Sleep apnea is a condition which is
characterized by a disruption in a person’s sleeping pattern. Sleep apnea is
more common than we think. Many people suffer from sleep apnea and are never
treated. Sleep apnea can result in a constant state of fatigue and lethargy,
often daydreaming, and has become a common topic of interest in today’s
healthcare, especially since this condition is associated with other major
health problems that plague America like obesity and diabetes. That is why labs
have conducted tests and other samples of studies to show how treatments have
become more innovative to answer the health needs of today.
Researchers, Terri Weaver, Michael Calik, Sarah Farabi, and others, have compiled the innovative treatments for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). Understanding the condition and its prevalence is one important objective of these researchers’ review study published in the journal Nature and Science of Sleep. Some common treatments for OSA involve ways to promote greater air pressure in breathing. This type of device is known as a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device. In order to increase continual usage of these devices, patients seem to stick to treatment more when they have been involved in interventions related to their sleep apnea.
Another type of device that is
meant to relieve OSA symptoms, and help patients sleep better, is positive
nasal airway pressure, known as a nasal expiratory positive airway pressure
(nEPAP) device. This device alleviates airway pressure through effecting airway
resistance. These devices cause low resistance during inhalations and higher resistance
during exhalations. These treatments have shown effectiveness in multiple
studies.
Oral therapy treatments have also
been used to treat OSA. These therapies are more innovative. The point of this
type of treatment is to prevent possible obstruction by the tongue and soft
pallet of the mouth. A vacuum will pull the tongue and soft pallet together,
and this prevents any possible obstructions during sleep; this treatment is
still being tested. New methods of treatment are being tested like electrical
stimulation of the upper airway. Past studies have supported this method of
treatment.
In more current treatments,
electrodes will be used to stimulate muscle activity in the upper airway. This
is done through stimulation of the hypoglossal nerve. These electrodes will
stimulate specific muscles of the tongue; they are connected to a surgically
inserted device that monitors breathing and sends out stimulation signals to
control the electrodes in the tongue.
Drugs have also been used to treat
OSA. The purpose of these drugs are to increase the airway muscles. One drug
that has been associated with this condition, and has been on the mainstream,
is cannabinoids.
Studies have tested the
effectiveness of treatment and intervention using home and lab based participants
who were diagnosed with OSA. In this case study, there were two outcomes that
were tested: the CPAP treatment application, and the effect on the participants’
overall conditions (Carol et. al, 2012). The results showed that lab and home
treated participants equally applied the CPAP treatment at above 90%. Treatment
usage and duration were higher in the home based participants compared to
people in the lab group. The results of both groups were relatively the same,
though participants in the home based treatment groups were more active in
their treatment applications.
This study showed that home
treatment of OSA is just as useful as lab based treatments. People have the
ability to administer their own treatments and handle their own health problems
using these new methods.
What modern medicine is showing us
is that conditions like OSA can be handled and controlled. Treatments are
constantly being developed that allowing us to actively participate in our own
health.
Let’s take the initiative to make
ourselves get better!
References
Rosen,
C.L., Auckley, D., Benca, R., Foldvary-Schaefer, N., Iber, C., Kapur, V., Rueschman,
M., Zee, P., Redline, S. A multisite randomized trial of portable sleep studies
and positive airway pressure autotitration versus laboratory-based
polysomnography for the diagnosis and treatment of obstructive sleep apnea: the
homePAP study. Sleep. 2012; 35:
757-767.
Weaver,
T.E., Calik, M.W., Fink, A.M., Galang-Boquiren, M.T., Kapella, M.C., Prasad,
B., Carley, D.W. Nature and Science of
Sleep. 2014; 6: 137-147.
