Sleep apnea masks are often prescribed to adults who experience obstructive sleep apnea. OSA is a condition where the airways are partially or fully closed multiple times during slumber. The obstruction can happen many times during the evening, and lead to many health problems. There are several treatments now available for OSA. A CPAP (continued positive airway pressure) mask is the most common method for dealing with sleep apnea. A mask covers the nose and forces air through the breathing passages to ensure that blockage does not occur. The mask is very difficult to get used to, and is often not used properly by patients. But there are alternatives available.
Acupuncture and Massage
Several alternative therapies exist to treat sleep apnea. One common method is acupuncture, which requires a trained professional to position needles in the skin at known pressure points to change the flow of energies in the body. In a similar vein, acupressure methods, or massaging certain points in the body to change the flow of energies, is also believed to make a significant difference in sleep apnea. These methods are not commonly prescribed by Western doctors, but have many supporters.
Positioning Therapy
Often, obstruction only occurs when a patient sleeps in a certain position. After being analyzed (or having a sleeping partner detail when or how snoring or obstruction occurs) a doctor can prescribe certain sleeping positions that will lessen the occasion of obstruction. This commonly includes sleeping with the head elevated, or no longer sleeping on one's back.
Oral Appliances
Many patients with sleep apnea experience obstructions due to the placement of their lower jaws and tongues during sleep. By using an oral appliance, the jaw and tongue are given proper alignment, and are less likely to block the breathing passage. Oral appliances are non-invasive, silent, and easy to use. They are also very cost-effective.
Weight Loss
OSA is very often the result of obesity or weight gain. As a patient gains weight, his airways become restricted, resulting in blocked passages and snoring. While a CPAP mask will ensure that airways are at their maximum expansion, one healthy alternative to the mask is to simply lose weight. This will decrease the pressure and strain put on air passages, and lessen obstruction.
Surgery
Sleep apnea surgery opens the breathing airways, leading to less obstructed respiration. Unfortunately, since physiology greatly impacts this surgery, success rates vary, as does the degree of invasiveness. Surgery should be considered a last resort and is recommended only for the most dire cases.
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