apnea due to being overweight. Through consistent effort, they manage to lose weight, which significantly reduces their symptoms—at that point, they may be able to stop using the CPAP machine.
However, if the root causes are not resolved, using a CPAP machine is similar to wearing glasses—it corrects the problem but doesn’t cure it. That’s why we often encourage weight loss, because for most people with sleep apnea, obesity is the root cause.
4. Can I skip using the CPAP occasionally?
Yes, of course! But keep in mind that the original symptoms may return. Generally, it's recommended to use the CPAP machine daily, so that your airway stays open during sleep, snoring is eliminated, your sleep structure remains intact, and you avoid nighttime oxygen deprivation.
However, during a cold when nasal congestion is severe, the experience of wearing a CPAP can be quite uncomfortable. Or if you’re traveling and forget to bring it, that happens too.
If your symptoms are severe and noticeable, it's best to use the machine every night.
If your symptoms are mild, skipping it occasionally isn’t a big deal—it’s not life-threatening.
Our recommendation is: wear it if you can. If you really can’t, sleeping on your side may help—though that’s easier said than done.
5. Will CPAP therapy work for me?
We often emphasize that results vary from person to person because this is a medical device used during sleep, and individual responses are highly variable. It’s hard to judge in advance whether someone will adapt well to it.
Based on our experience, people who struggle with CPAP often share one trait: poor nasal airflow.
This is the most common issue. Whether using an auto-adjusting single-level or bi-level machine, the principle is positive airway pressure, and pressure increases during the night.
If the pressure gets too high and your nasal airflow is poor, you won’t be able to exhale against the pressure, leading to discomfort or even panic. Some users say:
"I can't breathe out! I feel like I’m suffocating—I have to breathe through my mouth."
In essence, this is all due to exhalation difficulty, caused by inadequate nasal ventilation.My advice: Try before you buy.Since this device is used while sleeping, if it doesn’t suit you, it can be very uncomfortable and disruptive.
