You can watch a video (MPEG for programs like Windows Media Player) about how Continuous Positive Airway Pressure works for Sleep Apnea patients by clicking this link (8.7MB - Broadband recommended).

If you are diagnosed with sleep apnea, the experts will determine the severity of your condition so that a proper course of treatment can begin.

MILD
If you are diagnosed with mild sleep apnea, you may be instructed to make behavioral changes to improve your sleep. Changes may include:

• Avoid alcohol.
  
  
• Do not take sleeping pills because they relax the throat muscles and may make it more difficult for you to breathe during sleep.
  
  
• Sleep on your side.
  
  
• If you are overweight, lose weight.
  
  
• Your doctor may also recommend that you wear a dental device that is molded to your teeth by a dentist. The device is worn at night, and it holds the lower jaw and tongue forward to keep the airway open.

MODERATE TO SEVERE
The sleep lab technicians may recommend you use a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine when you sleep. To use CPAP, you will wear a mask that is carefully fitted over your mouth and nose. The mask is connected to a small air compressor that blows air through a tube and into the mask to keep your airway open. The pressure created by the machine varies depending upon how much is needed to keep your airway open.

If the mask is uncomfortable to wear, the air pressure is too great, or if air is escaping from the mask when you wear it, be sure to see your doctor. He or she will be able to adjust the mask to ensure a proper fit and air pressure.

It is very important to remember that you must use CPAP whenever you sleep, even during naps. Do not stop using CPAP without first consulting your doctor. If you stop using CPAP, your symptoms will return.

SEVERE
In severe cases, your doctor may recommend that you use a Bi-level machine (Bi-PAP). Bi-PAP is similar to CPAP except that the air blows into your nose at two different pressures. When you inhale, the pressure is greater, and when you exhale the pressure relaxes. Your sleep expert will decide which pressure settings are right for you and will train you to use the machine and maintain it. View Respironics’ Bi-PAP products and equipment.

Surgery

Regardless of the severity of your sleep apnea, a sleep expert may recommend surgery. This option should be carefully considered. You should always ask questions, get a second opinion, and find a surgeon experienced in the recommended surgical procedure. Several different surgeries exist to alleviate sleep apnea:

• General surgery
  Surgery may be performed to remove tonsils, adenoids, nasal polyps, or extra tissue from throat. Surgeons may opt to repair a deviated septum or facial deformities, causing the apnea, to open the airway.
  
  
• Laser Assisted Uvuloplasty (LAUP)
  LAUP is a technique used to treat snoring, but it also is used for patients with mild sleep apnea. During LAUP, the surgeon will remove the uvula, a portion of the palate, and surrounding tissue with a laser. This procedure is performed under local anesthesia in an outpatient setting, and it is completed over a series of approximately five visits.
  
  
• Tracheostomy
  As a treatment option for sleep apnea, a tracheostomy is performed as a last resort. The valve inserted in the trachea during the surgery is closed during the day to allow for speech, but opened at night to improve airflow.
  
  
• Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP)
  Although this procedure has limited success in treating sleep apnea, it may be performed on individuals who can not tolerate CPAP. During the surgery, the uvula and excess tissue is removed.
  
  
• Mandibular Myotomy
  During this surgery, a piece of the jaw is removed, rotated 90 degrees, and reattached to make the tongue pull forward and help eliminate the apnea.
  
  
• Radio Frequency procedure or Somnoplasty
  This is the newest surgical procedure developed to treat sleep apnea. A special needle or electrode is pierced into the tongue, throat, or soft palate and connected to a radio frequency generator. Radio waves are transmitted from the generator, through the electrode, and into the tissues. The radio waves shrink the tissues over time. Each session lasts approximately 30 minutes, and it requires several treatments to complete.