There’s more than one way to get sleep apnea under control. Some patients might benefit from wearing a customized oral appliance, while others may see more success with CPAP treatment. And in certain cases, the best option may be to combine these two approaches. This is known as combined sleep apnea treatment; below is a closer look at how it works and why it might be right for you.
How Combined Sleep Apnea Treatment Works
The most common form of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea. It occurs when the airway becomes partially or fully blocked while you’re asleep, thus interrupting your breathing. The obstruction is often a consequence of the soft tissues in your mouth or throat collapsing.
Both CPAP machines and oral appliances are designed to treat obstructive sleep apnea by helping you maintain an open airway throughout the night. CPAP machines work by delivering a constant stream of pressurized air through a mask placed over your nose; meanwhile, oral appliances move the lower jaw slightly forward, thus widening the airway.
Combined sleep apnea treatment involves using a CPAP machine and an oral appliance at the same time. A key benefit of this approach is that it often allows you to use your CPAP machine at a lower setting, which can go a long way toward making your treatment more comfortable. On top of that, when it comes to reducing sleep apnea symptoms, combined sleep apnea treatment often proves to be more effective.
Is Combined Sleep Apnea Treatment Right for You?
The fact of the matter is that combined sleep apnea treatment is a better fit for some patients than others. You will need to speak to a qualified sleep apnea expert in order to determine whether this option is truly suitable for you.
You might be a good candidate for combined sleep apnea treatment if:
- Using a CPAP machine or an oral appliance by itself does not yield the results you want.
- You find your CPAP machine to be too noisy or uncomfortable.
- You are still suffering from sleep apnea even after undergoing corrective surgery.
- Your sleep-disordered breathing is too severe to be effectively treated with just an oral appliance.
Choosing the right form of sleep apnea treatment could end up making all the difference for your health and your overall quality of life. If you think that combined sleep apnea treatment could be right for you, don’t hesitate to reach out to a sleep apnea expert today.
About the Practice
At SleepMed Solutions, we’re dedicated to helping patients in Greensboro enjoy more restful nights again. You can count on us to point you toward the right method for managing your sleep-disordered breathing, whether that means CPAP treatment, oral appliance treatment, or combined sleep apnea treatment. To take the first step toward getting sleep-disordered breathing under control, feel free to schedule an appointment by visiting our website or calling (336) 907-7773.