Sleep Apnea Treatments: Which Of Them Is Best Suited For You?
Having multiple options as solutions is good; but not when the plethora of choices leaves the ultimate end-user confused. The situation is somewhat similar when someone is looking for sleep apnea treatments. There are countless choices. To locate which of these is best suited, or to put it more accurately, which of these would be picked up by the doctor is difficult to know. How does the doctor make the right decision?
To begin with, before treatment even begins, there are several aspects of the condition that should be considered. We know now that neglected snoring is invariably at the root, and obesity coupled with some poor lifestyle choices like alcohol consumption adds to the speed with which the ailment develops. But is that all?
The first consideration for the doctor involves studying the severity of the condition before toying with various treatment alternatives. The doctor does not only rely on the various symptoms as reported by the patient or the family, but also asks for a sleep apnea test, called the polysomnography examination to confirm the early diagnosis.
Selecting the most appropriate cure gets easier after assessing the examination reports. For example, if the severity of obstructive sleep apnea ranges between mild and moderate, doctors usually opt for therapy involving CPAP or Continuous Positive Air Pressure for assisting the patient with artificial ventilation. Breathing assistance is the most critical need of the hour.
Incidentally, this type of apnea is most common affecting nearly half of all patients diagnosed with this disorder. It happens due to the complete collapse and blockage of the upper respiratory tract.
What if the condition is between mild and moderate severity?
When the condition is between mild and moderate, treatment options usually involve several non-invasive methods. These could be:
– Losing weight
– Sleep apnea exercises
– Refraining from alcohol use
– Changing sleeping position
– Raising pillow height
In this regard, though CPAP therapy is considered to be one of the most effective and result-oriented therapy options, it leaves several patients dissatisfied. Mask discomfort including feeling of claustrophobia, dry mouth, etc are a few of the frequent complaints from users who then opt for some effective CPAP alternatives to get relief from the agonizing symptoms.
If you too face any problem with CPAP therapy, there is no cause for worry as there are plenty of equally effective CPAP alternatives that provide trustworthy cure. Here are some common treatments chosen by users of CPAP who are dissatisfied:
– Nasal sprays and decongestants containing oxymetazoline and neosynephrine
– Modanifil or armodanifil group of medicines.
– Devices like mouth guards, etc
Treatments: severe conditions
When the condition is severe and does not respond to any of the non-invasive options, doctors think surgery to remove obstructions in the respiratory tract and clear the air passage to allow normal breathing. Some surgical options for treating sleep apnea are: genioglossus advancement; mandibular myotomy, tracheotomy, uvulo-palato-pharyngoplasty (UPPP), laser assisted uvuloplasty (LAUP), hyoid suspension; maxillomandibular surgery; somnoplasty; and bariatric surgery.
Marc MacDonald is an independent health researcher on snoring, narcolepsy, and hypersomnia, among others. To learn more about this article’s main subject, visit his sleep apnea website.