Sleep apnea is very common, as common as adult diabetes, and affects more than 12 million Americans, according to the National Institutes of Health. Risk factors include being male, overweight, and over the age of 40, but sleep apnea can strike anyone at any age, even children. The good news is that there are Sleep Apnea Solutions.
The solution that is right for you depends on the severity of your sleep apnea, the physical structure of your upper airway, and other aspects of your medical history. All treatment options are intended to prevent obstructions by widening the airway. Some of the latest Sleep Apnea Solutions are:
- Positional therapy - Avoiding sleeping on the back may reduce the number of episodes. Apneas tend to be worse when sleeping on the back (the supine position) as gravity makes it more likely for the tongue to fall back over the airway and/or for the airway muscles and other tissue (like the tonsils) to collapse and block the airway.
- Weight loss - Sleep apnea can be weight-related. For some overweight people, especially those with mild cases, losing weight can be an effective treatment.
- Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) - CPAP is the most effective method for treating obstructive sleep apnea. It works by gently blowing pressurized room air through the airway at a pressure high enough to keep the throat open.
The type of treatment that you use is not as important as being properly diagnosed for OSA by professionals at Aeroflow Industrial Clinics.