How Long Does It Take to Treat Sleep Apnea?
Can sleep apnea treatment deliver permanent results to make the problem disappear? People seeking treatment for sleep apnea often inquire with their healthcare providers or sleep medicine specialists whether sleep apnea is curable using various therapies available on the market. Unfortunately, the answer to people’s questions is a disappointing no.
This chronic condition doesn’t have a cure, but there are treatments with lifestyle changes that help reduce sleep apnea symptoms. Some examples include reducing obesity or surgical procedures like tonsillectomy for adults and children can provide some success, especially for children.
This article helps determine the underlying reasons for sleep apnea and the changes you can adopt to reduce your risks of complications from this condition. We also discuss what happens if you leave sleep apnea untreated and the consequences of not receiving obstructive sleep apnea treatment if affected by the state.
The Causes of Sleep Apnea
The occurrence of obstructive sleep apnea happens when part of the airway from the tip to the lungs disrupts teething and sleeping because of a collapse. Therefore sleep apnea is generally due to the affected individuals underlying anatomy. In addition, the airflow might be disrupted by a deviated nasal septum or enlarged turbinates besides a floppy soft palate, large tongue, enlarged tonsils, or adenoids.
Vibration and damage of the airway are caused by chronic snoring because of the swelling narrowing the airway. In addition, it might result in nerve receptors becoming unresponsive and the muscles not having enough tone to support the airway.
Other causes contributing to obstructive sleep apnea include weight gain leading to a large neck, sleeping on the back, and alcohol use in the few hours before sleeping. As the factors mentioned result in structural changes to the anatomy of the airway, resulting in a chronic condition that can receive sleep apnea treatment in Providence, RI, but cannot be cured.
Does Sleep Apnea Go Away?
Unfortunately no. Sleep apnea is a chronic sleep-related disorder affecting children and adults. However, after adolescence, the human anatomy tends to remain fixed. Therefore, sleep apnea cure for children delivers successful and definitive results with procedures like tonsillitis and removal of adenoids, besides allergy treatment and orthodontic therapy for hard palate expansion.
Options for teenagers and adults for sleep apnea include surgeries like jaw advancement is highly effective in resolving sleep apnea in approximately 80 percent of patients. Jaw advancement is a significant surgery to restructure the jawbone and fix them with titanium screws and plates by changing the facial profile to improve the airway.
Alternative soft palate surgeries to repair a deviated septum or radiofrequency ablation of the nasal turbinates help relieve nasal congestion and obstruction or tongue surgery by moving the tongue anchors. However, these procedures are less effective than jaw advancement.
The Risks of Fatalities from Sleep Apnea
Untreated sleep apnea can result in severe life-threatening conditions like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure, which might shorten the lifespan. For example, approximately 38,000 fatalities are recorded in the United States because of heart disease resulting from sleep apnea.
Reducing the Risks of Sleep Apnea
Lifestyle changes and medications can help with sleep apnea. Some examples include losing weight, quitting smoking, exercising, breathing exercises, and tongue-strengthening activities are all helpful in reducing the risks of sleep apnea. However, the results of this research do not provide conclusive evidence making additional research essential.
Nasal steroids can help keep your nasal passages open if you are affected by nasal allergies. Some medications also help deal with sleep apnea. Sleeping on your sides and raising the head of your bed to 45° might prove helpful.
The standard treatment for obstructive sleep apnea suggested by most medical professionals is continuous positive airway pressure or the CPAP device. The constant airflow from this appliance helps keep the airway open, preventing its collapse. Unfortunately, the instrument works only when used, and it is highly effective for people capable of tolerating it.
Oral appliances created by dentist in Providence, RI are also available and well tolerated by many people seeking a sleep apnea cure because they constantly snore when sleeping and expose themselves to the risks of health complications because of this condition.
A definitive cure for sleep apnea isn’t available from the treatments like the CPAP device, oral appliances, lifestyle changes, and surgeries are some procedures that help treat the condition. If you suspect you have sleep apnea get yourself evaluated by Drs Rubinstein & Ducoff to receive a treatment that helps control sleep apnea and doesn’t aggravate your situation. However, do not consider ignoring your snoring because it might result in life-threatening complications.