Do you feel skeptical about the treatments for sleep apnea? Wondering if you’ll ever get sleep again but unsure if the treatment is worth it? It can seem frightening to have to go through therapy or change up your routine. (No eating right before bed?!) But using your new CPAP machine and going through the proper treatments will help you tremendously. Here are some fast facts for those who are wondering about sleep apnea therapy.
The Surgery Option
Listen up: Surgery is not your only choice. In fact, surgery is only effective in treating snoring and is even much less effective for treating sleep apnea than snoring. The challenge with surgery is locating what upper airways are being obstructed. One of the most common surgeries is deep breath uvulopalatopharyngoplasty, or UPPP. This has only a 50% success rate in treating sleep apnea. The most effective treatments are CPAP machines, followed by weight loss and lifestyle changes, oral appliance therapy, and upper airway stimulation. More on those later.
CPAP Machine Effectiveness
It’s super effective. As long as you are consistent with using your Studies show that people who use PAP machines (CPAP, BiPAP, VPAP) consistently feel better. As a result of a decrease in episodes during sleep, they encounter fewer complications with the condition. CPAP machines don’t hurt, but they can honestly take a while to get used to, since the positive airway pressure is usually a completely new feeling. It may even feel uncomfortable at first, but your body will adjust to the mask and the slight noise from the machine. Just make sure that everything is adjusted properly; a leak in the mask can cause some irritations. Dry mouth, dry skin, that kind of thing.
Other Options
Oral Appliance Therapy
Oral appliance therapy is an effective, non-invasive treatment that’s easy to manage. People like it because it is comfortable, portable, and easy to wear. It’s like a plastic mouth guard designed to keep your mouth open. It doesn’t always solve the problem of airway obstruction the way a CPAP machine does, though. Make sure that you check in with your dentist to find the right appliance type that your sleep specialist recommended.
Your dentist will create the mold for you. The great news is that oral appliances are generally covered under your health insurance plan, not your dental plan.
Weight Loss
Weight and sleep apnea are probably linked, but it’s not completely confirmed.About 70% of people with obstructive sleep apnea are overweight or obese. Your physician will usually recommend losing weight to help with the snoring, but that isn’t a definitive cure. Meanwhile, a CPAP machine will help reduce sleep apnea episodes while you work to slim down. Anecdotally, practitioners report striking improvements in both OSA and snoring among patients who lose weight.
Upper Airway Stimulation Therapy
Let your doctor advise you on this one. Most likely you’ll only consider this option if you have been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, plus there’s a reason that you can’t use a CPAP machine. This therapy machine monitors your breathing patterns during sleep (like a CPAP machine can) but instead of using air, it delivers mild stimulation to the muscles in your airway. You have to wear sensors. It’s kind of complicated.
Always ask your doctor what the best approach for your sleep apnea is. She or he will prescribe the best treatment that is specific for you. (Don’t be surprised if it’s a CPAP machine!)
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