More than just snoring, sleep apnea is a medical disorder that can cause extreme daytime sleepiness, difficulty focusing during the day, and tiredness even following a long night’s rest.
Although most people know CPAP devices treat sleep apnea, there are other choices available. New technology allows you to lessen the severity of your symptoms or even completely avoid them without using awkward apparatus.
Read on to discover the top sleep apnea treatment in Athena choices now on offer and how your dentist might be able to assist you to identify a more convenient solution.
Describes sleep apnea?
One condition that disturbs your breathing while you sleep is sleep apnea. Patients with sleep apnea may stop breathing totally at night or breathe extremely shallowly. Often accompanied by loud snoring, these times of disturbed breathing—known as “apneas—may last anything from a few seconds to many minutes.
Let’s go over four of the top sleep apnea treatment choices and how they operate to assist you on your road towards peaceful sleep.
1. Dental appliances
By addressing physical obstruction, several oral devices can help treat sleep apnea. Recommended by groups like the American Sleep Association and the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine, oral appliances are becoming more and more popular due their simplicity and convenience.
Many times, we advise a mandibular advancement device (MAD), an oral appliance resembling a mouth guard used to stop teeth grinding. A MAD will keep the airway from closing at night and stabilize the jaw.
2. Pap Tools
Positive airway pressure (PAP) devices are respiratory ventilated appliances meant to increase oxygen intake and airflow. Though there are also bilevel positive airway pressure (BiPAP) and automatic positive airway pressure (APAP), the most often used equipment is the continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine.
Using a PAP device entails sleeping wearing a specific mask over your nose. For obstructive sleep apnea, PAP devices are successful; nonetheless, some patients find them awkward or difficult to use.
3. Modification in Lifestyle
Our dinner, drink, and daily activities during the day can affect our nighttime sleep. Changing specific lifestyle choices might help reduce the severity of sleep apnea and enhance general quality of sleep.
Sleeping on your back might impede airflow and strain your airway. Instead try sleeping on your side. Some companies create specifically designed pillows or tools to prevent nighttime rolling onto your back.
Steer clear of alcohol just before bed. Other sedatives, like alcohol, might disturb sleep patterns and cause airways to relax. Cut off alcohol intake a couple hours before sleeping.
Put down your smokes. Studies reveal that smoking cigarettes can lead to sleeping problems. Quitting smoking can help treat obstructive sleep apnea.
Cut extra weight from your life. Too much body fat can strain the tongue and back of the throat, therefore impairing breathing. By up to 50%, losing weight can help to lessen the severity of sleep apnea.
4. Medicine
The best course of action may be surgery if sleep apnea results from enlarged tonsils or adenoids—patches of tissue at the rear of the throat—that obstruct airways. Moreover, deviated septum correction or otherwise nasal airflow encouragement can assist treat sleep apnea.
Only if your condition is severe or if other sleep apnea treatment choices fail can a doctor advise surgery.