If you’ve undergone a sleep study and have been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea you probably know there are a number of different ways to treat the disorder. Obstructive sleep apnea treatment can be as simple as lifestyle changes – Starting an exercise plan, for instance, so that you can lose excess weight is many times all that is needed to remedy the situation. Successfully quitting smoking can have a major impact on sleep apnea as well as on your health in general. Occasionally doctors will recommend sleeping on your side and avoiding sleeping on your back. This helps some people.
When simple lifestyle changes don’t alleviate the disorder other types of obstructive sleep apnea treatment consist of using a continuous positive away pressure (CPAP) machine during sleep. This delivers air pressure through a mask placed over your nose while you sleep. This keeps your upper airway passages open, preventing apnea and snoring.
There are other types of adjustable airway pressure devices if you find the CPAP machine is too uncomfortable. There are units that supply bilevel positive airway pressure known as BPAP machines. They provide more pressure when you inhale and less when you exhale.
Another obstructive sleep apnea treatment is wearing an oral appliance specifically designed to keep your throat open. Many people find these easiest to use. You may need to try different devices to find the one that works best for you. To find the right fit you’d need to visit your dentist.
Additionally there are surgical options for treating obstructive sleep apnea where tissue is removed from your throat that may be vibrating and blocking your air passages causing sleep apnea.