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Sleep Apnea Treatment
Sleep apnea treatment alternatives for mild cases of sleep apnea involve self-help and behavioral adjustments. They include reducing weight, abstaining from alcohol, quitting smoking, stopping taking sleeping pills, sleeping on your side, and maintaining regular sleep hours.
For more serious cases of sleep apnea, these self-help treatments are not enough. Several other sleep apnea treatments are available. They include:
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP):
The most commonly recommended sleep apnea treatment is a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure machine (CPAP). A CPAP machine provides airway pressure to a sleeper with sleep apnea. The sleeper wears a mask-breathing device while sleeping. It supplies pressurized air, which the sleeper breathes in, stopping the airway from collapsing and keeping the sleeper from apnea episodes and snoring. The CPAP machine supplies constant air pressure regardless of whether the person is breathing in or breathing out.
A CPAP machine is an effective sleep apnea treatment, but many people have found the breathing mask to be uncomfortable. Thanks to recent advancements, CPAP masks have become much more comfortable. Newer CPAP masks come in varied styles, allowing sleepers to find the mask that works best for them.
Advancements in CPAP sleep apnea treatment have included adjustable air pressure. Bi-level PAP allows the sleeper to switch from high to low air pressure during exhalation. Auto PAP automatically changes air pressure via an internal regulator at fluctuating instead of fixed levels.
Oral Appliances:
Oral appliances, such as a sports mouth guard or orthodontic retainer, which fit in a person's mouth, are an effective mild to moderate sleep apnea treatment. These oral appliances keep the person's throat and airway open. Many people find the oral appliances more simple to use than a CPAP machine, but less effective. Other oral appliances fit around the head and chin to adjust the lower jaw of the wearer, bringing it forward and relieving snoring and apnea.
Two oral appliances that are often used to bring the jaw forward during sleep are the Tongue Retaining Device and the Mandibular Repositioning Device. These appliances are obtainable from a dentist who specializes in sleep apnea treatment. Some sleep apnea sufferers find the oral device uncomfortable and experience jaw problems, nausea, saliva build-up, soreness, and tooth tenderness.
Surgery:
Certain surgeries can be performed to remove tissues, tonsils, or adenoids, preventing the airway from being able to collapse and are an optional sleep apnea treatment. Surgery may give permanent relief, but there are risks of infection and complications. Depending on the type of sleep apnea, the surgery suggestions for sleep apnea treatment include:
Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) - A surgeon takes out the tonsils, adenoids, tissue from the back of the mouth, and from the top of the throat.
Maxillomandibular Advancement - A surgeon moves the upper and lower jaw forward, making the space behind the soft palate and tongue bigger.
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