Some studies suggest that CPAP treatment can be associated with weight gain during initial therapy. Weight loss is mainly recommended as an additional treatment alongside other interventions.

If a person is eligible for an oral appliance, it’s important to consult a qualified sleep dentist for a professional fitting and to help source an appliance customized for one’s individual needs, adds Dr. Postol.

As with most health conditions, sleep apnea doesn’t resolve itself without treatment, and also like most health conditions, sleep apnea conditions can get worse without treatment.

Oral appliances position the jaw or tongue to keep the upper airway open. Although these devices are an alternative to CPAP therapy in people who cannot tolerate continuous airway pressure, some people benefit from using an oral appliance alongside CPAP therapy.

CPAP machines are only one way of using pressurized air to keep the windpipe open and reduce blockages. Other PAP devices may be appropriate depending on a person’s individual needs and the type of breathing disruptions they experience.

The device monitors a user’s breathing and stimulates the hypoglossal nerve, which controls tongue movement, to move the tongue away from the airway when breathing stops.

A CPAP machine is a device that delivers constant air pressure into the airway through a motor that blows air into a tube-connected mask, allowing the airway to stay open during inhalation and exhalation. The mask is worn either in a user’s nostrils or over their nose and mouth during sleep.

CPAP cannot be used in individuals who are not spontaneously breathing. Patients with poor respiratory drive need invasive ventilation or non-invasive ventilation with CPAP plus additional pressure support and a backup rate (BiPAP).

Other complications of sleep apnea can include memory problems, mood disorders, heart attacks and heart rhythm disorders.

For patients using CPAP in the outpatient setting at home, it is important to wear it regularly while asleep overnight and during daytime naps.

Outline the role of an interprofessional team for improving care coordination and communication to effectively deliver CPAP therapy check here and improve outcomes.

Anyone who has been diagnosed with OSA and is unable to tolerate use a CPAP device, as well as individuals with mild OSA or snoring can benefit from lifestyle changes to reduce the risk of sleep apnea.

In the long term, a CPAP machine can help prevent high blood pressure, risk of stroke, risk of heart attacks and reduce memory decline, all of which can be side effects of untreated sleep apnea.

Make sure you have your machine checked regularly by an expert from the company that makes the device.