In this page you will learn about the most common alternatives to CPAP treatment, considering that some people do not like CPAP or have trouble using them.
I'll start with...
Sleep Apnea Dental Device
A dental device or sleep apnea oral appliance is used to relieve upper airway obstruction and snoring by modifying the position of the mandible, tongue, and other oral-pharyngeal structures. An oral appliance also prevents the tongue from blocking the airway passages.
There are two types of sleep apnea dental device:
mandibular advancement appliances
(MAAs)
These are oral appliances that are fitted to the maxillary and mandibular dentition, and works by altering the position of the lower jaw, or mandible. The dental device pushes the lower jaw forward. This also repositions the tongue, which is attached to the lower jaw.
By repositioning the lower jaw and tongue, the oral appliance keeps airways open and prevents the appearance of snoring and apnea events.
tongue retaining devices
(TRD)
This device reposition the tongue in an anterior position by securing it with negative pressure in a soft plastic bulb that directly contacts the base of the tongue. Other type of TRD uses a suction cup that attaches to the front of the tongue, pulling the tongue forward to prevent the back of the tongue from collapsing.
Benefits of oral appliances: improvement of snoring, substantial improvements in daytime sleepiness, blood pressure, work performance, and sleep quality.
Disadvantages: discomfort, salivation, more successful in patients with nonsevere obstructive sleep apnea.
This video explains how dental devices can improve sleep apnea:
Bilevel positive airway pressure (BPAP)
BPAPs are another alternatives to CPAP machines, and they are more efficient. BPAP machines provides two pressure levels, one during inhalation and a lower one during exhalation.
The pressure drop during exhalation is designed to increase comfort for patients who have trouble exhaling against an continuous incoming pressure, such as CPAP.
Here is a video explaining why BPAP will become a standard in the treatment of sleep apnea.
Sleep Apnea Rematee
Sleep Apnea Rematee has a range of products useful for patients with mild and moderate sleep apnea and those with snoring.
The treatment is based on positional therapy, which can be an effective cure for snorers and for obstructive sleep apnea. You will sleep on your side rather than on your back, comfortably enough to have a sleep without apnea episodes and snoring.
There are two products from Rematee: anti-snore shirt and bumper belt. There products are used in over 500 sleep centers in US and Canada with great success.
However, patients with central sleep apnea and with severe obstructive apnea will not benefit from positional therapy.
This video will explain more about the benefit of sleeping on the side for patients with snoring and sleep apnea:
The cpap pillow is designed to aid CPAP users in a better sleep. So, these pillows are not really alternatives to CPAP treatment, but it can help you sleep better with your cpap mask.
The cpap pillow is specially designed to allow the mask and hose to stay in place, while avoiding pressure points on the face and leaks in the mask while sleeping. Many pillows have soft polyester fill with a special cotton cover (removable for washing).
Benefits of cpap pillow:
enhance your sleep experience
provides unsurpassed comfort
provides increased freedom of the patient's movement during the night
supports the neck and keeps the spine aligned
reduces leaks from the mask
decreases pressure of the CPAP mask against the face
Disadvantages of cpap pillow (it depends of the type of the pillow):
the pillow can be bulbous and hard
discomfort
it can leave little real pillow to rest a head on
According to some company's return policy, hygiene law prohibit them accepting returns or giving refunds on pillows.
Didgeridoo Sleep Apnea
These are the newest alternatives to cpap treatment on the market! And they are quite interesting, too.
Have you ever heard about didgeridoo ? If not, it's time to learn more about it, because is a new snoring remedy that can improve your sleep apnea, too.
I will search more alternative methods to cpap treatment. Meanwhile, you can subscribe to my free newsletter to receive the last information about new cures for sleep apnea.
In this page you will learn about the most common alternatives to CPAP treatment, considering that some people do not like CPAP or have trouble using them.
