Treatment

The majority of adults with sleep apnoea are overweight. Therefore, lifestyle changes that promote weight loss are usually recommended. Other treatment options include Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) and Mandibular Advancement Devices (MAD).

Lifestyle changes

In addition to weight loss, there are other lifestyle modifications that can be made to alleviate the severity of sleep apnoea.

Reduction in alcohol intake

Alcohol over-relaxes the throat muscles and worsens sleep apnoea. It can also cause rebound alertness and sleep fragmentation.

Avoid sleeping on your back

Sleep apnoea can be positional and usually worsened by lying on your back. Using body pillows and specialised anti-snore shirts can potentially help some cases. Home remedies include the ‘tennis ball technique’.

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP)

CPAP remains the most effective treatment for sleep apnoea, both obstructive and central. This involves wearing a tight-fitting nasal or full-face mask connected to a device delivering positive pressure which splints the throat open.

CPAP alleviates daytime sleepiness, improves quality of sleep and has favourable long-term effects on heart disease and stroke, especially in severe cases.

Our CPAP machines are state of the art and offer flexibility without compromising on quality. They are portable, equipped with touch screen and transmit therapy data via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.

This means your treatment can be monitored remotely daily if necessary and a monthly report on usage and effectiveness of treatment is available. The monitoring will also identify any technical problems such as leaks and pressure issues which can be addressed.

Mandibular Advancement Device (MAD)

MADs are effective in mild to moderate cases of sleep apnoea or when CPAP is not tolerated. They are also widely used for alleviation of snoring. They work by pushing your lower jaw (mandible) forward thereby increasing the diameter of the throat.

They need to be custom fitted by a dentist trained in their use and adjusted periodically until snoring and apnoeas are eliminated. Frequent use for more than 2-3 years causes malocclusion which is unavoidable but reversible in most cases.

They are not as effective in severe sleep apnoea where CPAP remains the cornerstone of therapy in addition to weight loss.

Complex sleep apnoea and home ventilation

Occasionally, sleep apnoea management is complicated by the presence of central sleep apnoea or obesity hypoventilation. CPAP therapy alone is usually insufficient and these disorders require the use of nocturnal ventilators with complex algorithms. Management of these conditions requires a face to face consultation with a specialist as you will need a thorough clinical examination and an assessment of your heart and brain. Our team here in Sleep Vitality can offer access to experts and will advise you if there is an indication for further testing.