For years, the most common treatment for millions of people with sleep apnea was to wear a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) mask. That is, until the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved a new treatment option without a mask: the Inspire upper respiratory tract stimulation device. Adaptive servoventilation (ASV) is an advanced therapy that is generally aimed at people with CSA or a combination of OSA and CSA.
Instead of providing air pressure at a constant level such as CPAP, ASV provides air pressure levels that are constantly adapted to the needs of the sleeper. It's usually the next line of defense if CPAP doesn't work, especially for those with CSA. There is now a new alternative to CPAP machines. The Inspire system is the ultimate treatment for obstructive sleep apnea.
By stimulating the muscles of the tongue and respiratory tract, Inspire aims to treat the underlying cause of sleep apnea, not just the symptoms. Sleep apnea is a common breathing disorder in which breathing stops temporarily, becomes superficial, or stops at some point during sleep. Although it seems like a minor nuisance that could keep your partner up at night, sleep apnea has several serious side effects if left untreated, including high blood pressure, strokes and heart problems. If you meet the criteria for using ASV, experts recommend that you be evaluated and tested in a sleep laboratory.
According to the FDA, the likely benefits outweigh the likely risks for approved patients with obstructive sleep apnea who do not benefit from traditional CPAP therapy. However, if you're living with sleep apnea and don't find relief with regular treatments, the Inspire implant may be right for you. If you're interested in Inspire to treat obstructive sleep apnea, I recommend that you talk to your doctor to assess your needs and determine if it's right for you. The most common type of sleep apnea occurs when the soft tissue in the back of the throat blocks the airway and causes frequent breathing interruptions during the night.
Your doctor is likely to ask you questions about your current symptoms to see if you meet the criteria for sleep apnea. Taylor Leamey writes about everything related to wellness and specializes in mental health, sleep and nutrition coverage. She has invested hundreds of hours studying and researching sleep and is certified as a certified sleep science coach from the Spencer Institute. Daytime sleepiness caused by sleep apnea can interfere with concentration and increase the risk of causing traffic accidents.
Because sleep apnea is characterized by a reduction or pauses in breathing, PAP treatment is designed to increase airflow without interruption. Experts don't recommend treatment with BiPAP to people who have central sleep apnea (CSA) associated with heart failure or to people who need emergency treatment for CSA. The FDA recently announced the approval of a prescription tongue muscle stimulation device that aims to reduce mild obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and snoring. The main reasons why a person might not follow CPAP treatment are a feeling of claustrophobia, not seeing the benefits of CPAP, or the fact that the machine interrupts a bedmate's sleep.
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