Protect Your Sleep With Sleep Apnea Treatment
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is one of the most prevalent sleep disorders in America, affecting nearly 22 million adults. It’s caused by your throat muscles collapsing or your tongue falling into the back of your mouth, completely halting your breathing several times each night while you sleep. Without professional intervention, sleep apnea symptoms can worsen and wreak havoc on your sleep quality and your overall health as well.
Sleep apnea symptoms are already uncomfortable and inconvenient so we believe that your treatment plan shouldn’t be. At Oakland Family Dental, we are dedicated to finding a sleep apnea solution that is both effective and convenient for you.
Why Patients Seek Alternatives to CPAP
Typically, doctors will recommend using a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine as the first type of therapy for treating sleep apnea. While the patient sleeps, this machine provides a steady flow of air pressure through a mask that the patient wears over their face during sleep. This prevents sleep apnea episodes by keeping the airway open throughout the night.
On one hand, CPAP machines are widely considered to be the gold standard for the treatment because they are incredibly effective for nearly all forms sleep apnea. However, according to an article from Harvard Health Publishing, “half or more” of patients who try CPAP will eventually stop using their machine.
Our patients often tell us that their CPAP mask is too tight on their face, the air pressure is uncomfortable to sleep with, and the machine forces the patient to sleep on their back all night long. Additionally, the CPAP machine is very noisy, often disturbing the patient or their sleep partner. There are also several minor, short-term side effects of CPAP therapy that should subside within a few days after stopping use. Some of these include:
- Sore or dry mouth
- Feeling of claustrophobia from mask
- Nasal congestion, runny nose, sinusitis, or nosebleeds
- Irritation or sores around the nose
- Stomach bloating and discomfort
- Discomfort in chest muscles
Former CPAP patients can become so discouraged that they don’t even try to seek further treatment. That’s why Dr. Sheehan offers effective alternatives to CPAP that allow you to enjoy healthy, restful sleep every night in a way that’s not only effective but also comfortable.
Treating Your Sleep Apnea
At Oakland Family Dental we understand that every patient’s sleep apnea case is unique — that’s why there isn’t one treatment that’s right for everybody. So if you’ve found CPAP isn’t working for you, there’s no need to forgo treatment. There are many factors that can impact your sleep and even simple changes to your daily routine or lifestyle as part of your treatment plan can have a significant impact on your sleep apnea. So you can trust that we’ll create a customized solution tailored to you that you can feel comfortable with.
Dr. Sheehan can help relieve your snoring and sleep apnea with these comfortable treatments and useful techniques:
Visit Oakland Family Dental For CPAP Alternatives
If you’ve been using CPAP but you find yourself taking it off in the middle of the night, or if you’ve simply stopped using it, we have comfortable alternatives available. At Oakland Family Dental, we’ll create a treatment plan that you can be comfortable with so that you can reclaim your sleep, health, and quality of life. Contact our Waterford office at 248-674-0384 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Sheehan or click the button to the right to fill out our contact form and a friendly team member will return your message shortly.