Curious About Sleep Apnea Treatment?
Have you recently been diagnosed with sleep apnea, or do you suspect you have it? There can be a lot of questions, assumptions, and unknowns flowing through your mind as far as how to treat it and improve your life. We’ve compiled a small list of frequently asked questions regarding sleep apnea treatment. Keep reading to learn more about sleep apnea treatment and where you can get sleep apnea treatment in Wisconsin.
Do I Need a CPAP Machine?
CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) is a machine that uses mild air pressure to keep breathing airways open while you sleep. Your healthcare provider may prescribe CPAP to treat sleep-related breathing disorders, including sleep apnea. A CPAP machine includes:
- A mask or other device that fits over your nose or your nose and mouth
- Straps to position the mask
- A tube that connects the mask to the machine’s motor
- A motor that blows air into the tube
These machines are effective in allowing you to have deeper, more restful sleep. However, there are many downsides to CPAP machines. They are bulky, loud, uncomfortable, tough to travel with, just as annoying as snoring is to bedpartners, have had dangerous recalls, and much more.
Luckily, you do not need to use a CPAP machine in order to treat sleep apnea. CPAP machines put a bandaid on the issue; real sleep apnea treatment will help fix the sleep apnea causes at their source.
How Is Sleep Apnea Treated Without a CPAP Machine?
At Advanced Sleep and TMJ Solutions, we treat sleep apnea without requiring CPAP, BiPAP, drugs, or surgery through the following methods:
- If a patient’s sleep apnea is being caused by their tongue relaxing in the throat, a tongue-retaining device may be the ideal treatment for keeping their airways open
- If you’re experiencing breathing difficulties, Dr. Connor may recommend a mandibular repositioning device – like a mouthpiece or head strap – to help position your jaw in its natural alignment.
- Oral devices used to fix sleep apnea problems are removable and typically look like athletic mouthguards, and are normally worn at night.
Sleep Apnea Treatment in Wisconson with Advanced Sleep and TMJ Solutions
Dr. Krissy Connor received her BSN in 2001 at the Marquette University School of Nursing. She was an emergency room nurse at Aurora Sinai Medical Center for 3 years before attending the Marquette University School of Dentistry to receive her DDS degree in 2008. She completed a post-graduate residency in Advanced Education in General Dentistry at the Zablocki VA Medical Center in Milwaukee, WI. She has been collaborating with physicians to treat patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea using oral appliance therapy since 2014.
Dr. Connor has been improving the lives of patients as the owner of Hypnos Inc. in Brookfield, WI. She is a diplomate of the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine and the American Sleep and Breathing Academy.
Learn more at advancedsleepandtmjsolutions.com!
