In an effort to improve rates of care, sleep doctors are expanding treatment options. The latest advance is a mask-free surgical implant that stimulates the upper airway. The FDA approved the device in 2023.
Laser Therapy for Sleep Apnea
NightLase has gained popularity in 2024 due to its simplicity and effectiveness. Patients appreciate that there's no need for bulky equipment or invasive surgeries. Laser therapy can reduce snoring and improve airflow, making it a valuable option for mild to moderate sleep apnea cases.
Inspire implant: Without insurance, the price of an Inspire implant — the FDA-approved hypoglossal nerve stimulator — ranges from $30,000 to $40,000. Maxillomandibular advancement: This major surgery, known as MMA, can cost $80,000 to $100,000 without insurance.
CPAP therapy is considered most effective and reliable in those who are able to adhere to treatment. If a sleeper has trouble tolerating CPAP therapy, their sleep specialist may next prescribe BiPAP, ASV, EPAP, or an oral device as an alternative treatment.
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Zepbound (tirzepatide) for the treatment of moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in adults with obesity, to be used in combination with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity.
“For patients who can't tolerate CPAP, the Inspire device can be a game changer,” says Dr. Shah. “It is an FDA-approved, surgically implanted nerve stimulator that works from within the body. The device senses when you breathe and stimulates key muscles to keep your airway open while you sleep.
The latest advance is a mask-free surgical implant that stimulates the upper airway. The FDA approved the device in 2023. "For a really long time, CPAP was all that was out there, and we struggled with answers on why some patients' airways were still collapsing," said Cedars-Sinai otolaryngologist Ankona Ghosh, MD.
Sleeping on your back often worsens apnea, while sleeping on your side may lesson episodes of apnea. When you are lying on your back, your tongue and soft palate tend to fall back to the throat, which can increase breathing difficulties.
Mouth or lip exercises can be good conjunction with other recommended treatments for sleep apnea. Close your mouth and squeeze your lips tightly together. Hold for a short while before letting go. Before relaxing, move your jaw forward and hold for a few seconds.
Some potential side effects and risks of using Inspire for sleep apnea include: Pain, discomfort, or irritation around the implanted device or leads. Device malfunction or failure. Nerve injury or damage during the sleep surgery leading to temporary or permanent changes in sensation or muscle function.
The vast majority of U.S. insurance providers – including Medicare, Veterans Affairs (VA) and major commercial carriers – cover Inspire therapy for those who have tried and struggle with CPAP.
If you're tired of your CPAP machine, Inspire offers an alternative. “Inspire is an implanted device, similar to a pacemaker, that helps with breathing. It senses your breaths and sends a signal to a nerve, which stiffens and moves the tongue forward to keep the airway open,” explains Dr.
The Inspire® implant
The Inspire implant keeps your airway open while you sleep, so you can breathe regularly and sleep soundly.
Daridorexant, or Quiviviq, is a relatively new treatment for insomnia. It received approval for use in the US at the start of 2022 and later the same year it was approved for use across the EU too. In the UK it was approved, for a relatively specific use, in late 2023.
While there is no cure for sleep apnea, studies show that certain lifestyle factors can reverse or make your sleep apnea less intense. Other treatment or surgical options can also reverse the condition. Sleep apnea happens when your upper airway muscles relax while you sleep. This causes you to not get enough air.
Snoring and sleep apnea: Obstructive sleep apnea causes the airways to collapse during sleep, leading to pauses in breathing. It often goes hand-in-hand with snoring. Positioning yourself on your side or stomach can help the airways stay open to reduce snoring and alleviate mild apnea, Salas says.
Research has indicated that untreated sleep apnea can shorten a person's life expectancy by several years, and according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, untreated sleep apnea increases your risk of death by 17% through the short-term and long-term health issues associated with untreated sleep apnea.
In two studies with adults who had obesity and moderate to severe OSA over a 52-week period, participants who received Zepbound experienced a "statistically significant and clinically meaningful reduction" in episodes of shallow breathing or temporary pauses in breathing while asleep compared to those who received a ...
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Alternatives to CPAP for sleep apnea include different PAP machines, oral appliances, behavioral changes, and surgery.
Medical conditions. Congestive heart failure, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes are some of the conditions that may increase the risk of obstructive sleep apnea. Polycystic ovary syndrome, hormonal disorders, prior stroke and chronic lung diseases such as asthma also can increase risk.
Eli Lilly announced positive topline results of phase 3 clinical trials showing the injectable prescription drug Zepbound (tirzepatide) significantly reduced the AHI compared to placebo in adults with moderate to severe OSA and obesity.
Intranasal fluticasone propionate (Flonase) administered daily for 6 weeks has been shown to ameliorate the frequency of obstructive events in children with documented mild-to-moderate obstructive sleep apnea caused by tonsil and/or adenoid hypertrophy by about one half.
Lifestyle habits: Drinking alcohol and smoking can raise your risk for sleep apnea. Alcohol can make the muscles of your mouth and throat relax, which may close your upper airway. Smoking can cause inflammation in your upper airway, which affects breathing. Sex: Sleep apnea is more common in men than women.