CPAP Machines (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure), aka Sleep Apnea Machines

How much is a sleep apnea machine in South Africa? What is the cost of a sleep apnea machine?

For CPAP Machine prices, view our CPAP machine pricelists by navigating the menu.

What does CPAP stand for – The South African Answer?

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure.

What does a sleep apnea machine do? /What is CPAP used for – The South African Answer?

CPAP Machines (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure), also known as Sleep Apnea Machines for their use in the treatment of sleep apnea, are providing a higher standard of living for individuals suffering with sleep disorders. Many of our clients have questions about the use of these machines as well as their prices. We hope this Ultimate Guide to CPAP Machines addresses most of these questions, and we welcome prospective clients to get in touch should they have further questions or need a consultant to guide them along the journey to purchasing a device.

Most CPAP Machines for sale in South Africa now come with a sleek design. Some are very compact for ease of travel while their interfaces tend to be user friendly. The devices also tend to run quietly, offering users sound sleep and a new lease on life.

Fountain Circle Medical Suppliers is the leading supplier and official stockists of Resmed, Fisher and Paykel, and Philips Respironics CPAP machines and devices in South Africa.

What is the best sleep apnea machine in South Africa? / What is the best CPAP machine 2019/2020 in South Africa?

Resmed, Fisher and Paykel and Philips Respironics are the leading brands worldwide in terms of sleep apnea machines and CPAP devices.

View our product pages and CPAP pricelists for each brand by clicking on the links, or navigating our website menu above to our online catalogue: Resmed CPAP Machines, Fisher and Paykel CPAP Machines and Philips Respironics CPAP Machines. 

Fountain Circle works closely with most medical aids and assists with claims on equipment requirements as per doctors’ prescriptions and medical aid regulations.

Did you know? Fountain Circle offers free delivery of all CPAP machines throughout South Africa

What are the benefits of buying a CPAP machine? 

• At Fountain Circle Medical Suppliers, we believe a custom solution tailored to the needs of our client is the best solution to treat sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, with CPAP machines. Therefore, we are present and we assist and guide our clients throughout their journey to purchasing a CPAP Machine. We are also able to give advice on the ideal solution per individual.
• The road doesn’t end with us when you have purchased your CPAP device, we often are on hand to assist our clients after their purchase, with any advice that may be required.
• We respect the referring doctor’s prescription and take this into consideration when advising you on which CPAP device to purchase. As we monitor compliance of the device we also take care to refer a client back to their doctor for re-evaluation with regards to therapy. 
• Are CPAP machines covered by insurance in South Africa? When purchasing a sleep apnea machine or related CPAP device, most of our patients will find that they are eligible to buy a machine through their medical aid but we also offer CPAP devices for sale for clients without a medical aid.
• Whether it’s Resmed, Fisher and Paykel or Philips Respironics, our CPAP Machines are a breeze to maintain and simple to clean, making it a dream device for travels and adventures.
• At Fountain Circle Medical Suppliers we supply three of the top brands in Sleep Apnea Machines which are: Resmed, Fisher and Paykel and Philips Respironics.
• If you are not on a medical aid, having sleep apnea and getting treatment for it can become a costly experience financially, when it comes to CPAP machine prices in South Africa. At Fountain Circle Medical we do our utmost to ensure affordable CPAP machine solutions for our patients. As the number one stocking of CPAP machines with the widest brand variety, we pride ourselves on offering clients an online catalogue so they can browse device options at leisure and compare CPAP machine prices. With our guidance, we ensure a happy relationship between our clients and their CPAP machines for years to come which results in restored health at a reasonable cost. All our CPAP devices are robust, and have advanced technology built into them that aid in treating sleep disorders.

Did you know?  Sleep apnea is a case of abnormally low breathing instances, as well as pauses in breathing altogether while asleep?

CPAP devices, masks and accessories / CPAP Systems

What is a CPAP machine? 

In terms of CPAP systems and their key features, these are usually comprised of three parts namely a CPAP Mask, an air tube or hose, and the actual CPAP device. The only real difference comes into play when treatment is considered as no sleep disorder is the same, and therefore each CPAP Machine is paired to a client based on their own unique medical history. Mostly clients are advised by their doctors to consider Continuous and Adjusting Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP / APAP) machines which are created to optimize compliance to sleep therapy.  These days clients are confronted with a wider variety of options for CPAP devices than ever before, as well as different fit styles for CPAP Masks, connectivity options and a myriad of other features that work in unison to alleviate the effects of a clients’ sleep disorder.

How does a CPAP machine help you sleep – South Africa answer?

CPAP machines deliver pressurized air through an air tube to reduce an obstruction in a patient’s airway, which allows the person to breathe easily at night while asleep. Most CPAP devices are used to treat OSA (obstructive sleep apnea) which occurs when the airway of the client is partially of fully blocked during sleep. The airflow generator hose for a CPAP device can be up to 1.8m long to ensure comfort of movement while asleep.

More about our CPAP Masks

Although worn while you sleep, CPAP Masks which are affixed with straps to the head, are often padded for comfort, especially where the CPAP mask meets the face. You can choose between a full CPAP Mask which covers the nose and the mouth, or just a nasal CPAP mask which just covers the nose. There is also the nasal pillow mask option which fits snugly against your nose.   The great thing about having different types of CPAP Masks for sale is that you can find the right fit to suit you, which should be a comfortable fit, before committing to a purchase.

When it comes to dryer climates such as South Africa, humidifiers are attached to the machines to ensure clients don’t experience a dry mouth throughout the night.

Accessories for CPAP Systems – Hygiene and comfort accessories

To ensure your CPAP Machine system allows you to drift off to sleep effortlessly, CPAP machine accessories designed for comfort and hygiene are essential. 

Accessories for CPAP machines include:

• To avoid a dry nose and mouth in the morning, a humidifier which is heated helps to keep the air moist by releasing water vapor.
• Pillows specially formed to accommodate CPAP Masks. These CPAP Machine pillows allow you to turn your head on your pillow without the mask pressing against your face.
• To ensure your mouth remains closed throughout the night for restful sleep, chin straps are also often used by people using sleep apnea machines.
• As CPAP devices provide you with air to breath at critical times, hypoallergenic filters ensure clean air. These filters do at times need replacing.
• As with anything some parts of the CPAP machine system may need to be replaced in due time. Replaceable CPAP Machine device parts include hoses, filters, headgear and cushions.

The Maintenance of CPAP devices such as accessories and CPAP Masks

As we offer three different brands of CPAP devices, namely Resmed, Fisher and Paykel or Philips Respironics, we are often asked how to maintain the devices.

These are some general guidelines on how to maintain any CPAP machine (disclaimer, please also ensure you follow the instructions by the manufacturer related to specific models for CPAP Machines):

• Wash the humidifier weekly with warm water and where it’s fitted, do ensure that it is dried on a daily basis.
• The outer surface of the accessories can be wiped with a damp cloth.
• Each day ensure that you detach the mask from the machine, and carefully wash it to remove oils secreted by the skin during the night.
• If your device has washable filters, these need to be cleaned weekly by washing and drying them out fully. When it comes to filters which are disposable, please follow instructions from the manufacturer closely.
• Clean headgear straps when needed, or weekly depending which comes first.
• Another essential tip on how to maintain CPAP Machines is to make sure that all the component parts are dry before using the device again.

CPAP devices and local travel tips

• Never use a battery for power for your CPAP Machine if you are also using oxygen as part of your sleep therapy as a spark from the battery terminals could create a fire hazard.
• Never use a car outlet or your car battery to charge your CPAP device.
• When moving your CPAP machine, ensure that you consistently remove the humidifier every time, even if it looks to be dry, to ensure that there is no possibility of water getting into the machine.

International travel tips with your CPAP machine

• The good news is most CPAP machines/sleep apnea machines can be used across the globe if you have the correct plug adapter.
• Always check with the air carrier you choose. Most airlines should allow your CPAP machine as a medical device but in terms of using it on the flight, make sure to check that with the flight attendants.
• It’s a good idea to have your doctors’ prescription for your CPAP machine at hand when boarding a flight.

Do you need a prescription to buy a CPAP machine in South Africa? / How does one acquire and set up a CPAP machine? / Do you need a prescription for a sleep apnea machine in South Africa?

A doctor suspecting you have sleep apnea will refer you to a sleep clinic for a sleep study which will have to diagnose you formally with the sleep disorder. An accredited sleep physician will then assist you as you spend another night at a sleep clinic for the fitment of a CPAP machine after which a patient will be able to take the machine home.