What are some of the treatments for Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome?
Available treatments for Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome include medical and surgical therapy. Medical therapy consists of nightly use of continuous positive airway pressure devices (CPAP). During sleep, CPAP patients wear a face mask connected to a pump that forces air into the nasal passages at pressures high enough to overcome obstructions in the airway and stimulate normal breathing. In general, CPAP should be worn for at least 6-8 hours a night and 7 nights per week to maximize its benefit. Although CPAP is effective, some patients find the mask very uncomfortable, claustrophobic or embarrassing. CPAP patients often suffer from side effects related to forced air delivery including nasal dryness, congestion, sore throat, sore eyes, headaches and abdominal bloating. A significant number of CPAP patients do not use the device nightly and may discontinue treatment on their own. Since CPAP is not a cure and must be used every night for life, non-compliant patients experience a full re
