6 proven ways to treat obstructive sleep apnea
Most medical treatments aren’t one-size-fits-all, and neither are treatments for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). If you have sleep apnea and want to rest better, there are several options that you can try:
- Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP): This is the treatment of choice, and involves wearing a mask over your nose and/or mouth while you’re sleeping. A machine gently pushes air through the mask to keep the airway from closing and, as a result, prevents lapses in breathing.
2. Weight loss: Losing weight through eating a more nutritious diet, reducing caloric intake, and exercising regularly can help sleep apnea. After weight loss occurs, talk to your doctor about a repeat assessment of your sleep apnea.
3. Positional therapy: If you sleep on your back, your doctor can recommend certain comfortable pillows/devices to help you sleep on your side and keep your airway open as you sleep.
4. Oral appliances: These devices can move your jaw forward and keep your tongue from blocking your airway as you sleep.
5. Upper airway surgery: If other devices and therapies don’t work, you can have surgery to reduce airway obstruction in your nose and throat.
6. Hypoglossal nerve stimulation: If other devices and therapies don’t work, you can have a small device implanted that will stimulate the nerve that moves your tongue forward in your mouth as you sleep, keeping the airway from being blocked.
Talk to your general practitioner today
In the end, while personal research and self-help can be good places to start for apnea treatment, your healthcare provider is your best resource. Click here to find a specialist near you.