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If you suspect you may have OSA, please see your doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment options. There are various forms of treatment available including the following.
CPAP treatment is the most common form of the therapy for OSA. The system includes a nasal mask that blows air through the nose to keep the airway open during sleep. Though CPAP has been found to be effective, many people find it to be difficult to use. CPAP should be used nightly to benefit from its effects.
A mouth guard can be made to keep the lower jaw and tongue in a forward position. These devices are mostly used to treat snoring and patients with mild sleep apnea.1
A number of surgical procedures exist to treat OSA. They mainly focus on the palate or the back of the tongue as these are the areas that fall back in the airway during sleep. These procedures can be conducted singularly or in combination with other procedures/therapies. Tongue base obstruction is implicated in approximately 80% of patients with moderate-to-severe OSA.
Palate-Based Surgeries
Palate-base surgeries include the removal of part of the soft palate, uvula and other tissue. Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) is the most common procedure. Radiofrequency ablation uses radiofrequency energy to stiffen the soft palate by shrinking the tissue.
Tongue-Based Surgeries
Tongue-based surgeries are used to minimize tongue-based obstruction. These surgeries consist of tongue advancement or suspension, radiofrequency tissue reduction, hyoid suspension and maxillomandibular advancement.
Lifestyle changes can also help alleviate OSA. Weight loss is the simplest treatment for OSA in obese patients2. Other techniques include avoiding sleeping on the back, alcohol and sedatives or sleeping pills.
1Marklund M et al. The effect of mandibular advancement device on apneas and sleep in patients with obstructive sleep apnea. Chest 1998; 113:707-13.
2Lyle V. Obstructive Sleep Apnea. American Family Physician 1999, 60:2279-80 |
