Sleep apnea, a disorder characterized by interrupted breathing during sleep, is a growing problem that affects millions of people worldwide. Conventional treatment options such as continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines are effective but are often uncomfortable, bulky, and tethered to a power source.
However, the Airing Micro CPAP, promoted as a revolutionary device that promised to be the world’s first cordless, maskless, and hoseless micro-CPAP, aimed to change that.
Let’s delve into the history of the Airing’s Micro CPAP, its crowdfunding campaign, its eventual closure, the FDA-approved micro-sized device that came out after Airing, and the proliferation of ‘imposter’ or ‘scam’ Airing devices found on Amazon and elsewhere.
Airing LLC History
Stephen Marsh, a mechanical engineer, founded Airing LLC in 2014 with the goal of developing a revolutionary solution to treat sleep apnea. The company aimed to create a comfortable, silent, and effective CPAP device that would be easy to use and would not require a mask, hose, or power cords. Marsh spent several years researching and developing prototypes before launching a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo in 2015.
Micro CPAP Crowdfunding Campaign
Airing’s Micro CPAP crowdfunding campaign quickly gained attention and raised over $1.5 million from over 12,000 backers worldwide. The campaign was a massive success and generated a lot of buzz in the media. The device promised to be a game-changer in the field of sleep apnea treatment, and people eagerly awaited its release.
However, the campaign was not without controversy. Some backers criticized the company for failing to deliver on its promises, and others questioned the validity of the technology. Additionally, the company faced regulatory hurdles, and some questioned whether the device would receive FDA approval.
Bankruptcy and Closing Down the Company
Unfortunately, Airing LLC ultimately failed to bring the Airing Micro CPAP to market. The company faced a range of issues, including technical difficulties, regulatory hurdles, and financial problems. Not the least among their ‘regulatory hurdles’ was the fact that the device was never proven to be effective in treating sleep apnea — a company can’t get approval to market a product until they prove that it does what it’s supposed to do.
In 2018, the company filed for bankruptcy, and the Airing Micro CPAP became one of the most high-profile crowdfunding failures in history.
After Airing’s Demise, Micro-sized Sleep Apnea Therapy Becomes a Reality With an FDA-Approved ‘EPAP’ Device Called Bongo Rx
Despite the company’s closure, the Airing Micro CPAP remains an intriguing concept and represents the growing interest in innovative solutions to sleep apnea. While the Airing Micro CPAP may have failed, the concept continues to inspire entrepreneurs and researchers to develop new and better ways to treat sleep apnea.
One such product is Bongo Rx, a tiny device that, like the Airing, fits just into the nostrils. But Bongo Rx does not require any electronics or ‘nano technology’ to work. This is because Bongo Rx is based on a concept called ‘exhalation positive airway pressure’ or EPAP for short. Click the link below to learn more about Bongo Rx.
Learn About The New Micro-Sized and Effective CPAP Alternative That Does Not Require a Machine, Mask or Hose – Bongo Rx EPAP Therapy
Bongo Rx is an FDA-cleared prescription device for the treatment of moderate or mild sleep apnea
Conveniently available to you whenever and wherever you want to sleep
Clinically tested
Easy to use, small and discreet
Requires no machine, hoses, electricity, or batteries
Designed, molded, and assembled in the USA
Affordable
Enter Airing Micro CPAP Imposters and Frauds on Amazon and Elsewhere
In the last few years there has been a proliferation of Airing knock offs or imposters. A quick Google search shows “Airing Micro CPAP” devices everywhere, including Amazon. These are NOT CPAP devices, and are not approved by the FDA for the treatment of sleep apnea.
Except for putting “CPAP” in their name, these devices do not claim to treat sleep apnea. Instead, they focus on snoring. While snoring and sleep apnea are related, reducing snoring is not the same as treating sleep apnea.
These devices are simply a cheap fan in a plastic casing with an on-off switch. They do not generate enough pressure to keep your airway open and reduce or eliminate apnea events. Do not be taken in by this Airing micro CPAP scam. Sleep apnea is a serious condition and it must be treated with an effective therapy.
Conclusion
The Airing Micro CPAP was a highly anticipated device that promised to revolutionize the treatment of sleep apnea. While the company faced many challenges and ultimately failed to bring the product to market, Airing’s Micro CPAP represented a significant advancement in sleep apnea treatment technology. The failure of Airing LLC highlights the challenges of developing and bringing new medical devices to market, but it also underscores the need for continued innovation and investment in this field.
People with mild to moderate sleep apnea who are looking for an alternative to CPAP should try Bongo Rx, a non-invasive, low-cost solution.
Can you cure sleep apnea? Sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts while a person is sleeping. It affects millions of people worldwide and can lead to serious health complications if left untreated. But can you cure sleep apnea? Let’s talk about this.
First, it’s important to understand that sleep apnea is a chronic condition, meaning it cannot be cured completely. However, the severity of sleep apnea can can sometimes be reduced through lifestyle and behavioral changes.
Lifestyle and Behavior Changes to Improve Sleep Apnea
Here are some ‘natural remedies’ that can help manage sleep apnea symptoms:
Lose Weight: Excess weight is a common risk factor for sleep apnea, so losing weight can help improve symptoms.
Avoid Alcohol and Sedatives: Alcohol and sedatives can relax the muscles in your throat, making it more difficult to breathe during sleep.
Change Sleeping Position: Sleeping on your back can make sleep apnea worse. Try sleeping on your side or with your head in an elevated position to help keep your airway open.
Exercise Regularly: Regular exercise can help strengthen the muscles in your throat, making it less likely that they will collapse during sleep.
Use a Humidifier: Dry air can irritate the tissues in your throat, making it more difficult to breathe. Using a humidifier can help keep the air moist and reduce symptoms.
Medical Treatments for OSA
If lifestyle changes and natural remedies don’t improve your sleep apnea symptoms, your doctor may recommend medical treatments.
Here are some medical options for treating sleep apnea:
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) Therapy: CPAP therapy involves wearing a mask over your nose and/or mouth while you sleep. The mask is connected to a machine that delivers a continuous stream of air pressure to keep your airway open.
Oral Appliance Therapy (OAT): A non-invasive treatment for sleep apnea that involves wearing a custom-fitted dental appliance to keep the airway open during sleep.
Surgery: Surgery may be an option if other treatments haven’t worked. Surgical options for sleep apnea include uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP), which removes excess tissue from the throat, and maxillomandibular advancement (MMA), which repositions the jaw to keep the airway open.
Surgical Implant: The Inspire sleep apnea device is a surgically implanted device that delivers mild stimulation to key airway muscles during sleep to keep the airway open.
While sleep apnea cannot be cured completely, it can be managed effectively with the right treatment plan. Lifestyle changes and natural remedies can help improve symptoms in many cases, but medical treatments like CPAP therapy and surgery may be necessary for more severe cases.
If you think you may have sleep apnea, it’s important to speak with your doctor. They can help you determine the best course of treatment to manage your symptoms and improve your overall health and quality of life.
Some symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea for you to consider. Do you often get woken up in the middle of the night by a severe coughing fit? Does your sleeping partner complain about your loud snoring? Restless nights and not getting enough hours of sleep are so normalized in our fast-paced world that bad sleeping patterns may not seem out of the ordinary. However, nighttime coughing fits and loud snoring may be signs you have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
Obstructive sleep apnea is a potentially serious sleep disorder that causes your breathing to repeatedly stop and start while you sleep. Out of the different types of sleep apnea, obstructive sleep apnea is the most common. It occurs when your throat muscles intermittently relax, collapsing the airway during sleep and blocking normal breathing. Loud snoring is one of the more obvious obstructive sleep apnea symptoms, but there are other signs to look out for.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea Symptoms
If you experience one or more of these symptoms listed below, there is a chance you are suffering from obstructive sleep apnea.
Loud snoring
Abrupt awakening accompanied by gasping or choking
Periods of stopped breathing during sleep
Excessive daytime sleepiness
Morning headaches
Waking up with a dry mouth or sore throat
Nighttime sweating
Difficulty concentrating during the day
Mood changes such as depression or irritability
High blood pressure
Decreased libido
Consult with your doctor on how to get a diagnosis and the different methods of treatment for sleep apnea if you are experiencing the following:
Your snoring is disturbing you and your sleeping partner’s sleep
Regularly waking up gasping or choking
You stop breathing intermittently during sleep
Excessive daytime drowsiness causes you to fall asleep at work or while driving
How to Get an Obstructive Sleep Apnea Diagnosis
In order to be diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, you will need to consult with your doctor. They will make an evaluation based on your signs and symptoms as well as the results of some tests. If they think its necessary, they may refer you to a sleep specialist for further evaluation.
With a physical examination, your doctor will look at the back of your throat, mouth, and nose to check for extra tissues or other abnormalities. They may also check your blood pressure, your weight, and your neck circumference. A sleep specialist will conduct additional evaluations in order to reach an obstructive sleep apnea diagnosis, which can include multiple tests.
Polysomnography (PSG).This sleep study hooks you up to equipment to monitor your heart, lung, and brain activity, breathing patterns, leg and arm movements, and blood oxygen levels while you sleep. Conducted as a full-night study or split-night study at a sleep lab, a polysomnography test can diagnosis you with OSA and help rule out other sleep disorders.
Home Sleep Testing (HST). Depending on the circumstances, your doctor might provide you with a version of the sleep test that you can do at home. This test measures airflow, breathing patterns, blood oxygen levels, limb movements, and snoring intensity.
Treating Obstructive Sleep Apnea
After being diagnosed with OSA, there are several treatment methods your doctor may suggest. Lifestyle changes such as losing weight, regularly exercising, and quitting cigarettes are often recommended. If these changes don’t improve your sleep, there are a few therapies your doctor can recommend. Positive airway pressure, also known as CPAP therapy, is the most common, while surgery (see Inspire Sleep Apnea Device) is the most extreme option.
For those who can’t tolerate CPAP or want to avoid the bulky machines, masks, and hoses, expiratory positive airway pressure or EPAP therapy is an effective CPAP alternative. Those who want to try EPAP should consider the Bongo RX. The Bongo RX is a reusable sleep apnea nasal device that delivers convenient and effective EPAP therapy wherever you fall asleep. It is FDA-cleared to treat mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea.
Learn About The New CPAP Alternative That Does Not Require a Machine, Mask or Hose – Bongo Rx EPAP Therapy
A good night’s sleep is an important step in staying healthy. It is just as important as regular physical exercise and a nutrition-rich diet. Over the past few decades, Americans have seen a decline in their sleep quality, with a growing number experiencing sleep disorders.1 If you feel you didn’t get enough hours of sleep last year, work on getting a better sleeping schedule for this year. Here is a list of tips on how to sleep deeper through the night.
1. Wake Up Earlier to Sleep Deeper
The circadian rhythm is a natural, internal process that regulates your sleep-wake cycle. Operating like your body’s natural clock, it repeats around every 24 hours. Want to know how to sleep deeper at night naturally? Expose yourself to plenty of natural light and bright sunlight during the day to optimize your circadian rhythm and keep it healthy. More bright light exposure during the day means more hours of sleep at night.2 Waking up earlier and going outside throughout the day will increase your bright light exposure.
2. Reduce Blue Light Exposure
Blue light is short wavelength visible light that produces higher amount of energy. Blue light is emitted by many digital devices including computer screens, laptops, and smartphones. While natural bright light helps you sleep better at night, blue light will decrease your sleep quality. To sleep deeper It is important to avoid blue light exposure, especially in the hours leading up to your bedtime.
The simplest way to avoid blue light is to avoid using your laptop, phone, and other electronic devices during the night or at least two hours before you go to sleep. You could also wear glasses that block blue light or download an app that blocks blue light from your device.
3. Improve Your Bedroom Ambiance
Design your bedroom environment for sleeping. Having a relaxing bedroom is a key factor in getting a good night’s rest. Optimize your bedroom environment by minimizing external noise and light including artificial lights from devices like digital clocks and computer monitors. Artificial light tricks the body into believing it is still daylight which messes up your circadian rhythm. Multiple studies have shown external noise decreases sleep quality and has a negative effect on people’s health in the long-term.3
If you live near a street, external noise from traffic is hard to avoid. Consider installing soundproof windows or noise canceling window inserts. Soundproof curtains are a more affordable, but less effective option. Blackout curtains are effective in blocking out external light. Install a door seal to stop light from coming in through the bottom of your door. Finally, make sure all digital light sources are turned off or covered up.
4. Avoid Long Daytime Naps
Long daytime naps or irregular napping during the day will mess up your circadian rhythm which will mess up your sleep schedule. Short power naps can improve brain function during the day but avoid multiple naps as well as napping for more than 30 minutes. Frequent and long daytime napping can lead to a loss of productivity and worsen sleep inertia.4
5. Consider EPAP Therapy to Sleep Deeper
If you snore loudly while you sleep or often wake up in the middle of the night in a choking fit, you may have a sleep disorder. If your restless nights are accompanied by morning headaches or excessive daytime sleepiness, consult with your doctor to see if he has some tips for sleeping with sleep apnea. You may have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). If you are diagnosed with OSA, EPAP therapy can be an effective treatment. OSA sufferers are often prescribed portable nasal devices like the Bongo Rx EPAP device to improve their nighttime breathing and to sleep deeper. If you suffer from mild to moderate OSA, ask your doctor about Bongo Rx today! Bongo Rx vs. Provent Sleep Apnea Device: Which is The EPAP Device That’s Right for Your Sleep Apnea?
Learn About The New Micro-Sized and Effective CPAP Alternative That Does Not Require a Machine, Mask or Hose – Bongo Rx EPAP Therapy
I received the Bongo Rx device. This device could revolutionize the sleep industry, especially if it is capable of producing the same clinical improvement one sees with standard CPAP devices.
As a Sleep Apnea sufferer, I was Very Impressed with the innovative simplicity of the device. I have used the Bongo Rx device over the weekend and found it comfortable and clinically, I felt as good the next day as when I use the standard equipment.
Brazell H. Carter, MD
Brazell H. Carter, MD is a Board Certified Internal medicine specialist in Richmond, CA and has been practicing for over 4O years. He graduated with honors from Meharry Medical College School Of Medicine in 1975. Dr. Carters practice, Lifelong Medical Care, provides high quality medical, dental, and social services to people of all ages. Dedicated to helping each patient live a health productive life, in addition of offering care, his center offers a wide range of patient educational and outreach services.
First of all the Bongo Rx has stopped me from snoring. I feel extremely fresh in the morning. I typically only sleep about six hours a night anyway, I never realized I could feel this fresh. In the past I wore a dental appliance that would leave my jaw extremely sore. It also hurt my teeth in the morning when I tried to chew food. This also does not leave a mark on my face like CPAP machines can. It can fit in my travel kit without any problem. I can’t believe it’s such a simple device and works so well. It has really changed my life.
My mother is using the Bongo Rx. My mother is in her mid-70s and I always remember her yawning and falling asleep on the sofa around eight or 9 PM, granted she was an early bird and would run 7 miles almost every morning at five and then be supermom for the rest of the day. Now when she visits she still sleeps only five hours, however she can talk to us till midnight without Yawning!!!!
She states that she is extremely fresh throughout the day as well. My dad typically sleeps one or two hours after her and states that finally after 53 years she’s not snoring when he goes to bed.
Regards,
Amir Piracha, MD
Dr. Amir R Piracha, MD is a Cardiologist primarily located in Louisville, KY, with other offices in Louisville and Shepherdsville, KY. He has 24 years of experience. Dr Piracha graduated at Marshall University Joan C Edwards School Of Medicine in 1995 and completed his residency at Allegheny General Hospital. His specialties include Cardiovascular Disease and Internal Medicine.
