How Can I Stop Sleep Apnea?

Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the muscles in the back of the throat close involuntarily during sleep. This closure causes a patient to stop breathing. These episodes last for about 10 seconds periodically throughout the night. The result is a miserable night’s sleep and spending the day in a state of exhaustion.

In the past, the treatment options for stopping sleep apnea symptoms were limited. CPAP devices are traditionally the most common treatment method for sleep apnea sufferers. However, most patients find the machines to be noisy, cumbersome, uncomfortable, and difficult to adjust correctly. The frustration leaves most patients seeking ways to cure sleep apnea without a CPAP machine.

There’s good news. Newer sleep apnea treatments are available, and many patients have found relief from their sleep apnea symptoms without relying on a CPAP.

Let’s take a look at a few of the ways you can stop your sleep apnea symptoms.

Smoking and alcohol consumption aggravate sleep apnea. Many patients find smoking cessation and avoiding alcohol (especially near bedtime) have reduced their sleep apnea symptoms.

Obesity is also a contributing factor when it comes to sleep apnea. Many patients have discovered that maintaining a healthy weight has proven very helpful in improving their sleep apnea symptoms.

For mild to moderate sleep apnea, oral appliances are an excellent option for reducing sleep apnea symptoms. The most cost-effective and least invasive approach, oral appliances properly position the tongue and jaw to keep airways open during sleep.

Dental appliances have many advantages over a CPAP mask. Most patients prefer dental devices for treating sleep apnea symptoms because they are quieter, more comfortable, portable, and easier to care for than a CPAP device.

If you choose to use an oral appliance, you’ll work with your dentist and primary care provider. Together, they willl recommend a device that best treats your sleep apnea.

A CPAP device is the traditional method of treating obstructive sleep apnea. CPAP masks treat symptoms by providing a continuous flow of oxygen, eliminating the pauses in breathing caused by sleep apnea.

While an effective means of curing sleep apnea symptoms, the masks are generally found to be cumbersome and annoying. Due to the frustration, patients often cease wearing their masks altogether.

A simple way to naturally treat sleep apnea at home, position therapy can be an effective means of curing sleep apnea symptoms. Because sleep apnea generally happens when patients sleep on their backs, position therapy repositions patients to sleep on their side, avoiding the position that causes the airway to collapse.

Position therapy patients wear a support pillow as they sleep, keeping them lying on their side throughout the night.

A 2012 clinical study found this form of sleep apnea treatment to hold promising long term results for mild sleep apnea.

Both major and minor surgical procedures are available for treating sleep apnea.

Minor surgical options include balloon sinuplasty (balloon catheters inserted in the nose to drain large sinuses) and palatal implants (a small polyester rod surgically placed into the soft palate). These options are most effective for mild to moderate sleep apnea.

For more severe forms of sleep apnea, major surgery is often an option. Major surgical options for sleep apnea include tissue reduction (usually of the tongue) and tracheostomy. These procedures are highly invasive and are only the best option for some patients.

In some cases, physical therapy can reduce the severity of sleep apnea symptoms. Physical therapy exercises for sleep apnea include correcting tongue positioning and breathing exercises.

If you’re in the Mandeville area and seeking to put an end to your sleep apnea symptoms, we’d love to help you get the night’s sleep of your dreams. Dr. Eversgerd is trained to help fit patients with the oral appliance (CPAP alternative) that’s right for them. To schedule your sleep apnea consultation appointment, please contact us and call Allure Dental at (985) 205-8190.