Today I wanted to provide a brief overview of the treatment options for snoring and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). A lot of people ask me if CPAP aka the Darth Vader mask is the only treatment option for OSA. The answer is “no” there are many different treatment options. Let’s take a look at some of the main categories of treatment and examples in each category.
First is positive airway pressure also known as PAP therapy. This comes in several variations such as CPAP, APAP, bi-level therapy, adaptive servoventilation (ASV), and AVAPS. Oxygen is sometimes used in conjunction with PAP for complex cases.
Surgical options range from soft tissue surgery, for example tonsillectomy to hypoglossal (tongue) nerve stimulation, to jaw advancement surgery.
Next, we have dental treatment options which range from oral appliances that reposition the jaws to palate expansion/orthodontic treatments, tongue tie release, and/or a special type of speech therapy called myofunctional therapy.
There are several other treatment options such as the @exciteOSA device which I’ve posted about in the past, positional therapy, weight loss, and many others.
Ideally, treatment is catered and customized to each individual case where age, severity of disease, medical co-morbidities, anatomical features, and receptiveness to treatment options are considered. Sometimes treatment options are used in combination for the best outcome.
Do you have any questions about treatment of obstructive sleep apnea?