COMBINED THERAPY
Two Treatments, One Well-Rested Patient
Every sleep apnea patient is different, which unfortunately means that no single treatment can help absolutely everyone. For many years, three options were available to treat sleep apnea: CPAP therapy, oral appliance therapy, and corrective surgery. Nowadays, at Healthful Sleep Solutions, Dr. Evans offers patients another viable option called combined therapy in Liberty Lake, WA. This approach enables him to assist even more sleep apnea sufferers and better tailor their care so that they can finally achieve a full night’s rest.
What Is Combined Therapy?
Combined therapy simply entails utilizing the two most popular sleep apnea treatments, CPAP and oral appliance therapy, at the same time. The oral appliance shifts the lower jaw forward, slightly opening the airway, and the CPAP machine keeps a steady flow of oxygen going. However, patients using combined therapy use a mask that covers just their nose, unlike the mask for regular CPAP therapy.
Who Could Benefit from Combined Therapy?
Combined therapy may be the right choice of treatment for patients who:
• Have mild, moderate, or severe obstructive sleep apnea
• Find that their CPAP alone is extremely uncomfortable
• Still experience sleep apnea symptoms even after getting corrective surgery
• Have severe sleep apnea, which cannot be treated by an oral appliance alone
• Also experience bruxism (unconscious teeth grinding) as well as sleep apnea
What Are the Advantages of Combined Therapy?
Improved Comfort: Traditional CPAP treatment can be extremely uncomfortable, but this therapy can be absolutely necessary for some patients. However, with combined therapy, the oral appliance allows them to wear a small nasal mask instead of the full mask. Also, the machine’s setting can be turned down low, significantly reducing the noise and discomfort.
Better Compliance: Because the combined CPAP nasal mask is more comfortable, patients are more willing to continue using treatment. As a result, their sleep apnea is controlled night after night, enabling them to get peaceful sleep.
More Effective: According to a study conducted by the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine, combined therapy proved more effective at preventing apnea events than CPAP treatment alone. Those who typically had an average of six apnea events an hour only experienced four when using CPAP therapy. Furthermore, the events were further decreased to only two with combined therapy.
Easy Travel: Although a CPAP machine, even a more smaller one with the nasal mask, can be a challenge to take on a trip, those utilizing combined therapy can easily pack their oral appliance in their bag.
Is Combined Therapy Right for You?
Dr. Evans painstakingly designs each treatment depending on every patient’s unique needs here at Healthful Sleep Solutions. If you have questions about combined therapy, sleep apnea, and what our team can do to help you finally get the rest you deserve, contact us today.
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