Surgery can also be performed to help people better tolerate CPAP therapy or an oral appliance by addressing physical features that interfere with these other treatments for OSA.
Your doctor can also discuss alternatives to CPAP if you are unable to use CPAP therapy, if it has not been effective for you, or if you simply want to explore your other options.
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Tongue retaining devices (TRD) use suction to draw the tongue partially out of the mouth, which helps prevent the base of the tongue from blocking the airway.
Sleep apnea can’t be cured, but treatments can help improve sleep by reducing the number of breathing interruptions.
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CPAP cannot be used in individuals who are not spontaneously breathing. Patients with poor respiratory drive need invasive ventilation or non-invasive ventilation with CPAP plus additional pressure support and a backup rate (BiPAP).
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Nasal EPAP is an emerging treatment for OSA that uses the individual’s own breath to keep their airway open. This therapy utilizes disposable valves that are secured into or over the nostrils. When the sleeper exhales, the valves block airflow and create enough pressure to keep the airway open.
CSA occurs when the brain doesn’t send signals to the body to breathe during sleep. CSA can be caused by other health conditions, such as Inspire may work for you. heart failure, stroke and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and is typically treated by addressing any underlying factors.
Regular aerobic exercise can benefit sleep apnea symptoms, whether weight loss is involved or not, says Dr. Cacho. Researchers aren’t exactly sure why exercise is helpful in reducing sleep apnea symptoms with or without weight loss, but one theory is that exercise may improve sleep quality.
Based on your unique breathing patterns, the Inspire system delivers mild stimulation to the hypoglossal nerve, which controls the movement of your tongue and other key airway muscles.
Some CPAP units also come with a timed pressure “ramp” setting that starts the airflow at a low level and slowly raises the pressure to the set level that may make it more comfortable and easier to which to become accustomed.