TREATMENT OPTIONS
The options available to patients who want to solve their sleep disordered breathing problems range from simple lifestyle changes to invasive medical procedures.
Lifestyle Changes
There are several factors that can contribute to snoring and sleep apnea: being overweight, smoking, drinking alcohol or using muscle relaxants or sleeping pills. All of these things can affect the airway or the brain’s control of the airway muscles during sleep. Lifestyle changes are effective ways of reducing symptoms of sleep apnea. Here are some tips that may help reduce apnea severity:
- Lose weight.
If the patient is overweight, this is the most important action to cure sleep apnea.
- Avoid alcohol.
Alcohol causes frequent nighttime awakenings, and makes the upper airway breathing muscles relax.
- Quit smoking.
Cigarette smoking worsens swelling in the upper airway, making apnea (and snoring) worse.
The TAP® Oral Appliance
The patient-preferred solution for snoring and sleep apnea is the TAP®, the Thornton Adjustable Positioner. The TAP® is a simple device, similar to teeth whitening trays, that a patient wears when sleeping. It holds the mandible forward during the night keeping their airway open.
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP)
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, or CPAP treatment, requires the patient to wear a mask over the nose during sleep. The mask is connected to a small air pressure generator. The air pressure is adjusted so that it is strong enough to prevent the throat from collapsing during sleep. CPAP prevents airway closure while it is worn, but apnea episodes will return when CPAP is stopped or if it is used improperly.
Surgery
Surgery is the most invasive option for sleep apnea. Only one surgery is currently endorsed by the Academy of Sleep Medicine; the Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP). Surgical procedures may not be helpful in every patient, and their long term effectiveness is unproven. The UPPP has a short-term success rate of about 50% in unselected cases.