What are the remedies?

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If sleep apnea was diagnosed your doctor will strongly recommend a healthy lifestyle. Lifestyle changes that can help sleep apnea symptoms include healthier food choices, regular exercise, weight loss, reduced alcohol consumption, quitting smoking, sleeping on your side and, eliminating allergic substances from your environment, all will contribute to improving your condition.

If a healthier lifestyle doesn't improve your symptoms, other treatments for obstructive apnea and snoring are available:

  1. Continuous Positive Airflow Pressure (CPAP) device is a mask-like device that covers your nose and mouth, providing a constant stream of air to the airways. It is recommended for moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea.
  2. The oral device called the mandibular advancing devices (MAD) opens your airway by bringing your lower jaw and /or your tongue forward during sleep allowing better airflow. This device is mostly effective for mild-to-moderate sleep apnea and snoring, or in combination with CPAP when severe apnea has been diagnosed.
  3. Surgical methods can also be used to treat sleep apnea. They include repositioning of the jaws and also other corrections of components of the upper respiratory tracts.

 

The Canadian Society of Thoracology recommends:
Snoring:
• First line of treatment = oral devices

Light and moderate Apnea:
• First line of treatment = oral devices
  First line of treatment = Continuous Positive Airflow Pressure (CPAP)

Severe Apnea:
• First line of treatment = Continuous Positive Airflow Pressure (CPAP)
  Second line of treatment = Oral devices together with continuous Positive Airflow Pressure (CPAP) or on its own in situations where the oral device isn’t well tolerated.

When severe obstructive apnea is diagnosed the Continuous Positive Pressure device (CPAP) can be used in combination with the mandibular advancing device to help reduce the strong airflow produce by the (CPAP). The oral device shifts the lower jaw forward which opens up the airway, allowing for a continuous airflow to the lungs.