Treatments:
Oral Appliance | nCPAP | Surgery | Rx

Multiple treatments are available for obstructive sleep apnea including, but not limited to, n.C.P.A.P. (nasal continuous positive airway pressure), biPAP, throat or facial surgery, as well as oral appliances, and pharmacological treatment. It is generally agreed, by the medical community, that the most effective treatment, when used properly, is nCPAP or biPAP. Often many treatments are used before the best one is found.

Oral Appliance Therapy an effective, affordable and non-invasive treatment option examples of oral appliances   Oral appliances presently in use and properly researched now fall into two categories. The first category is that of the Tongue Retaining Device (TRD) and the other is that of the Mandibular Repositioning Device (MRD). A new family of appliances, recently developed as a combination Mandibular Repositioning Device and oral CPAP delivery system, are also available. Patients must be aware that treatment with an oral appliance is not universally successful for patients with obstructive sleep apnea. An oral appliance is "site-specific" and will have no effect on obstructions high in the upper airway or low in the upper airway. Nasal Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (nCPAP) is not "site-specific" and is the only treatment now available which is effective, regardless of the location of the obstruction, and the severity of the disease. Patients much prefer to use an oral appliance rather than nCPAP, but nCPAP is better at reducing the number of apneas and increasing the patients' oxygen level. Several studies have been done on Oral appliances and there effectiveness: Study 1 | Study 2 | Study 3 | Study 4 | Study 5 | Study 6 | Study 7 | Stidy 8 | Study 9 For more information on Oral Appliance Therapy, contact the Treatment Center for Disturbed Sleep today. 800-784-0015

nCPAP
(nasal Continuous Positive Air Pressure)

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment. This is the primary treatment for people with obstructive sleep apnea. The device has a small air blower connected by a flexible hose to a cushioned plastic mask that covers your nose. The blower forces air through the hose and mask into your nose and throat to keep the air passage open during sleep.

Surgery

A surgical method is UUUP, a paring away of the upper palate, near the Uvula, in the back of the mouth. Excessive tissue here can close off the airway; Surgery to enlarge the nasal cavity or to correct a deviated septum; and in extreme cases, actually performing a tracheotomy and to a more extreme treatment, actually moving the jaw forward surgically (mandible advancement)

Rx

There are quite a few pharmacological treatments used in Sleep Medicine. Antidepressants are sometimes prescribed, but are marginally effective. Triptil, Vivactil, and Klonopin have been used. However there is little research that supports a pharmacological treatment for OSA.

Lifestyle modifications to prevent snoring.

How can you reduce your likelihood of snoring?
There are many different ways to reduce snoring:

• One of the most effective is through weight loss. Reducing your weight will reduce fat deposits in the throat, providing a more spacious airway and usually less snoring.

• Another way to reduce snoring is to improve nasal breathing by using a nasal strip that gently opens your nostrils during sleep. Dental appliances that are also available can be prescribed by your dentist or orthodontist.

• Sleeping on your side with a pillow is the preferable position to help alleviate snoring.

• Two lifestyle changes to consider are avoiding alcohol and cigarettes. Abstaining from alcohol, which relaxes muscles in the airway, at least four hours before bedtime; and abstaining completely from smoking, which is associated with nasal congestion, can help alleviate snoring.

• Finally, ask your doctor for recommendations, so he or she can address your specific snoring situation.