Other Options

Some OSA patients are helped by oral appliances, devices that open the breathing passage by bringing the jaw or tongue forward or raising the soft palate.  Patients with mild and moderate OSA may especially benefit by using an oral appliance, while severe OSA usually does not respond to this type of treatment. These devices sometimes cause excessive salivation, jaw pain, gagging or dental problems.  Oral appliances should be fitted by qualified dental personnel.

Physical problems that interfere with breathing during sleep can sometimes be corrected surgically.  These problems include: enlarged tonsils or adenoids (common in children), nasal polyps or other growths, a deviated nasal septum, or certain sizes and/or shapes of the face, jaw or soft palate.

Nasal operations alone that reduce nasal stuffiness may help snoring, but are usually not effective for OSA. However, nasal surgery may be one part of the overall plan for surgical treatment of OSA.

At Sleep Management Institute we do not perform these surgeries but can recommend a physician in the area to help you receive this treatment.

Many people who have sleep apnea are overweight. Small studies have shown that losing weight reduces the number of times an hour that you stop breathing (apnea) or that the airflow to your lungs is reduced (hypopnea). Experts agree that weight loss should be part of managing sleep apnea. 

In mild cases of sleep apnea, conservative therapy may be all that is needed. Conservative approaches include: