Sleep Apnea Snoring Treatment Alternatives
Methods of treatment for mild cases of sleep apnea involve self-help and behavioral changes. They include slimming down, the cessation of drinking, quitting smoking, stopping taking sleeping pills, sleeping on your side, and getting a quality nights sleep on a regular basis.
For more severe cases of sleep apnea, these self-help options are not adequate. Several other sleep apnea treatments are available. These include:
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP):
The most most popular severe sleep apnea treatment is a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure machine (CPAP). A CPAP machine donates airway pressure to a sufferer of sleep apnea. The sleeper wears a mask-breathing device at bedtime. Pressurized air flows, and the patient inhales, stopping a collapse of the airway and preventing apnea episodes and snoring. The CPAP machine gives a constant flow of air whether the person is inhaling or expiring.
A CPAP machine is an effective sleep apnea treatment, but many sufferers have found the breathing mask to be less than comfortable. With the aid of recent ameliorations, CPAP masks are now much more comfortable. Newer CPAP masks come in many styles, giving sleepers to find the mask that fits them best.
Improvements in CPAP sleep apnea treatment also included adjustable air pressure. Bi-level PAP affords an opportunity to the sufferer to switch from high to low air pressure during exhalation. Auto PAP automatically changes air pressure via an internal regulator at fluctuating instead of fixed levels.
Oral Appliances:
Oral appliances, like a sports mouth guard or orthodontic retainer, which fit in a sleeper’s mouth, are an excellent mode of mild to moderate sleep apnea snoring treatment. These oral appliances aid in keeping the sleeper’s throat and airway unobstructed. Many sufferers find the oral appliances easier to use than a CPAP machine, but not as useful. Other oral appliances fit around the head and chin to adjust the lower jaw of the wearer, bringing it forward and relieving snoring and apnea.
Two oral utensils that are commonly used to bring the jaw forward during sleep are the Tongue Retaining Device and the Mandibular Repositioning Device. These instruments are aquirable from a dentist who specializes in sleep apnea treatment. Some sleep apnea sufferers find the oral device uncomfortable and suffer jaw problems, nausea, saliva build-up, soreness, and tooth tenderness.
Surgery:
Certain surgeries can remove tissues, tonsils, or adenoids, assisting the airway from being able to close and are an alternative sleep apnea treatment. Surgery may offer permanent relief, but there are risks of infection and complications. Depending on the type of sleep apnea, the surgery options for sleep apnea treatment include:
Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) – A surgeon removes the tonsils, adenoids, tissue from the back of the mouth, and from the top of the throat.
Maxillomandibular Advancement – A surgeon moves the upper and lower jaw forward, enlarging the space behind the soft palate and tongue.