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The most common sign of obstructive sleep apnea is snoring. If you snore, or notice someone else snoring, that is a sign of the airway opening and closing in the person’s attempt to breathe during sleep. The most common symptom(s) of OSA are waking up not feeling refreshed, always feeling tired, and easily falling asleep during the daytime or waking hours. Screening for sleep apnea should be completed and, if necessary, a sleep test completed to get a confirmed diagnosis by a board-certified sleep physician.

The most common sign of obstructive sleep apnea is snoring. If you snore, or notice someone else snoring, that is a sign of the airway opening and closing in the person’s attempt to breathe during sleep. The most common symptom(s) of OSA are waking up not feeling refreshed, always feeling tired, and easily falling asleep during the daytime or waking hours. Screening for sleep apnea should be completed and, if necessary, a sleep test completed to get a confirmed diagnosis by a board-certified sleep physician.

Sleep apnea can be defined as Central (from the brain) or Obstructive (caused by airway obstruction). Also, depending on the AHI score (Apnea/Hypopnea Index), OSA is commonly diagnosed as Mild, Moderate, or Severe. Even Mild OSA should be treated as it will progressively advance and get worse over time.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea is treated by making sure the airway is open during sleep to allow for adequate breathing. Positional sleeping (sleeping on your side) may help. A CPAP machine (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) forces air into your nose and/or mouth to keep the airway open. Oral Appliance Therapy (OAT) positions your mandible to keep the soft tissue from collapsing in back of

the throat and airway. Sometimes, the best treatment is a combination of one or more of these.

That depends. CPAP has always been the first line of treatment because it is very effective. However, even though CPAP is effective, it only works if a person wears the CPAP, wears it correctly, and wears it consistently. Effective is only effective if it’s being used! OAT is clinically effective in nearly 95% of cases in the treatment of OSA. Compliance is much better with OAT compared to CPAP, so in that regard, it makes it the more effective option for treating obstructive sleep apnea.