CPAP Alternatives

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a sleeping disorder which results in breathing problem. It happens in the body when the airway is completely or partially blocked while a person is sleeping. If you have OSA disorder, your airway is blocked while you sleep because the soft tissue in the back of your throat relaxes. Each time it occurs, your brain may startle you awake so that you may restart your breathing.

OSA manifests symptoms such as:

1. Snoring
2. Having trouble breathing while sleeping
3. Frequently waking up during the night.

OSA can make you sleepy the next day and raise your risk for depression, high blood pressure, heart attacks, and stroke. A Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) is a device which is used in the treatment for OSA. You have to wear a mask over your nose and mouth when using this machine. In order to prevent your airway from closing down as you sleep, the machine forces air through your mouth and nose.

CPAP machines help lessen the risk of heart disease, lower blood pressure, and improve sleep and mood. Despite being beneficial, more over one-third of those who use CPAP discontinue using it.

A CPAP machine is frequently abandoned because it is bulky, uncomfortable, or noisy. It occasionally has no effect on the symptoms of OSA. If you're not satisfied with CPAP, there are a some more treatment options for it.

Treatments for Mouth Breathers

Most people inhale and exhale through their lips and nose. Some OSA sufferers only breathe through their mouths while they sleep. Mouth breathing occurs when the nose is blocked by enlarged tonsils on both side of throat or adenoids, congestion, or a deviated septum.

When using a CPAP machine, mouth breathing might cause dry throat and nose in the morning. Many people stop using CPAP therapy because of this unpleasant side effect.

By wearing a chin strap with your nose mask or converting it to a full-face mask, you might feel relieve from this problem. If the person wants to add some moisture to the air he breathes, he can also use a CPAP machine with an integrated humidifier.

Other non-CPAP methods to reduce mouth breathing include:

1. Elevating your head on a comfortable pillow while you sleep.
2. Using a nose decongestant
3. Antihistamine, or saline wash to remove nasal congestion before going to bed
4. Consult to your doctor about having surgery if you have a deviated septum or another structural issue with your nose.

Treatments for sleep apnea

Other OSA therapy alternatives if CPAP is not right for you include:

Bilevel positive airway pressure (BiPAP), an oral appliance, nasal valve therapy, lifestyle modifications including weight loss or quitting smoking, and surgery to address an underlying cause of OSA are all examples of treatment options.

What to do while traveling:

1. It can be difficult to travel with a CPAP machine. Additionally, you must clean it while you are away. Although a smaller travel CPAP machine is an option, there are a few less burdensome alternatives to treat OSA while travelling.
2. Make use of an oral device: Compared to a CPAP machine, it is significantly smaller, more portable, and simpler to clean.
3. A valve that fits into your nostrils and is taped in place makes up this more recent procedure. The valve maintains your airway open by creating resistance on the back of your throat as you exhale. Despite being portable and disposable, Provent is often not covered by insurance.
4. Bring a pillow with you: It could be difficult to breathe at night if the hotel pillows are too soft to appropriately support your head and neck as you sleep.
5. Keep some antihistamines or decongestants on hand. These drugs help with nasal congestion.
6. Pack a tennis ball or a pair of socks that have been rolled up. To prevent rolling onto your back while you sleep, pin it to the back of your pyjamas it will comfort you.
7. Bring the proper cords: Bring an extension cord so you can readily access any machine you might require after dark. Never leave home without any appropriate outlet adaptors if you're travelling abroad.

BiPAP machine

Bilevel positive airway pressure (BiPAP) therapy is an additional choice. You should wear a mask that forces pressurised air into your airways to keep them open, similar to CPAP. With CPAP, however, the pressure is constant during the entire breath. The pressure may be difficult for CPAP users to exhale against. There are two pressure settings on a BiPAP system. When you exhale, it is lower than when you inhale. You could find it simpler to exhale because of the lower pressure, particularly if you have breathing difficulties due to heart or lung problems.

Oral Appliances

An oral appliance is a simpler substitute for CPAP. It resembles the mouthguard you might wear when participating in sports. The FDA has approved more than 100 different types of oral appliances to treat OSA. These gadgets retain your tongue in place or advance your lower jaw. This lessens the likelihood that when you sleep, your tongue and the tissues of your upper airway would collapse and obstruct your airway. OSA sufferers with mild to moderate symptoms respond well to oral appliances. They work best when they are specially made for you. Devices that don't fit properly can exacerbate jaw issues and sleep apnea. You can be fitted with the device by a dentist with specialist training, and they can check on you later to see if it's improving your OSA.

Surgery

1. You may require surgery if devices and lifestyle modifications haven't helped your night-time breathing. Depending on the underlying issue causing your OSA, your doctor may advise one of the following surgeries.
2. Development of the genioglossus: In order to advance your tongue, the surgeon must cut your lower jawbone. As a result, your tongue is kept in place and clear of your airway.
3. Stimulation of the hypoglossal nerve: To control tongue movement, a device is placed in your chest and attached to the hypoglossal nerve. Your respiration is monitored while you sleep by a sensor that is attached. The sensor activates the hypoglossal nerve to cause your tongue to migrate out of your airway if you stop breathing.
4. A jaw operation: Through a procedure known as maxillomandibular advancement, your upper jaw (maxilla) and lower jaw (mandible) are advanced to provide you extra breathing room.
5. Nasal resection: If a polyp or a deviated septum is preventing you from breathing comfortably through your nose, surgery can be used to remove it or correct the problem.
6. Implants for the soft palate: The pillar operation, a less invasive alternative, involves implanting three tiny rods in the roof of your mouth. Your soft palate is supported by the implants so that it won't collapse over your upper airway.
7. Surgery to reduce the tongue: Surgery can reduce a big tongue that interferes with your airway.
8. Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy: Your throat's rear holds your tonsils and adenoids. You might need to have them removed if they are so big that they obstruct your airway.
9. Uvulopalatopharyngectomy (UPPP or UP3): This surgery, a typical surgical remedy for OSA, involves the removal of excess tissue from the top of your throat and the back of your mouth in order to widen your airway. Uvulectomy, an alternative, removes all or part of the uvula, the tissue in the shape of a teardrop that falls down at the back of your throat.

Weight Loss

Having excess weight or obesity can cause fat to collect around your neck and throat. That excess tissue could restrict your airflow while you sleep and result in sleep apnea.

Even a 10% weight loss can lessen the effects of sleep apnea. The condition might possibly be cured by it.

Losing weight is difficult. You can find the ideal mix of food adjustments and exercise methods with the assistance of your doctor to improve your OSA.

You may be a candidate for bariatric surgery if diet and exercise are ineffective for helping you lose weight.

Lifestyle Changes

These simple changes to your routine could help you sleep better at night:

1. Lay on your side to sleep: Air enters your lungs more easily while you are in this position.
2. Avoid alcohol: A few alcoholic beverages before bed might relax the muscles in your upper airways, make breathing more difficult, and hence disrupt your sleep.
3. Regular exercise: You can improve your breathing by losing excess weight through regular aerobic exercise. Exercise can also lessen how severe sleep apnea is.
4. Reduce congested areas: If your nasal passages are congested, take an antihistamine or nasal decongestant to help them open up.
5. Quit smoking: Smoking not only has negative impacts on your health but also makes OSA worse by causing airway oedema.

Takeaway

The typical treatment for OSA is CPAP, however it's not the only option. Ask your doctor if there are any alternatives, such as oral appliances or surgery, if you've tried a CPAP machine and it didn't work for you.

Try to maintain healthy behaviours in addition to receiving OSA therapy. You can greatly improve the quality of your sleep by stopping smoking, losing weight, and exercising frequently.