Alternative Remedies for Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnoea

Posted by Sophia Addison on October 21st, 2016

Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) is a dangerous condition where your breathing can suddenly stop in sleep. In some sufferers, breathing can stop as many as hundred times during a cycle. This clearly puts the life of sufferers in danger. So, sleep apnoea is a condition that must be treated immediately.

Unfortunately for many, there is not known effective cure for the condition. Patients are prescribed medication and lifestyle changes for the condition. Here are several other remedies that might help:

image credit: freeimages

Sleeping in a New Position

Obstructive sleep apnoea occurs when the muscles in the back of the throat relaxes hindering the process of breathing. This can be easily caused by certain sleeping positions, like sleeping on one’s back. So, one of the easiest methods to prevent this is to sleep in a position that does not cause the muscles of the breathing ways to relax so easily. Sleeping on the side is a good option.

Try Alternative Treatments

Increasing the air pressure in the nasal passageway is a medically proved way of treating sleep apnoea. Most medical treatments require patients to wear uncomfortable face masks and similar devices during sleep. There are easier treatments to these methods, like Provent, which are nasal patches that can provide the necessary air pressure without the need for complicated equipment. If you want a treatment like this, consult a physician and choose a suitable brand.

Use an Oral Appliance

Some doctors prescribe patients with this condition oral appliances. These are essentially items like teeth guard that prevent the soft palate and the tongue from collapsing during sleep. They can keep the airways open even when your throat muscles are relaxed. However, keep in mind that if your OSA is severe, appliances might not help. But for mild OSA, appliances can be an effective method of treatment.

Consider an EPAP

Expiratory positive airway pressure (EPAP) devices are tiny items placed over the nostrils before goin to sleep. They are small and have valves to allow airflow when breathing in. However, when the wearer exhales, the air can only move through holes in the device, which increases the air pressure inside the nasal passageway. High air pressure keeps the breathing tubes open. These devices are most recommended for people with mild OSA with most onsets during daytime. EPAPs sometimes helps snorers as well.

Use Supplemental Options

For serious cases of OSA, using supplemental oxygen during sleep may help alleviate the condition. It may also reduce your risk for accidental asphyxiation because of the OSA.

Try an ASV

Adaptive Servo-Ventilation (ASV) devices are the latest appliances developed to help people with OSA. These devices are high-tech and gathers data in a microchip inside. An ASV can assess your breathing pattern during sleep. If the pattern veers toward the abnormal, the ASV will automatically normalize your breathing pattern by increasing pressure insider the nasal passageways. This latest method is reported to be highly successful on treating OSA.

In addition to trying the above methods, you should also be willing to make some lifestyle changes. For example, if you have a habit of drinking alcohol within 5 hours before going to bed, that might need to change. You should also not overwork and sleep less than 7 hours per night, which can exacerbate your condition.