The first few nights on CPAP may be difficult, while patients acclimate. Many patients at first find the mask uncomfortable, claustrophobic or embarrassing.
Several new devices have been developed to treat obstructive sleep apnea without the need for CPAP. While these therapies are not recommended as first-line treatments, they offer promise to those who don’t find relief with standard approaches.
Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that leads to frequent pauses in breathing during sleep, potentially resulting in low oxygen levels, daytime tiredness and other health concerns, such as type 2 diabetes, heart attacks and strokes.
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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.
“This approach can involve using special pillows designed to support the head and neck for side-sleeping, wearable devices that detect and alert you when you roll onto your back during sleep, or even shirts or vests with built-in mechanisms that make sleeping on your back uncomfortable,” she added.
Eric Goldstein says: June 9, 2019 at 2:08 pm I read these articles because I have a CPAP machine and feel worse good mornings after I manage to keep my machine on the recommended time. I felt compelled to reply to you because you come off extremely arrogant because you are an MD. My wife has had medical issues for over 14 years and I have dealt with specialists from neurosurgeons to anesthesiologist that specialize in pain management and every other specialists in between you can think of. There are so many of these so-called experts that I end up correcting and have saved my wife’s life on more than one occasion keeping a doctor from making a huge mistake because he didn’t take the time to read through her file or even just her chart.
People with OSA more info have many options to choose from when considering treatment, therapy, or surgery. Consulting your primary physician and sleep specialists should be your first step.
as one of the first steps in treating OSA, along with losing excess weight and changing sleep position.
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There are several surgeries available to help keep airways open by removing tissue or repositioning jaw bones. These surgeries include:
Take note of your symptoms and sleep habits to help your doctor have a clear picture of how OSA affects your life. Together, you can develop a treatment plan to help reduce your apnea events.
Adjusting to CPAP therapy can be challenging for a variety of reasons including discomfort to air delivery, irritation from a device’s mask or difficulty acclimating to a machine’s sound level.
Unfortunately, there isn’t an exact answer as to what can be done to relieve you of the symptoms that you are experiencing. There are however, some trial and error options. For starters, you can speak with your doctor about the symptoms that you are having.