- If you believe you may have sleep apnea, consult your physician. Sleep apnea can cause daytime drowsiness and lead to heart disease. Your doctor will schedule a sleep study for you at a sleep study center. At the sleep center study, you will stay the night while your sleep and heart patterns are monitored. Your doctor will receive the results, which will determine what course of action you will need to take.
- A common treatment for both obstructive and central sleep apnea is the use of a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine. The machine is smaller than a shoebox. A flexible tube connects with the machine. The device includes a mask that is placed over your nose and mouth while sleeping. As you sleep, the CPAP machine provides pressurized air to allow the airway to remain open to prevent obstruction. The amount of air pressure is determined by the severity of the apnea.
- Oral devices are another way of curbing sleep apnea. An appliance, similar to an athletic mouth guard or retainer, is put in the mouth at night to clasp the lower jaw and keep the tongue from falling back in the airway, obstructing breathing. Devices should be fitted by a dentist who specializes in sleep apnea. Those who do not react favorably to a CPAP machine or have mild to moderate sleep apnea are candidates for oral devices.
- Minor sleep apnea may be curtailed through behavior modification. If you are overweight, try shedding a few pounds. Limit the use of alcohol and caffeine, which relax throat muscles. Try changing your position when you sleep. If you sleep on your back, switch to sleeping on your side. Keep your head elevated with the use of extra pillows. Having your head elevated can assist in helping you breathe easier at night. Try to get to bed at the same time each night.
- Surgery is another option in treating sleep apnea. Surgery often involves enlarging the size of the airway by taking out soft tissues or by increasing the size of the structures in the jaw that are confining the airway. The success rate of surgery depends on the severity of the blockage. The greater the obstruction, the more obtrusive the surgery will be. With any surgery, complications and infections could result. In some instances, surgery could make apnea worse. Consult your physician or sleep specialist about surgical options.
