Sleep Apnea Therapy

There are several different options to the treatment of sleep apnea. One common treatment is behavioral therapy. Behavioral changes are an important part of treatment, and in some cases behavioral therapy may be all that is needed. Use of alcohol, tobacco, and sleeping pills should be avoided because they make the airway more likely to collapse during sleep and prolong the apneic periods. Patients who are overweight can benefit from losing weight, and even 10 percent weight loss can reduce the number of apneic events for most patients. For those with mild sleep apnea, breathing pauses occur only when they sleep on their backs. In such cases, using pillows and other devices to aid sleeping in a side position has proven beneficial.

Nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is a common effective therapy for sleep apnea. With the CPAP, the patient wears a mask during sleep, and pressure from an air blower forces air through the nasal passages. The air pressure can be adjusted so that it is just enough to prevent the throat from collapsing during sleep. The pressure from the CPAP is constant and continuous. Variations in this therapy are available to minimize side effects such as nasal irritation, facial skin irritation, abdominal bloating, mask leaks, sore eyes, and headaches. The variations can be changing the air pressure to coincide with a person’s breathing pattern. Although the CPAP has been proven a successful therapy of sleep apnea, patients regularly complain about its lack of comfort.

Fortunately oral sleep appliances and therapy have proven to be a viable alternative to CPAP. For those who are accustomed to the use of CPAP, but would rather not travel with the machine, it is possible that oral appliances can be used just as effectively. Oral appliances are also a good alternative for those individuals who are intolerant to CPAP.

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