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Treatments

There are many different treatment options for treating sleep apnea. The treatment options change depending on the severity, from mild apnea, which is treated by losing weight or changing sleeping position. Surgery may be needed to treat severe sleep apnea.

If you have mild sleep apnea, changing some of your daily activities or habits may be enough to control your sleeping problems. These lifestyle changes may include:

• Avoid excessive alcohol intake
• Lose weight if you are overweight or obese
• Avoid taking sleeping pills
• If you are a smoker, stop smoking
• Adjust your sleeping position. Sleep on your side is better than sleeping on your back as it helps to keep your throat open while sleeping. You may consider sleeping on special pillow to keep you sleeping on your side.
• If needed, keep your nasal passages open at night by using nasal spray or other allergy medicines

However, if you have moderate to severe sleep apnea, other practical treatments coupled with lifestyle changes, might be an option. Some of these practical treatments are:

• Mouthpiece. If you snore loudly while you are sleeping, your doctor may recommend a mouthpiece for you to use. This is also suitable for people with mild sleep apnea or people who snore loudly, without sleep apnea. A dentist or an orthodontist can custom-fit a plastic mouthpiece for you to wear while you are sleeping. The mouthpiece will reposition your lower jaw and tongue and keep your airway open.
• Breathing Device. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is the most common treatment for moderate and severe sleep apnea. A CPAP is a machine that uses to continuously blow air into your throat while you are sleeping. This process forces your airway to open, which helps to smooth your breathing mechanism. This process is done by using mask that connects to a CPAP to cover your mouth and nose, or just your nose, while you are sleeping.
• Surgery. In very severe cases, surgery may be needed to control the condition. Surgery aims at widening breathing passages. It is usually done by removing or shrinking extra or large tissue in the mouth and throat. Sometimes surgery is also done to reset the lower jaw