3 Of the Best Treatments for Sleep Apnea

A lot of people tend to snore, some even louder and more frequent than others. While it’s funny to hear (and sometimes a bit embarrassing), it can also indicate sleeping problems like sleep apnea! If you have been diagnosed with this sleeping condition, chances are that you’ve been given a list of options and treatments to follow.

Many of these treatments and solutions are known to help reduce the snoring and improve your quality of sleep. But the question is: Which one is the best and why?

I’ll be talking about sleep apnea and the top three treatments proven effective by professionals and sleep apnea sufferers, so read on!

The Three Best Treatments for Sleep Apnea

There are actually three major treatments you can do, each of them having specific types. I’ll delve into these treatments, which your doctor may have recommended and listed down for your consideration:

Therapy

Therapies are the first option if you are now diagnosed with sleep apnea, which are:

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP)

This is best for moderate to severe sleep apnea cases, a machine delivering air pressure through a mask. It’s actually the most reliable and common method to treat sleep apnea, though a bit uncomfortable.

Airway Pressure Devices

If CPAP machines are an issue for you, then there are other types of airway pressure devices to choose from. There’s an Auto-CPAP to adjust the pressure while you sleep, or BPAP, bilevel positive airway pressure.

Oral Appliances

One option is to wear oral appliances that help keep the throat open. While CPAP is more effective, these oral appliances are easier to use, which relies on mild obstructive sleep apnea and snoring.

Surgery

If ever the therapies and home remedies haven’t worked and you have a serious condition of sleep apnea, doctors may recommend surgery. It is only considered and recommended after a three-month trial (at least) of other options. But if you have sleep apnea caused by jaw structure issues, then this may be the first option.

There are different surgical options you may go through, such as:

Tissue Removal

The doctor will remove tissue from the top of your throat and rears of your mouth. Usually, tonsils and adenoids are removed, too. This can help stop throat structures from vibrating.

Tissue Shrinkage

This helps with mild or moderate sleep apnea, shrinking tissue from the back of your throat and rears of your mouth.

Jaw Repositioning

Your haw will be mobbed forward, enlarging space behind your soft palate and tongue.

Implants

The doctor will surgically implant plastic rods in the soft palate.

Nerve Stimulation

A simulator is inserted to control tongue movement, keeping it in position.

Tracheostomy

This is only used for severe and life-threatening sleep apnea, with the doctor insuring a plastic or metal tube to breathe in throughout the night while sleeping.

Other Surgeries

There are also surgeries that MIGHT reduce snoring and help treat sleep apnea, such as weight loss surgery or procedure that removes enlarged adenoids or tonsils.

Lifestyle and Home Remedies

If you only have a mild case of sleep apnea, then your doctor may only recommend lifestyle changes. Here are the changes you can do and some remedies to help reduce snoring and improve your sleep:

• Lose excess weight if you are overweight, which relieves throat constructions. Start eating healthily and follow a good workout routine
• Regular exercises can help shed the pounds and also have you sleep better. Get at least 30 minutes of exercise or moderate activity daily, like brisk walking
• Don’t smoke or take any alcohol and vices, as well as certain medication which is known to relax the back muscles of your throat. When quitting addictive vices, look for resources to help you out. If you take prescribed medications that are known to relax throat muscles, ask your doctor for other alternatives
• If you sleep on your back, this can cause both your soft palate and tongue to rest on the back of the throat, blocking the airways. Start sleeping on your side or abdomen instead, using a tennis ball attached to your Panama top to keep you in place

Wrapping It Up

Sleep apnea is a serious matter which can be treated as long as you know the different options that suit you. While this is a guide to different treatments and solutions, it’s still best to ask your doctor for what he recommends based on individual circumstances. You can learn even more about sleep apnea and helpful CPAP machines at Easy CPAP!

I hope that this article on the best treatments for sleep apnea helped you out. So don’t wait any longer and follow any of these treatments now.

If you have any questions or want to share your experiences with sleep apnea, then comment below. Your thoughts are much appreciated!