You’ll find no shortage of advice about sleep apnea online, and while there is plenty of information about the various treatments available, very few sites discuss how feasible they are in real life.
The truth is that even the most popular option (which will be touched on below) doesn’t work for a large number of people, and there’s one method that is often overlooked because it comes from an unexpected place—the dentist.
How to Treat Sleep Apnea (the Hard Way)
Despite how damaging sleep apnea can be in both the short and long term, it’s extremely treatable. However, many of the most prescribed solutions have severe drawbacks that are rarely touched on in articles and advertisements:
- CPAP Therapy: A patient sleeps while wearing a mask literally connected to a pump that keeps the airway open using a steady flow of oxygen. Upwards of 50% of CPAP patients stop using it within the first year because the machine is uncomfortable/noisy.
- Weight Loss: Obesity is the leading preventable cause of sleep apnea, so losing weight can greatly reduce or even eliminate symptoms. However, it requires a lot of effort and time and can be expensive if relying on medication or surgery.
- Upper Airway Stimulation: This is a relatively new approach where an implant similar to a pacemaker is surgically placed into the body that uses electrical stimulation to keep the airway open during sleep. While effective, it is expensive and rarely covered by insurance.
- Surgery: Corrective surgery for sleep apnea can come in the form of weight loss surgery or oral surgery that removes loose tissue from the airway which often leads to obstruction. Either way, it can cost quite a bit and require extended recovery time afterward.
Sleep Apnea Treatment on Easy Mode
As you can imagine, telling someone who is already chronically exhausted due to sleep apnea that they need to lose weight, start sleeping with a large device attached to their face, or undergo surgery isn’t exactly ideal.
But another method that doesn’t get as much attention is oral appliance therapy. This involves a patient simply wearing a small, custom-made mouthguard to bed that moves the lower jaw slightly forward, preventing the interruptions in breathing stemming from sleep apnea.
This can be provided by a sleep dentist, is often covered by medical insurance (including Medicare), and is much less expensive/complicated than the other methods listed above.
So if just reading about the most popular sleep apnea treatments makes you feel even more tired, then it might be time to reach out to a sleep dentist. Getting the rest you deserve might be easier and more straightforward than you think!
About the Author
For decades, sleep dentist Dr. David J. Drummond has helped people finally get a good night’s sleep with the assistance of custom oral appliances. Whether you’re ready to have your sleep apnea treated for the first time, are looking for an alternative to CPAP therapy, or hope to avoid surgery, our team is eager to help.
To schedule an appointment and take the first step toward better rest, visit our website or call 580-227-8789.