Once a diagnosis of OSA is established, ALH recommends talking with your doctor about the need for treatment and the options available for you. The circumstances often vary from person to person, since the underlying causes may be different. Generally speaking, the options can include one or more of the following:
Weight loss – For anyone who is overweight, losing weight is recommended. While this may not necessarily cure the OSA, it usually improves snoring and OSA symptoms, and can help other treatments work more effectively. It also provides general health benefits.
Reduce alcohol consumption – Alcohol usually worsens snoring and OSA due to the throat muscles relaxing. For some people drinking alcohol makes their OSA worse. If this is the case for you then less or no alcohol may be a useful treatment.
Body position during sleep – Snoring and OSA are usually worse when lying on the back. This is because of the effects of gravity on the tongue. Avoiding sleep in this position can improve OSA. In some people it can completely control the problem. This is best achieved by wearing a device that makes it uncomfortable to sleep on your back. Some such devices can be purchased or it can be as simple as sleeping with a tennis ball sewn into a pocket on the back of your pyjamas.
Managing blocked nose – A blocked nose causes mouth breathing, which can lead to snoring and OSA. The blocked nose can be due to different problems, such as allergies, sinus disease, and a deviated septum. Your doctor can assess and provide treatment, depending on the problem. This may involve the use of nasal sprays to relieve congestion. Sometimes surgery is required to correct anatomical problems.
CPAP (Continuous Positive Airways Pressure) – This is generally considered to be the most effective way to treat OSA. It involves the use of a special device during sleep, connected to a nose or face mask via tubing. The device gently increases air pressure in your throat holding it open, thus preventing snoring and OSA. See our CPAP link.
Oral Appliances – These are specially made dental plates that are worn during sleep. They push your lower jaw forwards so that your throat opens up, reducing the risk that it will vibrate (snore) or obstruct. The appliances have various names such as Mandibular Advancement Splints (MAS) or Mandibular Advancement Devices (MAD) or Mandibular Repositioning Appliances (MRA). Your suitability for this form of treatment is best discussed with your sleep physician, who will then refer you to a trained dentist. See our Oral Appliances link.
Surgery – Surgery may help in cases of OSA caused by a discrete blockage of some part of the nose or throat. There are many types of operations depending on where in your nose and/or throat the problem lies. The decision about whether surgery is right for you may require the expert input of an ENT surgeon. The risks and benefits need to be weighed up in each case. In adults, surgery is often the last resort, after other treatments have been tried first. Nasal surgery may be useful to help CPAP treatment by allowing nasal masks once the nasal blockage is repaired. In children with OSA, surgery to remove tonsils and adenoids is quite commonly done and is often very helpful.
Note: Clicking on the link below will transfer you to a third party website. The information on that website is not controlled by Air Liquide Healthcare.
https://www.sleephealthfoundation.org.au/treatment-options-for-obstructive-sleep-apnea-osa.html
