If your sleep apnea is mild, your doctor may first recommend lifestyle changes as a conservative treatment. This may include asking you to lose weight, stop smoking, avoid use of alcohol or sedatives close to bedtime, or sleeping on your side.
If you have moderate or severe sleep apnea, or if lifestyle changes do not alleviate symptoms, your doctor may then recommend further testing such as CPAP titration and use of a continuous positive airway pressure machine (CPAP – Coming soon, we will be able to provide your CPAP. Check back with us!). This machine delivers slightly pressurized air through a mask worn over the nose to keep your airway open during sleep.
Some people have trouble adjusting to the use of the CPAP, but with the air pressure properly adjusted for your needs, and a mask that you find comfortable, a CPAP can make a tremendous difference in improving your health and quality of life. Many people swear by the use of their CPAP and never want to sleep without it.
However, for those who are unable to adjust to the use of a CPAP, there are other options. Oral appliances can be used to keep your jaw forward and your airway open. In cases where jaw structure is the problem, or if all other treatments have failed, surgery can be performed to more permanently open the airway.
