Full mask. This type is shaped like a triangle and covers your mouth and nose. Your doctor might prescribe this kind of mask if you breathe through your mouth when you sleep or if you have a blockage of some kind in your nose.
Throat exercises: Also called oropharyngeal exercises, these repeated movements of the tongue, soft palate, and throat have been demonstrated to reduce OSA symptom severity.
Mask styles can vary with different CPAP machines. Which type you wear depends in part on your breathing habits, how comfortable the mask is for you to wear, and the kind of sleep apnea disorder you have.
Upon arrival, the technician explains and prepares the patient for the sleep study. Electrodes are attached to the head and legs, and two plastic belts are positioned around the chest and abdomen.
The continuous flow of air gently keeps your tongue, uvula and soft palate from shifting too far into your airway. This stabilizes your breathing and improves your overall sleep quality.
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A TMJ specialist will examine their patients for signs of pain and inflammation, as well as jaw alignment problems. They will then provide a diagnosis and treatment plan to help alleviate the symptoms of the disorder.
Sleep disorders and other sleep disruptions cause sleep debt, the accumulated effect of not getting enough proper sleep. This can result in serious physical and mental consequences. Not getting enough proper rest can cause you to be less alert during waking hours, leading to vehicle accidents and other similar events.
A continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine is the most commonly prescribed device for treating sleep apnea disorders.
The more info upper airway device is implanted during an outpatient surgical procedure. You’re able to turn the device on and off using a handheld remote. Learn more
Consider an APAP machine: When the air of a fixed-rate CPAP feels uncomfortable, an APAP machine that automatically adjusts the rate of airflow to your needs might be a better fit.
If you’re still not sure if you have sleep apnea, we encourage you to take our short quiz below to understand whether you may be affected.
CPAP machines prevent breathing interruptions caused by sleep apnea. These devices also eliminate harmful sleep apnea side effects. Notable CPAP machine benefits include:
Untreated sleep apnea can be life threatening. Excessive daytime sleepiness can cause people to fall asleep at inappropriate times, such as while driving. Sleep apnea also appears to put individuals at risk for stroke and transient ischemic attacks, also known as “mini-strokes,” and is associated with coronary heart disease, heart failure, irregular heartbeat, heart attack and high blood pressure.