Positive Airway Pressure
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) is the leading therapy for sleep apnea. Patients wear a face or nasal mask during sleep. The mask, connected to a pump, provides a positive flow of air into the nasal passages in order to keep the airway open. Most insurance companies now pay for sleep testing and for CPAP treatment. This method of treatment is historically highly effective and known as the “Gold Standard” for treating sleep apnea.
Oral Appliance
Dental appliances can be prescribed for mild to moderate sleep disordered breathing. These devices, called “Mandibular Advancement” devices, are designed to reposition the lower jaw and tongue to help create airway space during sleep.
Our new MATRx study quickly and successfully predicts whether a patient will respond to Oral Appliance therapy. With MATRx, patients and their doctors can now feel more confident in selecting Oral Appliance therapy as an effective option to treat sleep apne
Upper Airway Surgery
This option is performed by a licensed Ear, Nose and Throat surgeon. The procedure removes tissue from the airway. In general, this treatment is most effective for mild apnea or heavy snoring.
Lifestyle Changes
Lifestyle changes are effective ways of mitigating symptoms of sleep apnea.
Here are some tips that may help reduce apnea severity:
- Lose weight – If you are overweight, this is the most important action you can take to cure your sleep apnea (CPAP only treats it; weight loss can potentially cure it in the overweight person)
- Avoid alcohol – It causes frequent nighttime awakenings, and makes the upper airway breathing muscles relax
- Quit smoking – Cigarette smoking worsens swelling in the upper airway, making apnea (and snoring) worse
Some patients with mild sleep apnea or heavy snoring have fewer breathing problems when they are lying on their sides instead of their backs.
