Sleep Apnea Devices
The word “apnea” is Greek term for “without breath”. Thus, simply put Sleep Apnea is a severe sleep disorder wherein a person constantly stops and starts breathing during his sleep. Sleep apnea transpires in two types, one is the central sleep apnea, while the other one is the obstructive sleep apnea. The latter is the more common type and occurs more often in adults, usually in men. Several treatments are available, including sleep apnea devices that may help in opening the airway or the more complex procedure of removing tissue from the nose, mouth or throat of the patient. These treatments are given depending on the severity of the illness.
In some cases, the doctors may suggest that the patient undergoes a change in lifestyle. Losing weight the healthy way and quitting smoking are some of the means; however if these actions do not help in improving the patient’s condition, other treatments, other than those of sleep apnea devices, should be used.
In other occasions, surgery and other invasive methods can be used to cure obstructive sleep apnea. Through this treatment, excess tissue either from the nose or throat causing the snoring of the patient is removed. These excess tissues block the air ways and eventually lead to sleep apnea. Surgical methods may be:
* Uvulopalatoparyngoplasty, or a procedure which removes tissue from the back of the mouth and upper part of the throat, removing the tonsils and adenoids as well
* Maxillomandibular advancement, or the procedure wherein the lower part of the jaw is brought forward, resulting to the enlargement of the space at the back the tongue, thus lesser obstruction.
* Tracheostomy, or the procedure wherein a tube made of metal or plastic is inserted to the neck of the patient to allow him to breathe. This is usually the last resort, and done when all other methods have failed.
However, treatments that are noninvasive in nature may also be used. These are the sleep apnea devices that can give remedy without the need of surgery.
Oral Appliances for Patients of Mild Obstructive Sleep Apnea
For the patients with mild obstructive sleep apnea, oral appliances may be an option. This oral piece of equipment is intended to keep the throat of the patient open. Some are used to move the jaw frontward, in effect reducing the snoring and alleviating the mild obstructive sleep apnea. The advice of the dentist is of great help in finding the right oral device for the patient. Once the best one is determined, the patient will have to regularly visit the dentist as a minimum of twice during the first year and at least once on the following year. This will guarantee that the device is still in good fit, and that such is still effective as a treatment for the indications of the sleep disorder.
The Continuous Positive Airway Pressure for the Patients with Moderate to Severe Condition
However, if the patient has moderate to severe sleep apnea, the CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) may be more necessary. It is a device that provides greater air pressure using a mask which is placed over the nose of the patient while he is sleeping. Since the pressure of the air that is being delivered is greater than the air that surround the patient, the higher airway passages are kept open and the snoring and the stopping of the breathing of the patient during his sleep are prevented.
The CPAP may be recommended by the doctors as treatment, but some patients find it uncomfortable to use. The remedy to this is the effort of the patient to adjust to the stress caused by the straps of the device so that he can achieve a relaxed fit. The patient should not discontinue using the machine when he begins to experience problems with it. The advice of his doctor should first be sought, and the proper modifications given by him should be followed.
Certainly a lot of other cures are accessible, but patients need to consult first their doctors before choosing the best one. Surgeries may also be available but it does not mean that they are the most effective treatment. Sometimes, for more practical reasons, the sleep apnea device can be the best treatment for this kind of illness.
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