A continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine is the most popular method for treating sleep apnea. If you are consistent in your use of this treatment, you might see positive results. But if you are experiencing trouble adapting to CPAP treatment and have tried to solve some of the most common side effects, you may wish to consider the CPAP alternatives discussed in this article.

In this guide, we will talk about the different types of sleep apnea, CPAP alternatives, and why people use CPAP alternatives, and we will also answer some frequently asked questions. Read until the end to find out.

What is Sleep Apnea?

This potentially lethal condition disrupts your breathing throughout the night, preventing you from getting enough rest. You have been breathing for one minute now. The very next minute, you aren’t. Is it not terrifying? There are three different kinds of this condition that can prevent you from getting enough sleep:

Central Sleep Apnea

A blockage in the airway does not cause this condition. Miscommunication takes place between the respiratory muscles and the brain. There are problems with breathing.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea

The obstruction of an airway is directly responsible for breathing difficulties. If the muscles in your throat aren’t doing their job correctly, it might cause your windpipe to become blocked.

Also Read: An Introduction Guide to Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)

Complex Sleep Apnea

The perplexing variation is still the subject of ongoing research by scientists. This syndrome, which also goes by the name mixed sleep apnea, occurs when obstructive and central sleep apnea symptoms coexist. The process of diagnosis might take a lot of work. Even after CPAP therapy, breathing difficulties may persist.

Why Consider Sleep Apnea Treatments Without CPAP?

CPAP Alternatives are sought by people diagnosed with sleep apnea for a variety of reasons, including the following:

Compliance Requirements

Users of CPAP machines must adhere to a 30-day compliance period set forth by insurers like Medicare, during which they must use the device for at least four hours each night on at least seventy percent of all nights. Patients may have a hard time meeting all of these standards, and they may also feel like it infringes on their privacy.

Adverse Effects

Users of CPAP report a wide range of side effects. Some people find wearing the mask uncomfortable, while others develop dry mouth, red or itchy eyes, and stuffy or runny noses as a result of wearing it. Noise caused by mask leaks can disrupt sleep for people who use CPAP machines and their sleeping partners. 

Cost

The out-of-pocket expense for the device begins close to $250 and can go as high as $1,000 or even higher. When you acquire a CPAP machine via your insurance, you are typically compelled to enroll in a rent-to-own plan with stringent compliance requirements if you want to keep using it.

The Problem With CPAP

A CPAP machine is frequently the first defense against sleep apnea and its associated health risks. However, because of the numerous hassles associated with CPAP, many patients either stop using it or altogether avoid it. The mask is heavy, and wearing it can be painful, and the machine has a droning sound that can make it difficult to fall or stay asleep. In addition, CPAP requires that you sleep on your back and remove the mask from your face each time you get out of bed.

Here are the 7 CPAP Alternatives for Sleep Apnea 2024

1. Expiratory Positive Airway Pressure

Before getting to sleep, you will need to place a little device called an EPAP valve on each of your nostrils. As you exhale, the valve uses the pressure created by your breath to keep your airway open until you can take another breath in. Unfortunately, EPAP devices cannot provide pressure during inhalation in the same manner as CPAP machines can, which reduces the effectiveness of EPAP devices overall.

2. Oral Appliance Therapy

An oral appliance is a device that is worn overnight while you sleep. It is a little device that is comparable to a mouthguard. You will be able to breathe normally throughout the night due to its ability to subtly pull your jaw forward and stop your tongue from falling back into your airway. 

“An oral appliance can reduce snoring and other sleep apnea symptoms over time.”

3. Sleep Position

If you sleep on your back with your face turned toward the ceiling, often known as the supine position, you will experience a more significant number of apnea episodes throughout the night. If you have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and sleep on your back, your tongue and larynx may get in the way of your ability to breathe.

Sleeping on your side, rather than your back, is recommended by medical professionals as a way to mitigate the effects of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Studies have shown that patients who use gadgets that vibrate and notify them when lying on their backs have fewer apnea episodes. However, there is a problem with maintaining adherence to these gadgets, and the technology itself has to be improved.

4. Consume A Lower Alcohol

If you have a severe obstructive sleep apnea, you may need to change your lifestyle, such as reducing your alcohol consumption, particularly in the hours leading up to bedtime. There is a strong link between drinking alcohol and getting OSA symptoms. 

Alcohol has a depressant effect on the central nervous system and a relaxing effect on the muscles. As a result, it affects various muscles throughout the body, including the muscles in the upper airway responsible for maintaining the airway open when sleeping.

Not only can drinking alcohol lead to an increased risk of apneic episodes while you sleep, but it can also substantially impact the quality of sleep you obtain, which in turn affects sleep apnea. Alcohol intake can increase the risk of apneic episodes while you sleep. 

Your physician may tell you that you can drink alcohol in moderation. On the other hand, it is strongly advised that you avoid drinking alcohol too close to the time you plan to go to bed.

Also Read: Alcohol and Sleep Apnea: Impact on CPAP Therapy

5. Loss Of Body Weight

People who are obese or have gained excessive weight tend to have increased fat deposits throughout their bodies, particularly around the neck. As you sleep, more fat deposits in your body have the potential to obstruct your upper airways, making it increasingly harder for you to breathe.

Reducing fat deposits throughout the body is one of the potential benefits of exercise and weight loss. To be more exact, oropharyngeal exercises can reduce the amount of fat deposited in the neck and may even remove obstructive sleep apnea symptoms.

If you want to achieve your weight loss objectives more quickly, working with a weight loss specialist, dietitian, or personal trainer in addition to your own efforts may be beneficial. They are there to give you a good food plan that is well balanced, to inform you what workouts to do, when to do them, and for how long, and to assist you in keeping healthy weight loss tactics.

Tongue stretching is a frequent oropharyngeal exercise that prevents the tongue from becoming increasingly floppy during the night. To accomplish this, you should spend the day trying to bring the tip of your tongue down to your chin by stretching out your tongue as far as possible. 

This exercise, which can be done virtually anywhere, improves strength and clears the obstructions in the body. Yoga and other gentle forms of exercise, as well as walking and other moderate forms of cardio, are examples of other possible forms of exercise that could be beneficial.

6. Surgery

As an alternative treatment option to CPAP, surgery may be suggested to either alleviate sleep apnea symptoms or eliminate the condition. Surgical procedures may involve the removal of enlarged tonsils or extra tissue, as well as the expansion of airways in the patient’s nose or throat. These are effective, although certain patients find them quite invasive, despite their effectiveness. 

7. Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulator

When performing hypoglossal nerve stimulation, the clinician will position a stimulator below the patient’s chest. The hypoglossal nerve, located in the neck, and the intercostal muscles, located in the chest, are both attached to the stimulator.

When the patient goes to bed, they will use a remote control operator to turn on the stimulator in their device. As you breathe, the device stimulates the hypoglossal nerve, which in turn causes the tongue to migrate out of the airway, providing a more unobstructed channel for breathing.

Why Do People Use CPAP Alternatives?

The following are some of the most common reasons a patient may consider an alternative to CPAP as a potential form of treatment:

• The CPAP mask causes the patient discomfort, which can manifest in various ways, including nasal congestion, skin irritation, or a dry mouth.
• CPAP machines are difficult to transport.
• The patient does not want to utilize CPAP, but they are looking for ways to ease the symptoms associated with sleep apnea.
• The patient’s sleep apnea isn’t bad enough for them to need a CPAP machine.
• Compliance with CPAP is difficult for the patient.

Conclusion

If you’re one of the millions of people who suffer from sleep apnea, you know how important it is to find an effective treatment. While CPAP is the most popular and well-known sleep apnea treatment, not everyone can or wants to use a CPAP machine. In this post, we’ve outlined seven alternative treatments for sleep apnea that don’t involve using a CPAP machine. We also provide information about why people might choose an alternative to CPAP and what benefits they can expect. 

For those considering alternatives to traditional CPAP machines, remember that the effectiveness of any treatment can be greatly enhanced with the right accessories. Visit Resway shop on Amazon to discover accessories that can complement your sleep apnea treatment, crafted with quality and care.

Frequently Asked Questions

If I Disregard My Condition, Will It Go Away On Its Own?

No! Your OSA won’t go away if you do nothing to improve your health, and it won’t go away on its own. Seek the assistance of a trained specialist if you are serious about falling asleep.

Is It Possible To Get Treatment For Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome?

It is still unknown whether this disease can be treated. Nevertheless, keeping a healthy weight can be the most effective method to get long-term relief from sleep apnea symptoms.

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