Sleep Apnea Treatment
Sleep apnea interferes with your sleep, making even daily activities more difficult. Untreated, it can lead to serious health problems.
There are many treatments for sleep apnea which can improve your sleep and protect your health and wellbeing.
So why should you seek treatment for sleep apnea?
Sleep Better
Sleep apnea is a condition which causes you to wake up periodically throughout the night, interfering with the quality of your sleep. Treating sleep apnea can mean better sleep for both you and your bed partner.
Feel Better
A better night’s sleep can improve your mood, concentration, and overall sense of well-being.
Stay Healthy
Treating sleep apnea can reduce your risk for apnea-related health conditions, including hypertension and heart disease.
How does treatment work?
Treating Sleep Apnea Can Improve
Physical and Mental Health
What are my options for treating sleep apnea?
Treatment is Designed to Fit Your Specific Needs
Lifestyle Changes
For milder cases of sleep apnea, making some simple lifestyle changes, such as losing weight or quitting smoking, may be enough to improve your symptoms.
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) Machine
The most well-known treatment for sleep apnea, CPAP devices deliver air pressure through a mask to keep your airway passages open. Generally, if you have moderate to severe sleep apnea, a CPAP machine is a good option for addressing your symptoms.
Oral Appliance Therapy
Oral appliances for sleep apnea work by bringing your jaw forward to keep your throat open while you sleep. Often more comfortable than CPAP machines, these appliances work best for mild to moderate cases of sleep apnea.
Appliances with CPAP Therapy
For some patients, doctors recommend using both CPAP therapy and an oral appliance. Studies have shown that this combination can reduce daytime sleepiness and normalize breathing disturbances.
Surgery
In general, doctors only recommend surgery for sleep apnea once other treatments have failed. There are several types of surgery used to address sleep apnea, including tissue removal and jaw repositioning.
How do I know which treatment is right for me?
The Severity of Your Sleep Apnea Affects Your Treatment Options
How Severe Is Your Sleep
Apnea?
During a sleep study, your doctor will identify whether your sleep apnea is mild, moderate, or severe and recommend treatment appropriately.
Can You Commit to Lifestyle Changes?
For some patients, breaking habits can make a serious difference in their symptoms. However, you must be able to commit to these changes to see results.
What happens if I don't get treatment?
If you have sleep apnea, your body does not get enough oxygen while you sleep. Over time, this chronic oxygen deprivation can cause serious complications, such as high blood pressure, heart problems, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and liver problems.
The best way to prevent these issues from developing is to treat sleep apnea appropriately as soon as possible.
Sleep Apnea Can Cause Many Health Complications
How does sleep apnea treatment work?
CPAP Ensures That You Get the Oxygen You Need
How is CPAP different from an oral appliance?
A continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine consists of a mask which fits over the nose or the nose and mouth and supplies pressurized air.
The air then flows continuously or intermittently into the sleeper’s throat, preventing the airway from collapsing.
So what happens during treatment?
Your Treatment Depends on Your Initial Diagnosis
Sleep Study
You will need to undergo a sleep study to diagnose the severity of your sleep apnea.
Consultation
Your doctor will review the results of your study and recommend the best treatment for you.
Treatment
You will be fitted for your appliance or CPAP machine. You will need to wear your device every night while you sleep to get the benefits of treatment.
Follow-Up
Your doctor will assess your symptoms after at least three months to determine whether you need a different treatment.
Alternatives
If other treatment options are unsuccessful in controlling your symptoms after at least three months, your doctor may recommend surgery.
What’s the best way to stop my symptoms from returning?
Continuous Therapy Is Essential
Sleep apnea is a chronic condition. While self-care techniques may resolve mild sleep apnea, you will likely need to continue therapy nightly to control your symptoms.
Use your oral appliance or CPAP machine every night and make it a priority to sleep at least six to eight hours every night. If you are not seeing results, speak to your doctor about changing tactics.
How does treatment help me sleep?
Sleep Apnea Treatment Ensures You Are
Breathing Properly While You Sleep
Effective Treatment Leads to Better Sleep and Improved Health
If your sleep apnea treatment is effective, you should notice the results within a few nights.
After starting therapy, patients often experience:
More energy during the day
Reduced snoring
Better control of diabetes and hypertension
Reduced cardiovascular risk
Improved concentration and mood
That sounds good, but how do I know it’ll work for me?
Research Shows that Treating Sleep Apnea Has Positive Results
“Good evidence has existed for some time that treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) improves disease-oriented findings, such as disturbed sleep, oxygen desaturation, apneas, and hypopneas.” John W. Tipton, MD
I’m convinced. How do I get started?
Contact a Doctor Today
Sleep apnea is a serious condition which affects both your health and day-to-day well-being. If you suspect you have sleep apnea or have already been diagnosed, the best way to find out what treatment is right for you is to schedule an appointment with a doctor.
Have Questions about how we can help?
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At Greenville Oral Surgery Partners, our goal is to treat all of our patients like family. With years of surgical experience and advanced training, our surgeons can handle all of your oral and maxillofacial surgical needs safely and efficiently. If you think you or your child require any of our listed oral surgery procedures, call (864) 281-9119 or contact our office online. You can also visit one of our locations to schedule an appointment today.
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