In summary, while significant weight loss can lead to improvements in OSA, the data demonstrate that the majority of patients do not achieve or maintain enough weight loss to resolve their sleep disordered breathing and thus will require ongoing treatment for the OSA. Given these data, weight loss should not be considered a primary therapy for moderate to severe OSA and should be recommended as a secondary therapy or intervention that supplements a primary treatment such as CPAP or oral appliances.

This may be particularly useful in a retrognathic patient with a bulky tongue for example, where the Contudo will bring the jaw forward, improve the retroglossal dimension and therefore reduce CPAP pressure. Further work has demonstrated not only their clinical efficacy but also their cost effectiveness in the long-term, with a suggestion that a Porém is an appropriate first choice in most patients in the short-term (39). Again, however, long-term analysis of cardiovascular risk stratification is deficient, particularly in comparison with CPAP-related studies.

The AASM gathered this data by establishing a 15-person panel of sleep medicine specialists and researchers that came to a consensus on the amount of sleep each night that should provide optimal physical, mental, and emotional health.

Address the Irritant: Start by identifying the cause of your issue. In many cases, once the source of irritation is addressed, most of these spots clear themselves up.

A large body of literature, including higher level evidence in the form of meta-analyses and randomized controlled trials, describes the benefits of CPAP in terms of both symptomatic improvement and long term outcomes (15). By preventing airway collapse and vibration, CPAP eliminates snoring and improves sleep quality for the partner along with nocturnal symptoms such as choking, awakenings and nocturia. Furthermore, daytime somnolence is improved both subjectively and objectively with a resultant improvement in concentration.

Further, even for those patients who are able to lose a significant amount of weight and maintain that weight loss over time, a follow up sleep study should be performed to assess for residual disease prior to discontinuing CPAP therapy.

Drink a Glass of Water: If your throat is feeling dry, it can be helpful to keep a glass of water beside your bed to calm that throat tickle and ease the dryness.

Upper airway surgery can be considered for patients who cannot tolerate CPAP or oral appliance therapy. Current data evaluating various procedures are limited and more information is required to determine which procedures may benefit certain patient groups.

Oral appliances can be an excellent adjunct in carefully selected patients, as outlined by Giles et al.

Try a CPAP Chinstrap: Adding a CPAP chinstrap can help your jaw stay closed and encourages nasal breathing. Ultimately, this reduces your chances of waking up with a dry mouth.

See a Specialist If the Problem Persists: If you’re still experiencing issues after trying these recommendations, you may need to visit your ENT (be sure to let them know you’re on CPAP therapy) for guidance.

Sleep-related breathing disorders are increasingly common and confer a significant health and socioeconomic burden.

Size – A major difference between EPAP and CPAP devices is their size, with EPAPs being much smaller in comparison. 

Remind Yourself That You Are Safe: Claustrophobia often makes you feel like you can’t breathe. It’s read more important to remember that wearing breathable face coverings should not actually impact your ability to breathe unless you have been diagnosed with significant lung disease.