If you often feel tired during the day, even after sleeping the entire night, you may have sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a disorder that can cause symptoms like fatigue, insomnia, and mood swings without treatment.
While a CPAP machine is usually the gold standard treatment for sleep apnea, you may be wondering whether other options are available. Keep reading to learn more about whether there are alternatives to a CPAP machine for sleep apnea.
What is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder in which breathing stops and starts repeatedly while you sleep. Each time you stop breathing, your brain wakes you up briefly, just enough so you can begin breathing again.
The pauses in breathing can happen up to hundreds of times throughout the night. Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common form. It happens when your throat muscles relax and narrow or completely block your airway.
The obstruction in your airway prevents the proper flow of air into your lungs. Left untreated, sleep apnea can lead to complications such as:
- Diabetes
- Asthma
- High blood pressure
- Heart disease
- Stroke
- Heart failure
- Cognitive impairment
- A shortened lifespan
What are the Symptoms of Sleep Apnea?
The symptoms of apnea include:
- Loud snoring
- Daytime fatigue
- Insomnia
- Breathing pauses
- Gasping or choking during sleep
- Morning headaches
- Waking up with a dry mouth
- Insomnia or trouble staying asleep
- Mood swings and irritability
- Poor concentration
- Sexual dysfunction
- Excessive daytime sleepiness
- Restless sleep and night sweats
How is Sleep Apnea Treated?
Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder that requires treatment to prevent complications and help you restore your energy. The first line of treatment is usually a CPAP machine.
A CPAP, or continuous positive airway pressure machine, is a device used to treat obstructive sleep apnea. It comes with a mask that can fit over your nose or both your mouth and nose.
The machine delivers a steady stream of pressurized air through the mask, which keeps your airway open. This helps you breathe continuously every night, improves sleep quality, and alleviates sleep apnea symptoms.
What are the Alternatives to a CPAP Machine?
Consistent and long-term use of a CPAP machine has proven highly effective for patients with moderate to severe sleep apnea. However, it might not be the right choice for everyone.
When that’s the case, your ENT specialist may recommend other CPAP alternatives to manage apnea effectively, such as:
Oral Appliance Therapy
Oral appliance therapy is a non-invasive treatment for patients with mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea. The treatment uses tailor-made devices to keep your airway open
Zepbound
If you have moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) caused by obesity, you may be a good candidate for Zepbound, a medication that activates hormone receptors in the intestine to reduce your appetite. This can help reduce food intake and body weight, improving symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea.
In a recent study, 42% of adults on Zepbound achieved OSA remission or experienced a dramatic decrease in symptoms. You can ask your ENT specialist more about Zepbound to find out whether it could be right for you.
Inspire Therapy
Inspire can be an option for patients with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea who’ve not had success with other treatments. The FDA-approved device stimulates your hypoglossal nerve, which moves your tongue forward to prevent it from collapsing and blocking your airway.
This allows for normal breathing and restful sleep every night. Once implanted in your body, the device works with your natural breathing process to treat the root cause of OSA.
It’s controlled by a handheld remote that you’ll turn on before sleeping and off upon awakening in the morning.
How Does Inspire Work?
While under general anesthesia, your ENT specialist will implant a pulse generator under your skin near the collarbone, a breathing sensor lead between your ribs, and a stimulation lead around the hypoglossal nerve in your neck. The hypoglossal nerve controls your tongue movement.
Once you’ve healed from the procedure, which typically takes about a month, your ENT specialist will activate the device. The breathing sensor lead will continuously monitor your breathing, while the stimulation lead will deliver mild stimulation to the hypoglossal with every breath.
This will prevent your tongue from relaxing and obstructing your airway during sleep.
How Does Inspire Compare to CPAP Therapy?
When used consistently, a CPAP machine is highly effective. However, some patients find the mask uncomfortable and struggle to use the device continuously.
Not using a CPAP machine regularly can decrease its effectiveness. Inspire therapy has a higher adherence rate compared to CPAP therapy, making it a more effective alternative for patients who can’t tolerate CPAP therapy.
Who Qualifies for Inspire?
You could be a candidate for Inspire if you:
- Are over 18 years old
- Have moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea
- Are unable to use or benefit from a CPAP machine
- Have a BMI of 35 or less
- Have tried other treatments without success
Your ENT specialist will assess your overall health and perform a physical exam of your airway to determine if the treatment is appropriate for you.
Reclaim Your Sleep with Sleep Apnea Treatment
A good night’s sleep is critical to a healthy life. With the right sleep apnea treatment from Chicago ENT, you can dramatically improve your quality of sleep, sleep apnea symptoms, and overall health.
Are you tired of restless sleep? Schedule your appointment at Chicago ENT in Chicago, IL, today to find a sleep apnea treatment that works for you.
