Continuous Positive Airway Pressure
- Includes – CPAP，Auto-CPAP，Bi-Level
- A non-invasive treatment which demonstrates significant treatment effect. It is adopted by most doctors worldwide and accepted by patients.
- The principle is to use a nasal mask with headgear fitted onto the patient’s face. Then the nasal mask connects the CPAP machine via a hose. The CPAP machine generates high-speed airflow which travels through the hose to reach your upper respiratory tract and forms a positive pressure in the pharyngeal airway. This opens up the blockage of excess tissues in the upper respiratory tract, preventing the upper respiratory tract from collapsing during sleep. Air can get into the lungs, and oxygen can undergo normal gas exchange in the lung. Thus, the elimination of anoxia, avoiding the occurance of breathing pause.
Common treatment
- Quit smoking and stop drinking in order to prevent the throat’s muscle further collapse, which blocks the respiratory tract.
- Obesity people should lose weight, such as proper exercise and diet adjustment. This avoids further fat accumulation in the throat.
- Try to avoid sleep facing upwards. This reduces the tongue sliding backwards and the blockage of breathing.
- Avoid taking sleeping pills or tranquilizers to help sleep. These drugs may lead to further relaxation of throat muscles making the situation of obstruction more serious.
Denture
- The aim is to push forward the lower jaw, increasing space inside the mouth. This avoids the tongue blocking the airway.
Surgery treatment
- This includes nasal surgery, Uvulopalatopharynoplasty (UPPP), laser-assisted pharynx angioplasty, low-temperature radiofrequency pharyngeal angioplasty