The first step in the treatment of sleep apnea is diagnosing the condition and determining the severity of your case. Traditional diagnostic procedures include in-lab polysomnography, which involves being geared to uncomfortable equipment and overnight observations.
Watermark Medical has created the ARES™ Home Sleep Test to provide patients with a convenient, effective, and lower-cost alternative to traditional approaches.
The ARES™ is comfortable to wear and gathers data from the comfort of your home without the delays and inconvenience of sleeping overnight at a lab location. This ensures higher completion-rates and better results, making it an excellent alternative to lab studies.
The treatments for OSA vary significantly. Each case is different, and certain treatment methods will be more effective than others, depending on the patient condition severity and preferences.
Positive Airway Pressure:
(Continuous or Automatic) Positive Airway Pressure : CPAP/APAP is used for cases of moderate to severe sleep apnea. CPAP/APAP uses a machine that delivers air pressure through a mask while you sleep.
Dental Oral Appliances:
Certain dental appliances are designed to keep the throat open to keep the airway unobstructed. While this method is easier to use than CPAP/APAP, appliances may not always be an alternative to CPAP.
Surgery:
For patients that fail or are not responding to non-surgical therapies, surgical treatments are an option. Risk levels and recovery time should be carefully evaluated when considering surgical treatments.
Alternative Treatment Options:
In certain cases, there are lifestyle changes you can make to improve your condition. Not every case of sleep apnea will require devices or surgery. If you are suffering from OSA, here are some sleep apnea solutions you can consider doing at home that may alleviate your symptoms:
> Lose Weight
> Exercise Regularly
> Avoid Alcohol and Sleeping Medications
> Avoid Sleeping on Your Back
> Quit Smoking
What all these treatment options have in common is that they begin with diagnosis. The problem can’t be treated until we know the severity of your condition. ARES™ is uniquely designed to make the diagnostic process easy and convenient, providing you with the best results.