How is obstructive sleep apnea treated?

A multidisciplinary approach is necessary. An ENT surgeon, pulmonologist, orthodontist, and dietician usually decides the most appropriate approach for a patient based on the examination and polysomnography data.

• Losing weight, quitting smoking, decreasing alcohol consumption, and exercising are very beneficial in the treatment of obstructive apnea, as in snoring treatment.

• If the disease occurs only in certain sleep positions according to sleep test results, treatment approaches that adjust the sleeping position can be tried.

• If the disease is mild or moderate, beneficial results can be obtained in appropriate patients from oral appliances that advance the lower jaw. In the same patient group, surgeries may offer a cure in the selected patients.

• If the disease is severe, continuous positive airway pressure(CPAP) mask treatment, which prevents airway collapse by providing continuous positive pressure, is the standard treatment. But still, a pharyngoplasty may offer significant gains in disease severity and daytime symptoms.

• Even if the patient prefers CPAP or surgery is not appropriate, nasal surgeries will be beneficial if there is a deviation or narrowing in the nasal passage to reduce the required pressure for the mask.