Sleep Apnea Treatment Denver

Sleep apnea is a serious condition that stops a person from breathing in their sleep for 10 to 30 seconds (sometimes much longer), sometimes hundreds of times a night. Unless it's properly treated, sleep apnea can lead to serious health problems including diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke and ultimately death.

The "Gold Standard" of Sleep Apnea Treatment

If you know what sleep apnea is, then you've probably heard of CPAP. CPAP stands for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure. CPAP works by pumping air into the airway of a sleep apnea sufferer by way of a hose and mask hooked up to a CPAP machine. It's called the gold standard of sleep apnea treatment because it does a good job of keeping an apneic's airway open and keeping his blood oxygen levels up?that is when the patient actually uses the machine.

25-50% of CPAP patients do not comply with their prescribed treatment. Why? Some of the most common complaints are:

• "The mask is annoying." Sometimes it can even cause rashes from continued use.
• "It is uncomfortable to have air forced into my nose."
• "The machine is too noisy."
• "It's not easily portable."

So, because so many people can't tolerate CPAP, other sleep apnea treatment options are necessary.

Alternatives To CPAP Sleep Apnea Treatment

Weight loss is always recommended for overweight obstructive sleep apnea patients. By losing weight, you reduce the amount of fatty tissue in the neck and throat than can collapse the airway at night. The trouble is, weight loss takes time and commitment. Some obese patients opt for bariatric surgery to help them lose the weight quickly.

Surgery is also an option that some patients explore. There are a number of surgeries promoted by oral surgeons to cure sleep apnea, and they can indeed be effective, but it is surgery. Some surgeries for sleep apnea include:

• Tonsillectomy
• Adenoidectomy (usually done in combination with a tonsillectomy)
• Uvulectomy
• Maxillomandibular Advancement
• Pharyngoplasty
• Palatal Pillars

All of these procedures come with a certain amount of risk, but for some people, they are the only solutions to saving their lives from the slow suffocation of sleep apnea.

Dr. Berry will occasionally recommend surgery to sleep apnea patients, but only after they have tried oral appliance therapy (OAT).

A Proven Solution In Sleep Apnea Treatment: Oral Appliance Therapy

The use of oral sleep apnea appliances to treat sleep apnea has become a standard secondary protocol to treating obstructive sleep apnea in patients who choose not to use CPAP or are CPAP intolerant according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (see this report from the AASM). Oral appliances, like the Somnamed (pictured above in the left-hand column) treat obstructive sleep apnea by advancing the lower jaw thereby moving the tongue forward, which opens the airway. Oral appliances are custom made from impressions made in our Denver office that we then send to a dental lab where they manufacture the appliance. We then see you in our office for a follow-up sleep apnea appointment to try the appliance for fit and adjustment as needed.

After you have become accustomed to sleeping with your oral appliance, we recommend that you revisit the sleep center for a follow-up sleep study to see how much your sleep apnea has indeed improved as a result of wearing your oral sleep apnea appliance. We may find that the best treatment for your sleep apnea is a combination of sleep apnea treatments, such as a tonsillectomy followed by oral appliance therapy.

A New Lease On Life Through Sleep Apnea Treatment

Patients who begin wearing their new oral sleep apnea appliances report feeling more alert in the mornings. They don't wake with headaches like they used to. They don't fatigue as easily during the day, and their bed partners are thrilled with the quality of sleep that they are getting now that the snoring is gone.

Breathe Easy At Night ? Contact Our Office Today

If you think that you may suffer from sleep apnea and are interested in oral appliance therapy for your sleep apnea treatment, make an appointment online today, or call our Denver office now to speak with a member of our caring team.