what other kind of treatment is there for sleep apnea besides the mask

How can you heal sleep apnea naturally?

Sleep apnea lifestyle remedies

1. Maintain a healthy weight. Doctors commonly recommend people with sleep apnea to lose weight. ...
2. Try yoga. Regular exercise can increase your energy level, strengthen your heart, and improve sleep apnea. ...
3. Alter your sleep position. ...
4. Use a humidifier. ...
5. Avoid alcohol and smoking. ...
6. Use oral appliances. ...

How to sleep with sleep apnea without CPAP?

• Oral appliances are custom-made by your dentist and are designed to either push the lower jaw and tongue forward or keep the tongue in place in order to keep the ...
• Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty removes tissue from the upper part of the mouth and the back of the throat. ...
• Somnoplasty uses radiofrequency energy to trim excess tissue in the upper airway.

More items...

What are some alternatives to CPAP for sleep apnea?

Sleep Apnea Treatment: CPAP Alternatives

• BiPAP for Sleep Apnea. BiPAP, or BiLevel PAP therapy, works in a similar manner as CPAP. ...
• Weight Loss. Weight loss can be a very effective CPAP alternative for overweight and obese patients. ...
• Mouthguards and Oral Devices. ...
• Sleep Apnea Surgery. ...
• Other CPAP Alternatives. ...
• Finding a CPAP Alternative. ...

Who qualifies for inspire for sleep apnea?

• You have moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea.
• You are unable to use or get consistent benefit from CPAP.
• You are not significantly obese.
• You are age 18 or above.

Is there an alternative to CPAP mask?

Oral appliances, similar in look and feel to a mouth guard, can be effective in reducing air resistance. The devices, which can be custom fitted by your dentist, can be used to move your jaw forward or hold your tongue in place, which helps prevent the tissues in your throat from collapsing so your airway remains open.

What is the new alternative to a CPAP machine?

The new treatment - known as Inspire Upper Airway Stimulation (UAS) therapy - offers the first implantable device for treating obstructive sleep apnea. The therapy works from inside the body and with the patient's natural breathing process.

What is the most effective treatment for sleep apnea?

CPAP is considered the most effective OSA treatment, but many people prescribed CPAP do not use it as often as they should. CPAP therapy is less effective at treating central sleep apnea.

How is sleep apnea treated without surgery?

Non-Surgical TreatmentLifestyle Adjustments. In many cases, lifestyle adjustments may be the first step to treating obstructive sleep apnea. ... Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) Therapy. ... Positional Therapy. ... Cervical Pillow. ... Oral Appliance Therapy.

What is the newest treatment for sleep apnea?

The new treatment - known as Inspire Upper Airway Stimulation (UAS) therapy - offers the first implantable device for treating obstructive sleep apnea. The therapy works from inside the body and with the patient's natural breathing process.

Is there a cure for sleep apnea other than CPAP?

If CPAP isn't for you, a few other OSA treatment options include: an oral appliance. bilevel positive airway pressure (BiPAP) nasal valve therapy.

What is inspire sleep apnea treatment?

The Inspire device is a surgical implant that monitors your breathing while you sleep and opens your airway. Inspire sleep apnea treatment is for those with moderate sleep apnea who are 22 years or older and fall in the Body Mass Index range for their height and weight. You control the device with a handheld remote.

How long can you live with sleep apnea?

If left untreated, obstructive sleep apnea can shorten your life from anywhere between 12-15 years.

What is the best sleep position for sleep apnea?

Sleeping on the left side It's by far the most effective sleep position to help control sleep apnea. It's considered to encourage blood flow, reduce snoring and calm sleep apnea. In fact, research points out that left side-sleepers experience less severe sleep apnea occurrences.

Whats the difference between a CPAP and a BiPAP?

While CPAP generally delivers a single pressure, BiPAP delivers two: an inhale pressure and an exhale pressure. These two pressures are known as inhalation positive airway pressure (IPAP) and exhalation positive airway pressure (EPAP).

Can heart damage from sleep apnea be reversed?

Though sleep apnea is a reversible thing, you can control it, you can treat it, you can live a normal life with it, but if we do not treat it, we fail to diagnose it, then it leads to heart failure and stroke and we know these things are irreversible.

Does sleeping with head elevated help sleep apnea?

"Sleeping with the head as elevated and upright as possible, such as with an adjustable bed or in a recliner, may be helpful in improving sleep apnea symptoms." Wedge-shaped pillows made of foam (rather than a squishier material) can help you achieve the right position that keeps the airway more open.

Wear An Oral/Dental Appliance Instead

We've written about how dental and oral appliances have emerged as a popular option for sleep apnea patients (as well as the pros and cons of using...

Undergoing A Weight Management Program

In some cases, weight loss can help improve or eliminate your patient's sleep apnea symptoms if they are overweight or obese. Overweight people oft...

Consider Changing Some of Your Everyday Habits

There are a variety of lifestyle changes that your patients can make to help reduce their snoring and improve their sleep apnea symptoms. Behaviora...

How to reduce snoring in patients?

Consider Changing Some of Your Everyday Habits. There are a variety of lifestyle changes that your patients can make to help reduce their snoring and improve their sleep apnea symptoms. Behavioral changes such as quitting smoking or not drinking alcohol may improve sleep apnea symptoms.

What to do if you don't want to wear a CPAP mask?

Key Takeaway: If your patients don't want to wear a CPAP mask, then you can try recommending alternative sleep apnea treatment options. Wearing an oral/dental appliance to help prevent the airway from collapsing. Getting surgery to potentially reduce or eliminate the extra tissue in your patient's throat.

How does oral sleep apnea work?

Oral sleep apnea treatment devices prevent the airway from collapsing by holding the tongue in position or by sliding the patient's jaw forward so patients can breathe while they sleep. A sleep technologist can titrate an oral appliance fitted by a dental professional trained in sleep medicine.

What is it called when you sleep on your back?

Some people have sleep apnea primarily when sleeping on their back. This is called the “supine” position. Their breathing returns to normal when they sleep on their side. Positional therapy may involve wearing a special device around your waist or back. It keeps you sleeping in the side position.

What to do if you have allergies and cannot sleep?

If your patients have difficulty staying with their treatment plan or cannot sleep well even with treatment, you may recommend Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.

How does a throat surgery work?

How It Works. The most common options reduce or eliminate the extra tissue in your throat that collapses and blocks your airway during sleep. Keep in mind that while some surgeries may be minimally invasive, others can be more complex.

Does weight loss help with sleep apnea?

In some cases, weight loss can help improve or eliminate your patient's sleep apnea symptoms if they are overweight or obese. Overweight people often have thick necks with extra tissue in the throat that may block the airway.

Are Maskless Treatment Options Available?

Although CPAP is one of the most popular treatments for sleep apnea, “there are several possible treatment options for sleep apnea that don’t involve masks,” Jyoti Matta, MD, Medical Director of the Center for Sleep Disorders at Jersey City Medical Center, tells WebMD Connect to Care. Some such options are:

Think you may have a sleep disorder? Start your journey to more restful sleep TODAY

Untreated sleep disorders can negatively affect your physical and emotional health. Sleep testing can help you get the answers you need to receive the treatment you deserve. WebMD Connect to Care Advisors are standing by to help.

What is a CPAP mask?

A mask that delivers pressurized air during sleep, CPAP is a standard treatment for obstructive sleep apnea. But other options, when necessary, are available. Patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) experience obstructed or restricted breathing for periods of 10 seconds or longer during sleep.

How does a mouth device work?

A mouth device known as a mandibular advancement appliance works by moving the jaw forward, which increases the size of the upper airway and reduces air resistance that leads to sleep apnea and snoring . It may be effective for some patients, especially those with mild or moderate OSA. 3.

What is the best treatment for a enlarged tongue?

10. Tongue reduction surgery may be helpful when the tongue is abnormally enlarged. Reducing the size of a person’s tongue may cause the airway to collapse less, thus improving airflow and breathing. For more information or to make an evaluation appointment, contact the Michigan Medicine Alternatives to CPAP Clinic.

How does CPAP help with OSA?

The standard treatment for OSA is continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, which involves wearing a mask during sleep. The device conducts pressurized air through the nose, or through the nose and mouth, to the throat. That pressure keeps the throat from collapsing during sleep to enable normal breathing.

What causes OSA in the throat?

Excessive weight or obesity may be a major contributor to a person’s OSA. Weight gain can cause fat tissue to build up around the throat and at the base of the tongue. Medical weight loss or bariatric surgery may be indicated in certain cases. 10.

Can tonsils be removed?

It may be effective for some patients, especially those with mild or moderate OSA. 3. If a patient’s tonsils and adenoids are enlarged, removal is the recommended treatment. Tonsils behind the palate and tongue are most likely to require removal when they are contributing to airway obstruction or snoring.

Do you need beauty sleep?

SEE ALSO: Yes, You Really Do Need ‘Beauty Sleep’. 4. Some patients can have a long palate shortened with a procedure known as a UP3 (uvulopalatopharyngoplasty) or uvulectomy — a procedure used to remove excess tissue in the soft palate to widen the airway and allow air to move through the throat more easily.

Lifestyle Changes

Mayo Clinic notes that your doctor may recommend some alterations in your lifestyle to address the symptoms of mild sleep apnea.

Other Airway Pressure Devices

Some people require a different type of airway pressure machine to get relief from sleep apnea symptoms, according to Cleveland Clinic. Unlike a CPAP machine, which emits air at a single constant pressure, a bi-level positive airway pressure (BiPAP) machine emits increased pressure during inhalation and reduced pressure during exhalation.

Oral Appliances

An oral appliance may be another option for you if you’re unable to comply with CPAP therapy. Oral appliances come in a variety of forms, and the most popular option is a mandibular advancement device (MAD), which resembles a mouthguard. These devices keep the airway unobstructed during sleep by repositioning the lower jaw.

Surgery

Surgery is an option when other less-invasive methods like CPAP therapy have failed to bring relief, according to Mayo Clinic. However, for a small number of patients with particular structural jaw issues, it’s the first line of defense.

Think you may have a sleep disorder? Start your journey to more restful sleep TODAY

Untreated sleep disorders can negatively affect your physical and emotional health. Sleep testing can help you get the answers you need to receive the treatment you deserve. WebMD Connect to Care Advisors are standing by to help.

What is adaptive servo ventilation?

Adaptive servo ventilation is a relatively new alternative to CPAP for sleep apnea. It continuously monitors the breathing status of patients with central sleep apnea (CSA). Considered to be a form of positive airway pressure therapy (PAP), adaptive servo ventilation adjusts pressure delivery based on the detection of pauses, or apneas, in breathing during sleep.

What is the name of the surgery that moves the jaw forward to facilitate breathing?

Also known as maxillomandibular advancement or bimaxillary advancement, this sleep apnea surgery is another CPAP alternative which moves the jaw forward to facilitate breathing.

What is the most common sleep apnea surgery?

Soft palate procedures are the most common sleep apnea surgeries. They include uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) and newer procedures such as expansion sphincter pharyngoplasty or lateral pharyngoplasty, which some studies have shown to be better than traditional UPPP in some studies.

How does a bilevel PAP work?

Instead of one single pressure, BiPAP uses two pressures – an inhale pressure and a lower exhale pressure. BiPAP is often used as an alternative to CPAP for sleep apnea when patients also present with lung issues, like COPD. Historically, it was also used for sleep apnea patients that had difficulty tolerating CPAP. Your sleep specialist will be able to help you decide if BiPAP would be suitable for you.

What is the best treatment for sleep apnea?

Sleep Apnea Treatment: CPAP Alternatives. If you are having difficulty adjusting to CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) treatment, there are several other alternatives to CPAP for sleep apnea. Although CPAP is the most popular treatment for this sleep disorder, there are other therapies available that may be more effective or comfortable ...

What type of surgery is best for sleep apnea?

The type of sleep apnea surgery that will be most effective for you depends on the structures that are causing your sleep apnea and blocking your breathing during sleep. In children, surgery (usually tonsillectomy and/or adenoidectomy) is a first-line option for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), whereas sleep apnea surgery is typically ...

What type of surgery is done for hypopharyngeal sleep apnea?

Hypopharyngeal sleep apnea surgeries include tongue radiofrequency, genioglossus advancement, hyoid suspension, and parti al glossectomy . They can be performed alone or in combination with soft palate procedures.

What is mixed sleep apnea?

Mixed sleep apnea is a combination of OSA and CSA symptoms, though it typically presents as OSA first. If you are diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, your healthcare provider may recommend a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine for treatment. A CPAP machine gives you pressurized air as you sleep to ensure your airway stays open.

How does sleep affect apnea?

Sleep Position. Sleeping in a supine position, on your back with your face up toward the ceiling, increases the number of apnea episodes you have in a night. When you have OSA and sleep on your back, your tongue and larynx can obstruct your breathing 9.

What does it mean when you wake up gasping for breath?

If you breathe irregularly as you sleep, wake up gasping for breath, or feel excessively sleepy during the day, you may be experiencing symptoms of sleep apnea. There are three types of sleep apnea. The most common type of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). OSA affects between 2% and 9% of adults 1 in the United States and about 2% ...

How to treat apnea in the mouth?

Orofacial Therapy . Orofacial therapy, or therapy for facial and mouth muscles, may help reduce apnea events. In this therapy, you learn how to correct the position of your tongue so that it does not block your airway. You also learn how to control and strengthen muscles in your tongue, soft palate, lips, and face.

What is the purpose of mandibular advancement?

Mandibular advancement devices cover your upper and lower teeth 14 and keep your jaw in a position that prevents it from blocking your upper airway. These devices are silent, easy to use, and less expensive than CPAP machines. However, mandibular advancement devices work best if you have mild OSA or if you experience OSA only when you sleep on your ...

How many people have OSA?

OSA affects between 2% and 9% of adults 1 in the United States and about 2% of children. If you have this respiratory disorder, your breathing is interrupted 2 as you sleep. You might snore, gasp, choke, or snort during your sleep. These body responses may wake you from sleep. Central sleep apnea (CSA) is a much rarer type of sleep apnea.

What is a nasal expiratory positive airway pressure device?

A nasal expiratory positive airway pressure (nEPAP) device is a one-time use product that is inserted into your nostrils before you go to sleep. These nEPAP devices, sold under the commercial name Provent, provide positive pressure when you exhale and prevent the collapse of your upper airway.

How much does UPPP cure sleep apnea?

The answer is, it depends. UPPP has about a 60-70% complete sleep apnea cure rate. Patients that are morbidly obese generally experience lower success rates with the surgery. The benefit of UPPP decreases over time after people have had the surgery.

What is the best way to treat sleep apnea?

1. Provent. Provent is one of the few non-CPAP sleep apnea treatments that has been cleared by the FDA after studies have shown that it can treat sleep apnea. It consists of two tiny breathable filters that attach to your nose. It looks a lot like 2 small band aids that are roughly 1.5 inches wide each.

Why is CPAP so popular?

Because it was developed a few years earlier than other options for treating sleep apnea , there’s considerably more research about CPAP’s effectiveness than there is about any other treatment option. The other reason for CPAP’s popularity is that, in theory, it can treat all levels of sleep apnea.

What is anti snoring device?

Anti snoring devices are mouthpieces worn before going to bed to stop snoring. These devices are usually very effective at stopping snoring, but they aren’t meant to treat sleep apnea.

What is the name of the instrument that makes a growling sound?

The didgeridoo is, however, one of the most esoteric, sleep apnea treatments without a mask currently available. The didgeridoo is an Australian wind instrument that is played by blowing into it. It’s basically a big, hollow tree branch that makes a growling sound when played.

What is UPPP in a sleep apnea?

Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (lets just call it UPPP) is one of the more drastic treatment options for sleep apnea. It involves the removal of tissue from the the uvulla, soft palate, pharynx, tonsils and/or adenoids to stop obstructions that cause sleep apnea.

How does Provent work?

It looks a lot like 2 small band aids that are roughly 1.5 inches wide each. Provent works by creating positive expiratory pressure when you exhale. This added pressure helps your breathing slow down and causes your airways to open up more. This increase in airway size helps treat sleep apnea.

What is the name of the device that repositions the mandible forward relative to the maxilla?

They are also called mandibular advancing devices (MAD) and mandibular repositioning devices (MRD), as they reposition the mandible forward relative to the maxilla (the upper jaw). There are several Sleep Apnea Oral Appliances that are FDA approved.

What is the best appliance for sleep apnea?

In some cases, a dental appliance may be effective in treating mild to moderate sleep apnea. There are two main types of dental appliances for sleep apnea including a mandibular advancement device and a tongue retaining device.

Why do you need a CPAP machine?

The pressure helps keep your airway passages open while you sleep. Because your airway remains open, it prevents pauses in breathing.

How does sleep apnea work?

In general, the sleep apnea devices that available for the treatment of sleep apnea work by keeping upper airway open - and preventing it from closing during sleep. Some sleep apnea devices use anatomic positioning. Others use air pressure. Newer technologies are utilizing electrical impulses.

What is sleep apnea?

Sleep apnea is a medical condition that involves brief pauses in breathing while you are sleeping. Although the pauses usually only last a few seconds, the condition can have several adverse effects on the body. There are a few different types of sleep apnea with obstructive sleep apnea being the most common.

How does continuous positive airway pressure work?

It works by delivering room air through a mask in the nose and/or mouth to keep the airway open - like an 'air splint'. It is considered very safe with few side effects.

What are mouth guards made of?

Some are made of soft nylon plastic, others are made from a resin-like material. A few use computer aided design (CAD) and 3D imaging to fit the device to the mouth and teeth. They essentially work as an airway splint. Variety or sleep apnea oral mouth guards devices.