Obstructive sleep apnea, also known as sleep apnea or OSA, is a condition in which your breath can pause several times during sleep. These pauses can last anywhere between 10 seconds to 30 seconds leading to sleep disruptions. The constant lack of adequate and restful sleep at night can impact your physical and mental health in multiple ways.

OSA affects more than 25 million US adults. If left untreated, OSA can lead to a string of health issues including diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension. It can also lead to sleep deprivation and mental health conditions such as depression and mood disorders, among others.

Start sleeping better with Inspire Sleep Apnea Treatment Los Angeles Center for Ear, Nose & Throat is now offering this breakthrough treatment option for obstructive sleep apnea patients unable to get benefit from CPAP therapy.

At the Los Angeles Center for Ear, Nose, Throat, and Allergy we understand how sleep disruptions caused by OSA can impact your life and are committed to helping you sleep better. We are pleased to inform you that we now offer Inspire Therapy – an innovative FDA-approved implantable treatment for people diagnosed with Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA).

Take a short quiz to see if Inspire Sleep Apnea Treatment is right for you

Inspire Sleep Apnea Treatment Quiz

What Can Inspire Sleep Apnea Treatment Do for Me?

As the only FDA-approved obstructive sleep apnea treatment, Inspire works inside your body and helps to address the primary cause of sleep apnea – and it does this with just the click of a button!

Say goodbye to sleep devices and masks and start sleeping better. When you sleep better and enjoy a healthy sleep cycle, you will find an overall improvement in your mental and physical health.

Now offered at LAENT in Los Angeles Inspire sleep apnea treatment is a small device that can be easily and safely applied in a short, outpatient procedure. In most cases, patients can go back home the same day – you should be able to resume a non-strenuous routine within a few days of getting the Inspire implant.

At bedtime, all you need to do is use your remote to turn on Inspire and go to sleep. Inspire will work quietly to ensure your airway stays open so you can breathe freely and normally while you sleep soundly.

How does Inspire work for OSA?

Obstructive Sleep Apnea is caused when the soft tissues and muscles (soft palate, the uvula, tonsils, and the tongue) in the back of your throat relax too much – this can cause the airways to constrict or even get blocked, impacting normal breathing. When your breathing is paused, the oxygen levels in your blood drop while leading to a buildup of carbon dioxide.

When this happens, your brain immediately acts by rousing you very briefly from sleep. When roused from a deep sleep in such a manner, you can experience a shortness of breath.

However, to someone sleeping alongside you, it can sound like you are snorting, gasping, or choking for breath. Constant disruptions such as these can occur anywhere between 5 to 30 times and even more each hour, all through the night in fact, which can severely impact your ability to reach a state of deep restful sleep.

Inspire Sleep Apnea Treatment is designed to ensure your airways remain open during sleep thereby allowing you to sleep restfully the whole night through. A small hand-held sleep remote allows you to control the device – you can turn it on before going to bed and turn it off when you wake up.

Am I a Candidate for Inspire Sleep Apnea Treatment

Inspire Sleep Apnea Treatment can be helpful for people who meet the following criteria:

Patients diagnosed with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea (AHI 15-65)
Patients who cannot use or get consistent benefit from CPAP.
Those who are not significantly obese.
18 years of age or older.

Inspire Sleep Apnea Treatment & Snoring

One of the most common symptoms of Obstructive Sleep Apnea is snoring – a condition which impacts 25% of Americans and can lead to marital and relationship problems. Snoring is multifactorial and is often caused by a combination of nasal obstruction and a redundant soft palate. When the nose is obstructed there is an increase in mouth breathing which often causes significant rattling of the soft palate.

Since Inspire can help relieve Obstructive Sleep Apnea symptoms, and snoring is common symptom, the question which naturally arises is this – can Inspire help to relieve snoring as well? There is good news here! Among people using Inspire Sleep Apnea Treatment, it was found that 90% of bed partners reported no or soft snoring by their partner.

If, however, your snoring is not caused by Obstructive Sleep Apnea but the condition is impacting your life and health, then you can set up a consultation with us at Los Angeles Center for Ear, Nose Throat, and Allergy.

We offer a wide range of advanced snoring treatment options that have proven to be highly effective. Visit us at Los Angeles Center for Ear, Nose Throat, and Allergy earn more about snoring treatment options.

Inspire Sleep Apnea Treatment Results

90% of bed partners reported no snoring or soft snoring.
79% reduction in sleep apnea events.
94% of people are satisfied with Inspire.
96% of Inspire patients say Inspire is better than CPAP & would recommend Inspire to others.

What is CPAP?

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP)

CPAP is one of the most effective Obstructive Sleep Apnea treatment options. The therapy works by increasing air pressure in the throat and by preventing the collapse of soft tissue which causes breathing issues and snoring. CPAP is usually among the first treatment options used for sleep disorders.

Surgical Obstructive Sleep Apnea Treatment Options

Inspire might not be ideal for every one of our Los Angeles Sleep Apnea Treatment patients, and for this reason, we at Los Angeles Center for Ear, Nose Throat, and Allergy offer several surgical treatment options in addition to Inspire, for patients diagnosed with OSA.

UPPP

Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty is a procedure in which some of the soft tissue from the throat is removed. In some patients, the soft tissue in the back of the throat might not be the primary cause for Obstructive Sleep Apnea. However, removing a portion of this tissue can expand the airways and help relieve OSA symptoms.

Epiglottoplasty

Epiglottoplasty is a process in which the airway is reshaped by removing tissue from and around the epiglottis (the portion of the upper airway that collapses and creates breathing difficulty) – this helps in creating distances between the various tissues that collapse and impact breathing. The condition that Epiglottoplasty addresses – laryngomalacia – among adults can lead to sleep apnea and other breathing issues.

Tongue Base Reduction

The size of the tongue can also be contributors to OSA. In patients with larger-than-normal tongue bases, reducing the size of the tongue can help relieve OSA symptoms.

Lingual Tonsil Reduction

Reducing the size of the lingual tonsil tissue situated at the back of the tongue (not the typical tonsils of the palate), performed as part of tongue base reduction procedure can also help in relieving OSA symptoms.

Ready to Try Inspire Sleep Apnea Treatment?

If you are interested in setting up an appointment to see if your OSA can be treated with Inspire Sleep Apnea Treatment Los Angeles residents can contact Los Angeles Center for Ear, Nose, Throat, and Allergy today to schedule your consultation.

Schedule a Consultation

Inspire Sleep Apnea Treatment FAQ:

What does the stimulation feel like?

Inspire delivers mild stimulation to the motor nerve that controls the tongue to move it forward without waking you from sleep. The stimulation is not uncomfortable or painful.

Can I use Inspire if I have a pacemaker or other implanted device?

Your doctor will test the device you are using to see if it is compatible with Inspire – if both devices don’t interact, then you can be a candidate for Inspire.

Will Inspire impact my routine or daily activities?

Inspire is not known to impact normal daily activities. To be completely at ease, you can consult with your Inspire trained doctor about pursuing any kind of strenuous physical activity.

How often do I need to get my Inspire system checked?

Generally, your Inspire system should be checked 1 to 2 times a year.

What types of medical imaging are compatible with the Inspire system?

Most patients fitted with Inspire can undergo a majority of imaging technologies. These include CT, ultrasound, and X-ray scans. Some Inspire systems are also designed to safely allow an MRI on the head, neck, and extremities – this of course is subject to certain conditions and precautions.

Are there any risks to Inspire therapy?

While Inspire is used by thousands of patients successfully, it may not be ideal for every patient. Two issues that patients face with Inspire include the following: The surgical implant procedure may include infection and temporary tongue weakness. In some patients, there might be a need for post-implant adjustments to the system's settings – this is usually done to enhance effectiveness and ease any initial discomfort.