Means To Treating Sleep Apnea
More than 12 million adult Americans are believed to have sleep apnea, a common disorder in which the upper airway is intermittently narrowed during sleep, causing breathing to be difficult. From persistent sleepiness to depression to heart disease, this sleep disorder can severely damage your health if left untreated. Thankfully, treating sleep apnea is usually quite simple. In this article, we’ll talk about the apnea treatment options available and the possible consequences of forgoing help.
There are four basic approaches to apnea treatment, and they can be used in conjunction with one another. The simplest method involves changing the circumstances which may be causing the condition. The patient is advised to lose weight, quit smoking, avoid alcohol and sedative drugs, have a regular sleep schedule and try to sleep only on their side.
The most common treatment option is using Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) in the upper airway to support and hold the airway open. This involves wearing a CPAP mask over the nose. The mask provides a supply of continuously flowing air via a flexible plastic hose from a CPAP machine. Studies have shown that when patients use CPAP, they not only slept better and were more alert during the day, but there were significant improvements in the size, shape and pumping action of their hearts.
The third apnea treatment option is the use of a dental splint to prevent the jaw and tongue from moving back and narrowing the airway. However, oral devices have not proved to be as effective as CPAP and the appliances can be uncomfortable. The fourth and most extreme form of treatment is surgery.
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