Sleep Apnea Mouthpiece Alternatives

If you think several pauses in your breathing during sleep is just normal, think again. It may already be a case of sleep apnea. This condition is characterized by pauses in breathing, known as apnea, of about a few seconds or minutes long.

But as severe as the condition may seem, it is still curable. Some doctors recommend the use of a sleep apnea mouthpiece that will keep your air passage wide enough for easier breathing. While others suggest respiratory ventilation through CPAP, BiPAP, and APAP machines to treat the condition.

CPAP

The Continuous Positive Airway Pressure or CPAP is a sleep apnea mouthpiece alternative that normally treats the obstructive type of sleep apnea. Pauses in breathing can be caused by muscles in the airways relaxing during sleep, blocking the passages of air. The CPAP machine can improve this condition by applying air pressure to provide support to the muscles, keeping the free flow of oxygen.

BiPAP

The Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure or BiPAP treats the sleep apnea condition in two ways: exerting higher pressure for inhaling and applying lower pressure for exhaling. When high pressure is applied to keep your air passages open, you may have difficulty in exhaling. Through BiPAP, you can inhale and exhale comfortably.

APAP

The Automatic Positive Airway Pressure or the APAP is another alternative for the sleep apnea mouthpiece that focuses on respiratory ventilation. An apnea patient’s needs can change depending on his sleep position, tiredness, weight gain or loss, and alcohol intake. Therefore, the amount of air pressure needed to avoid obstruction of air passages could change. Through the APAP, his actual requirement is taken into consideration, as the machine automatically adjusts its pressure in order to keep oxygen flowing into the passages.

Where to Get PAP Machines

Just like any other sleep apnea device and other snoring solutions, PAP machines can be purchased online. And normally, they can be bought at a huge discount. Choosing the right machine, however, would require assistance from a respiration therapist who is usually referred by your sleep doctor. And oftentimes, the respiration therapist would recommend the basic type of machine to start with.

Don’t just take for granted your sleep apnea condition. Ask your doctor about these sleep apnea mouthpiece alternatives. Learn the above information to get a cure and finally sleep in peace.