Sleep Apnea Treatment Options
Sleep apnea can be a deadly disease and should be treated as soon as possible, but what treatment options are out there? Well, the good news is that there are actually quite a few treatments that you can use. Let’s go over each one:
CPAP Machines
For those of you with moderate to severe sleep apnea, your doctor may recommend that you use a cpap machine. Basically, a cpap machine is a respirator that you wear at night. You place the mask on your face and the machine keeps a steady flow of oxygen going through your air passages. The problem with most sleep apnea patients is that they stop breathing for periods of time while they are sleeping. By keeping the airways open and oxygen flowing, you will continue breathing throughout the night.
The downsides to cpap masks, are that they can be uncomfortable. Nobody likes to wear a big respirator mask on their face while they are trying to sleep. However, you can by various comfort strips that offer padding to your face where the mask sits and you can also look into getting a cpap pillow, which is designed to support the mask and your head offering a more comfortable nights sleep.
Sleep Apnea Pillows
Sleep apnea pillows are designed to position your head in a way that keeps your airways open and unrestricted. Most of the pillows for sleep apnea patients are fairly comfortable and can be purchased for back and side sleepers to accommodate your sleeping style. These are a great option for those of you that have mild to moderate sleep apnea. The only real downside to these types of pillows is that they can be expensive and most insurance providers will not cover them.
Surgery for Sleep Apnea
There are some surgical treatments for sleep apnea sufferers, however, we do not recommend them as they are only effective in about fifty percent of the cases we have seen. Although, if you have serious sleep apnea and your doctor has recommended a surgical procedure, it may be worth looking in to.
Other Treatment Options
There are a variety of home remedies available for sleep apnea, but their effectiveness really depends on the severity of your sleep apnea. One thing in particular that can help many people, is simply changing up your sleeping position. Many people find that making the change from sleeping on their side to sleeping on their back can eliminate some or all of their sleep apnea symptoms. Talk with your doctor about which options may be best for you.