You know those movie scenes where someone is trying to sneak into a room while someone is sleeping, and the snoring sleeper stops breathing for a second, and the sneaker freezes, and we hold our breath? In most of these dramatic scenarios, the sleeper has sleep apnea! This condition is more common than you might think and can have severe health implications. If you or someone you know is tired of suffering from sleep apnea, the Center for Sinus, Sleep & Facial Plastic Surgery is here to help. Below are some ways we can address sleep apnea and why it’s important to do so.
What is Sleep Apnea?
Let’s get a little more specific about it beyond our cinematic description.
If you’re snoring loudly, gasping for air at night, or feeling super tired during the day, sleep apnea might be to blame. It is a pretty serious condition where your breathing keeps stopping and starting while you sleep. It is a pretty serious condition where your breathing stops and starts while you sleep. It’s believed that it affects around 30 million people in the USA, but only 6 million are diagnosed. The three types of sleep apnea are:
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) — Your throat muscles relax too much and block your airway. This can make your sleep really fragmented and lower the oxygen in your blood.
- Central Sleep Apnea — This one is less common. It occurs when your brain doesn’t send the right signals to your breathing muscles. And then there’s complex sleep apnea syndrome, a mix of both obstructive and central sleep apnea.
- Complex Sleep Apnea — Has a combination of both OSA and central sleep apnea; most commonly occurs in patients who don’t fully respond to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device.
Ignoring sleep apnea isn’t a good idea—it can lead to high blood pressure, heart problems, stroke, diabetes, and constant daytime sleepiness, really messing up your quality of life. If any of this sounds familiar, it’s worth getting checked out to start your journey towards better sleep and health.
Non-Surgical Treatments for Sleep Apnea
While surgical treatments can be effective, they’re not always the first choice. Sometimes, they might not even be necessary. Non-surgical treatments for sleep apnea are often less invasive and can provide significant relief without the need for extensive recovery time. Let’s explore two of the top non-surgical options at the Center for Sinus, Sleep & Facial Plastic Surgery.
VivAer
The VivAer procedure is a non-surgical, in-office treatment technique designed to improve nasal airflow. It uses low radiofrequency energy to gently reshape the nasal tissues without any incisions, reducing obstructions and making breathing easier. Patients typically experience immediate relief and can return to their normal activities right away. VivAer is an excellent option for those suffering from nasal obstruction as a contributing factor to their sleep apnea.
RhinAer
Like VivAer, RhinAer is minimally invasive and performed in-office—in fact, the only real difference from VivAer is the length of the probe and the areas they treat. RhinAer targets chronic rhinitis (constant inflammation and irritation of the mucous membrane inside the nose), which can contribute to sleep apnea by causing nasal congestion and inflammation. This procedure also uses radiofrequency energy, but instead of reshaping tissue, it treats the overactive nerves in the nose that cause chronic runny nose and congestion. Both offer a quick recovery and significant improvement in nasal breathing, helping to reduce sleep apnea symptoms.
Non-surgical treatments can be a great starting point for managing sleep apnea. Dr. Monica Tadros offers a range of non-invasive options that can significantly improve your breathing and sleep quality. She’ll work with you to determine the best treatment plan based on your needs and preferences. If you’re looking for effective sleep apnea solutions without surgery, these non-surgical treatments might be the perfect fit for you.
Surgical Treatments
When it comes to sleep apnea, sometimes non-surgical treatments just aren’t enough. That’s when surgical options come into play. These procedures can provide significant relief and improve your quality of life by addressing the root causes of your breathing issues. Many surgical procedures can help, but today, we will focus on nose and tongue surgical methods.
Septoplasty
The septum is the cartilage and bone inside your nose that separates your nostrils. When it’s off-center, it can block airflow, making breathing difficult. Septoplasty is a nose surgery to correct a deviated septum, which can majorly contribute to sleep apnea. The septoplasty procedure will straighten the septum. Following surgery, the septoplasty recovery isn’t lengthy, and most return to their regular routine within a few days. When all is said and done, the procedure can drastically reduce symptoms of sleep apnea and help you breathe easier both day and night.
Hypopharyngeal surgery
Hypopharyngeal surgery targets the area at the back of your throat, which can be a common site of obstruction in sleep apnea. This tongue surgery procedure involves repositioning, partially removing, shrinking, or tightening the tongue muscle to widen the airway in the lower part of the throat. This surgery can help reduce the frequency and severity of apnea episodes by addressing obstructions in the hypopharynx, leading to better quality of life and sleep.
Turbinate Reduction
Turbinate reduction focuses on the turbinates—structures inside your nose that can become enlarged and obstruct airflow. This procedure involves reducing the size of these structures to clear the nasal passages. Turbinate reduction can be particularly beneficial for patients who suffer from nasal congestion in addition to sleep apnea. With improved airflow, you’ll likely notice a big difference in your ability to breathe comfortably through your nose at all hours.
You Don’t Have To Suffer With Sleep Apnea.
It’s important to know that in most cases, more than one treatment option is necessary. However, we can’t diagnose or create a custom treatment plan for you through a blog! Visit New York and New Jersey’s sleep apnea specialist, Dr. Tadros of the Center for Sinus, Sleep & Facial Plastic Surgery. Schedule your comprehensive consultation today and start experiencing relief and peaceful sleep sooner rather than later.