CPAP Hose Holder: FSA Eligibility

What is a CPAP hose holder?

Continuous positive airway pressure, also known as CPAP, is a series of treatments used to treat breathing problems like sleep apnea by utilizing mild air pressure to keep airways open and alleviate the difficulty that is associated with common respiratory problems (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute). The primary means of treatment for these issues is the CPAP machine, which is a mask that covers the nose and mouth (nose-only devices are called Nasal Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (NCPAP)), and is worn each night to open airways to improve sleep and breathing quality.

While the CPAP machine is a self-contained unit that is worn over the face during sleep, there are other accessories that go along with the device to ensure that it works properly and is as comfortable as possible for the wearer. One of the most vital is the CPAP hose holder, which is placed to the side or above the bed to drape the CPAP hose above the wearer. These holders are used to prevent the wearer from constantly having to move or adjust the mask during sleep, and this is made much easier by elevating the hose and holding it in a position above the head.

While CPAP machines can operate without a CPAP hose holder, most CPAP users will feel that their devices are incomplete without a holder in place over their beds to prevent hose obstructions during sleep. These devices range from simple plastic stands that are designed to sit over a wearer's side of the bed, to more advanced wall-mounted variants that allow the hose to drape over the middle of the bed. Wearers should experiment with multiple designs to find the style that suits their sleep patterns and the overall layout of their bedrooms.