Sleep apnea is a condition that prevents you from getting enough good-quality sleep. It can cause tiredness and interfere with your concentration, memory, and mood. Left untreated, it can lead to serious health problems.
There are multiple non-invasive sleep apnea treatment options. These include breathing devices and oral appliances. The most common is continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy. This involves a machine that plugs into an outlet and sits next to your bed. It blows air into your mouth and throat during sleep through a tube that runs to a mask worn over your nose or mouth or both. CPAP is considered the gold standard for treating obstructive sleep apnea. But it can be uncomfortable for some people to use. If you cannot get used to CPAP, your doctor may recommend other treatments.
For some people, oral appliances can help treat obstructive sleep apnea. These are special mouthpieces that help hold your jaw and tongue in a more forward position, keeping them from pressing on your windpipe during sleep. These are available from dentists who specialize in sleep medicine and sometimes work with physicians.
If lifestyle changes and non-invasive devices don’t help, your physician might recommend surgery to prevent lapses in breathing during sleep. The type of surgery depends on what’s causing your symptoms, such as the location and size of your airway. A new surgical technique called radiofrequency tissue reduction reduces the size of your airway by using a high-frequency current to stiffen and shrink tissues in your throat, tongue base, or tonsils. Other surgical options include nasal and facial surgeries that may improve the shape of your nose or jaw or make your throat narrower. Another option is nerve stimulation. This type of treatment uses electrodes placed under your jaw to send electrical signals to the phrenic nerves, a pair of nerves that connect your spinal cord to your diaphragm and lungs, so you can breathe.