Just like a heart pace maker to constantly keep the heart pumping, if there is a new method to treat sleep apnea via an implant, would you consider it? A new study published in the Journal SLEEP shows promising results of using a muscle stimulator that resembles a pacemaker that is implanted in the skin beneath the chest to treat sleep apnea by stimulating the muscles in the throat to keep the airway from closing during sleep. The study was done in Australia and tested on 21 sleep apnea patients, and after 6 months of treatment, 19 patients showed significant improvements, slept better, and felt less tired in the morning. The last patient had to remove the device due to infection. Similarly, a study published in the Sleep Education blog by the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) did another muscle stimulator device test and the results were monitored as a trial together with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which had shown promising results. Currently, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy is the gold standard and first line of treatment
for sleep apnea as prescribed by physicians, of course, more comprehensive studies have to be done and physicians have to set the criteria for the type of patient that is suitable for the implant such as those who are suffering from severe sleep apnea has to be determined before it is widely recommended or adopted that is good enough to replace CPAP as the first line of treatment.
If you are experiencing any of the symptoms of sleep apnea such as snoring, daytime sleepiness, irritability, and low energy, it is important to consult a doctor to confirm the diagnosis early and
the underlying issue of the cause of sleep apnea. Depending on your financial situation and sleep apnea condition, the doctor will work through with you the type of sleep apnea test in the comfort of your home or an in-lab sleep test to determine the precise nature of your condition to avoid any long-term issues. Besides most insurance companies now pay for sleep testing and CPAP OSA
treatment, early intervention with a sleep apnea device can stop snoring or one can a sleep apnea CPAP trial from the equipment supplier or distributor that distributes a range of sleep apnea machines and CPAP supplies for a better quality of sleep and healthier overall well-being.
The Air Station
