If you suffer from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), you’re not alone. It is by far the most common form experienced by the 22 million Americans with sleep apnea. If you’ve tried a CPAP machine and didn’t find success, read on to be inspired.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea
You might not even realize you have OSA. It’s when the tongue, soft palate, or tonsils collapse onto the back of the throat, leading to weak or stopped breathing. Symptoms include:
- Sudden waking
- Snoring
- Chronic fatigue
- Daytime sleepiness
- Morning headaches
- Restless sleep
Long-term effects of untreated sleep apnea include:
- High blood pressure
- Heart disease
- Stroke
- Diabetes
- Depression
The most common treatment for OSA is a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine, which uses a mask, hose, and pressurized air to keep your airway open while you sleep. Many people, however, don’t tolerate it well, and there are few dependable CPAP alternatives.
A Sleep Apnea Alternative
If you have moderate to severe OSA, haven’t had success with CPAP, are not significantly overweight, and are over age 22, you might get relief from an FDA-approved sleep-apnea alternative called Inspire. The stats on Inspire speak for themselves:
- Among Inspire users, 90% of bed partners reported no snoring or soft snoring
- Sleep apnea events decreased by 79%
- 94% of people were satisfied with Inspire
- 96% of Inspire patients preferred it to CPAP and would recommend it to others
A Simple Sleep Apnea Treatment
So how does Inspire work? You turn it on with a small, handheld remote control before bed — no oral appliance, mask, and no hose. Inspire lightly stimulates your airway muscles while you sleep, allowing you to breathe comfortably and naturally. When you wake up, you turn off the Inspire with your remote. You can also control your Inspire settings with the remote control.
If you think you’d be a good candidate for the CPAP alternative Inspire, contact us today to schedule a consultation!
Sleepapnea.org. Sleep Apnea Information for Clinicians. https://www.sleepapnea.org/learn/sleep-apnea-information-clinicians/. Accessed Oct. 30, 2020. Woodson BT, et al. Upper Airway Stimulation for Obstructive Sleep Apnea: 5-Year Outcomes. Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery. 2018;159(1):194–202. Heiser C, et al. Post-Approval Upper Airway Stimulation Predictors of Treatment Effectiveness in the ADHERE Registry. European Respiratory Journal. 2019;53: 1801405; DOI: 10.1183/13993003.01405-2018.