What about sleep apnea treatments?... This is a problem that occurs whilst you sleep, it causes pauses whilst you are breathing and missed breaths. There are three forms this condition, 'obstructive' sleep apnea effects the most people, over 18 million Americans, and involves the full or partial collapse of the airway. This can be incredibly dangerous and even life threatening, causing strokes, cardiovascular disease of hypertension. There are solutions which vary from case to case. One solution is as simple as lifestyle changes, whilst a more drastic solution can be surgery.



Non drastic approaches include the use of a humidifier whilst in bed, clearing the nasal passage before sleep and not sleeping on your back, can all help resolve sleep apnea. Other such solutions include herbs, acupuncture and even hypnosis. Healthier lifestyle choices such as cutting down on bad foods, curbing your consumption of alcohol and quitting smoking are all viable solutions.



However such sleep apnea solutions may not be enough for certain individuals. There are certain devices that can be used, such as mouth guards designed to keep the airway open at night. There is a device named a 'Mandibular Advancement Device' which holds the lower jaw in a forwards position. Whilst a device stops the tongue from obstructing the airway. The mandibular advancement device can be adjusted by a dentist as required for each patient.



Another solution is to use pressurized air whilst asleep. This works by pushing air down the airway at night and keeping the airway open, you have to wear a mask whilst you sleep however. Continuous positive air pressure (CPAP) is a common solution and includes the use of a humidifier, air heater and changing inhalation and exhalation air pressures.



Sleep apnea is caused by the blockage of the airway whilst asleep, as such the main solution to solve the problem is to stop obstructions. One way to do this is through tissue reduction. This reduction is done using Radio frequency Tissue Reduction, also called Somnoplasty, and is the process in which excess tissue is reduced to keep the airway clear, such as certain parts of the tongue, the soft palate and the throat. The tongue is reduced to open up space for the airway and also lower the risks of it blocking the airway whilst asleep.



A surgical sleep apnea solution is reserved as the last option. The majority of surgical procedures are intended to make the airway wider. Once such procedure is Uvulopalatoplasty, this is the removal of the uvula, or simply making it smaller. If the problem is mainly due to nasal blockage, you may have surgery to align the septum. Other beneficial treatments include Tonsillectomy and Adenoidectomy.



The most obtrusive option you can go for is Maxillomandibular advancement. This is when the upper and lower jaw are disconnected and placed further forward with plates and pins.



This goes to show how dangerous sleep apnea can be, that such a drastic surgery would be performed. This is a serious problem and may need to be treated for your entire life. Trying to find a sleep apnea solution is an ongoing thing, every year steps are made in the right direction and as such treatments are ever improving.