Sleep Apnea Snoring Treatment Alternatives

Methods of treatment for non-severe instances of sleep apnea involve self-help and behavioral changes. They include reducing weight, the cessation of drinking, quitting smoking, stopping taking sleeping pills, sleeping on your side, and maintaining regular sleep hours.

For more serious 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 commonly recommended severe sleep apnea treatment is a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure machine (CPAP). A CPAP machine contributes airway pressure to a person with of sleep apnea. The sleeper wears a mask-breathing device while sleeping. It supplies pressurized air, which the sleeper breathes in, stopping a collapse of the airway and stopping apnea episodes and snoring. The CPAP machine gives a constant flow of air whether the person is inspiring or exhaling.

A CPAP machine is an extremely useful sleep apnea treatment, but many of the afflicted have found the breathing mask to be less than comfortable. With the assistance of recent improvements, CPAP masks are now more pleasant to wear. Newer CPAP masks come in many styles, affording the opportunity to sleepers to find the mask that works best for them.

Advancements in CPAP sleep apnea treatment have included adjustable air pressure. Bi-level PAP allows 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 stationary levels.

Oral Appliances:

Oral appliances, like a sports mouth piece or orthodontic retainer, which fit in a sleeper’s mouth, are an extremely useful mode of mild to moderate sleep apnea snoring treatment. These oral appliances keep the sleeper’s throat and airway unobstructed. Many sufferers find the oral appliances easier to use than a CPAP machine, but not as effective. 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 tools that are habitually used to bring the jaw forward during sleep are the Tongue Retaining Device and the Mandibular Repositioning Device. These instruments are available 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, keeping 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.

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