Yes there is a cure for sleep apnea! The way to achieve it is by restoring regular night breathing patterns and by getting rid of symptoms like heavy snoring. Inculcation of healthy habits like not having alcohol and not smoking should surely top the list. It would also be a good idea to stop taking sleeping pills, if indeed one is dependent upon them to put one to sleep. Excessive weight too is a problem and even a small reduction goes a long way in mitigating the causes of apnea. People suffering from apnea would also be advised to sleep upon their side for that helps keep their throat clear.
Another cure for sleep apnea is continuous positive pressure that is a proactive way of dealing with this problem. This involves wearing a mask above one’s nose through which is air is blown into one’s throat at the exactly the right pressure, which prevent the occurrence of apnea during one’s sleep. In the case of some people whose tonsils or andenoids block the airway, surgery is the way to deal with apnea.
There really is no drug based cure of sleep apnea as such but the oral administration of methylxanthine theophylline can help get rid of it. But it may cause serious side-effects in the shape of insomnia and palpitations. Yet another type of cure is referred to as bi-level which involves using an electronic circuit to regulate one’s breathing. Two types of pressures are used in this process- a higher one at the time of inhalation and a lower one at the time of exhalation.
For mild to moderate obstructive apnea dental devices are excellent cure for sleep apnea. These mainly consist of an appliance that while holding the tongue and jaw forward keeps the palate up thus increases the size of airway enough to prevent apnea from occurring.
A relatively recent development in the cure of sleep apnea has been the auto titrating CPAP machines. These machines are capable of making pressure adjustments throughout the night. They are therefore able to customize the air pressure to exactly what is ideal at a given moment, to the extent of making allowances for the impact of weight gain, medication or sedative on the person being treated through this machine.
Thus we can see there are several types of treatment available for different types of apnea. The first thing to be looked upon of course is whether there are some behavioral and life style changes that one might need to make. Thereupon one can consult with a doctor about which of the various treatments on offer would suit a person the most. The good news is that modern scientific research has made it possible to effectively test and detect with a fair amount of accuracy, as to the kind of apnea that has afflicted a person, and what should be the course of treatment that suits him the best.
Even though there is cure for sleep apnea available, quite a few people prefer not to go through the inconvenience of undergoing one. While this may be their choice, it might not be such a good idea because of several health related consequences; they may also be jeopardizing other people’s lives, if for example they choose to drive a vehicle. It is therefore imperative that information about the cures available for apnea is propagated well.
