Treatments
How is sleep apnea treated?
Sleep apnea responds well to treatment. Your specific sleep apnea characteristics determine which treatment will work best for you. Treatments include:
Medication is not usually an effective treatment for sleep apnea.
What behavioral treatments can help sleep apnea?
Minor sleep apnea is responsive to behavioral treatments, or self-help remedies. Some of the following self-help treatments for sleep apnea may work for you.
- Lose weight – One of the most significant remedies for sleep apnea is weight loss. Overweight individuals who lose even 10% of their weight can reduce sleep apnea during the night and improve the quality of their sleep.
- Eliminate the use of alcohol, tobacco, and sedatives – Avoiding the use of alcohol, tobacco, and sleeping pills can reduce the chance of airway closure during the night.
- Sleep on your side – People who experience sleep apnea only when they sleep on their backs can benefit from special pillows that encourage sleeping on your side.
- Regularize your sleep hours – Irregular sleep hours can throw off your sleep cycles and lead to breathing problems during the most important sleep stages. Having regular bedtime hours and eliminating disturbances to your sleep can reduce sleep apnea.
What physical or mechanical treatments can cure sleep apnea?
Physical devices and mechanical therapies are effective in treating many cases of sleep apnea. These treatments for sleep apnea are:
- CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure device) – To keep your airway open during sleep, a machine blows pressurized air into a mask that you wear over your nose or face. This is a very common long–term treatment for severe sleep apnea.
- Dental appliances – Opens your airway by bringing your lower jaw or tongue forward during sleep. Most dental devices are acrylic and fit inside your mouth, much like an athletic mouth guard or orthodontic appliance. Some others fit around your head and chin to adjust the position of your lower jaw.
- Surgery – Increasing the size of your airway by surgically removing tissues. A surgeon may remove tonsils, adenoids, or excess tissue at the back of the throat or inside the nose. A surgeon may also reconstruct the jaw.
