Do You Need Sleep Apnea Treatment?

The most common form of sleep apnea treatment is the use of CPAP devices which are worn whilst the patient sleeps to prevent the pauses and interruptions in breathing which are caused by sleep apnea. The devices generate a pressurised flow of air which passes down the windpipe holding it open. The air flows from the machine to a mask worn over the nose and mouth via a length of plastic tubing.
CPAP devices are actually only used in the treatment of moderate to severe sleep apnea, partly because the treatment does have some downsides. The devices are noisy and patients find them difficult to get used to and side effects can include nose bleeds and sore throats. Nevertheless, they remain the best sleep apnea treatment there is, reducing risks of strokes and heart disease and lowering the sufferer’s blood pressure.

Once sleep apnea has been diagnosed, your doctor will review your condition to establish whether or not you need to undergo any CPAP treatment. Often the severity of the condition is not so high that the discomfort, cost and side effects of CPAP can be justified. In these cases the doctor will suggest a series of lifestyle changes with a view to reducing the severity of sleep apnea.

The lifestyle changes basically involve identifying which of sleep apnea’s risk factors are affecting the patient and improving or eliminating them. The main risk factors associated with the disorder are age, weight, sleeping position, smoking and drinking. Obviously, an individual can’t do much about their age, but the other factors can be altered. Patients who are overweight will normally be asked by their doctors to try to lose weight. Losing weight should reduce the neck measurement, which is pertinent because large neck measurement is a major risk factor. Smokers are also advised to give up their habit and all patients are advised to avoid drinking and taking sleeping tablets close to bedtime.

These changes will reduce the probability of the muscle and tissue around the windpipe collapsing, therefore ensuring that normal breathing is allowed to continue. The disorder is exacerbated by sleeping on one’s back, as this encourages the tongue to slip back into the mouth, contributing to the blockage in the windpipe, so patients will also be encouraged to sleep on their sides or in a position which is slightly elevated (perhaps with a cushion).

Being diagnosed with the disorder does not necessarily mean that a patient will require sleep apnea treatment. If your doctor considers your condition to be mild then he or she may suggest that these simple changes are enough.