Sleep Apnea Treatment

What is Sleep Apnea?

These disruptions can last between a few seconds to a few minutes. They can occur only occasionally or more than 30 times in an hour. The breaks in breathing cause the person to move from deep sleep to light sleep, or even to wake up. The result is poor sleep, which has its own range of symptoms and risks. Symptoms can be mild or nonexistent or they can severe such as snoring, snorting, or choking while asleep

Snoring does occur with sleep apnea regularly but snoring does not mean that the person has OSA. Snoring can be caused by clogged sinus passages, allergies, and colds. Not every person with OSA will snore. Common symptoms include snoring, forgetfulness, moodiness, daytime drowsiness, problems concentrating, waking up gasping for air or choking, and falling asleep during the day.

The goal of treatment is to stop disruptions to breath and sleep and includes mouthpieces, breathing devices, and in severe cases, surgery. A common device used to help patients is an oral appliance, used while the patient is sleeping to gently shift the lower jaw slightly forward. This keeps the airway open and unobstructed while you sleep. Other devices include oxygen masks to ensure sufficient oxygen absorption.

What Causes Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

Structural obstruction within the upper airway is the main catalyst for this condition. When you sleep, the muscles that support the soft tissues in your throat (including the tongue) relax. This narrows the space available for oxygen. Factors like alcohol consumption or certain sedative medications can worsen this relaxation, leading to more frequent disruptions.

What Are The Symptoms Of Sleep Apnea?

Symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea often begin with loud snoring interrupted by sudden silences or choking sounds. These breathing pauses lead to low blood oxygen levels, which the brain perceives as a crisis. You may wake up with a dry mouth or a dull headache that lingers for an hour. Throughout the day, the lack of rest manifests as irritability and a lack of concentration.

Can Sleep Apnea Be Treated At Home?

Losing weight and adopting positional therapy, such as sleeping on your side, can sometimes reduce the frequency of mild apnea events. Weight loss reduces the fatty deposits around the neck that exert pressure on the airway. However, these at-home adjustments rarely fix a physical structural blockage in the throat. Most patients with moderate to severe OSA require clinical sleep apnea treatment to see a measurable improvement in oxygen levels.

When Should You Seek Professional Treatment For Sleep Apnea?

Consult a healthcare provider if your snoring is loud enough to disturb others or if you feel consistently exhausted. If a family member notices that you stop breathing or gasp for air, your oxygen intake is being compromised. Seeking an ENT specialist is critical when these disruptions lead to high blood pressure or significant mood changes. Professional intervention prevents the condition from progressing into more severe heart issues.

How Is Sleep Apnea Diagnosed?

A formal sleep study is the only way to accurately treat obstructive sleep apnea because it measures the Apnea-Hypopnea Index. This test monitors your heart rate, blood oxygen levels, and how many times your breathing is interrupted per hour. At LA ENT, we use these metrics to determine if you need positive airway pressure therapy or a custom oral appliance. The diagnosis provides a baseline for your oxygen saturation and helps us select the most effective treatment options.

Sleep Apnea and Children

While it is common to think of sleep apnea as an adult-onset disease, it is actually fairly common in children as well. Often, parents miss the signs of sleep apnea in their children while they are sleeping, but the side effects of sleep apnea are plain as day - and can be quite serious.

At The Center for Ear, Nose, Throat, and Allergy in Los Angeles sleep apnea treatment for pediatric sleep apnea can be treated by one of our trusted Otolaryngologists. We also have a guide for parents with questions about pediatric sleep apnea. If you suspect your child might have symptoms of PSA, schedule an appointment with our Los Angeles sleep apnea treatment specialists today.

What Is Recovery Like After Treatment?

For nonsurgical treatments like a CPAP machine, recovery involves an acclimation period of a few weeks to find the right air pressure settings. If you choose a surgical benefit like epiglottoplasty, expect some throat soreness for about a week. Most patients return to their normal Los Angeles routine within a few days of a minor procedure.

What Results Can Patients Expect?

The goal of sleep apnea treatment is to eliminate snoring and ensure you wake up feeling genuinely refreshed. Within the first month of consistent therapy, your blood oxygen levels should stabilize, and daytime drowsiness should vanish. Consistent use of these treatment options prevents the dangerous oxygen drops that characterize the disorder.

Are There Risks If Sleep Apnea Goes Untreated?

Untreated obstructive sleep apnea puts your body in a state of perpetual emergency. The repeated drops in oxygen levels can lead to permanent heart damage, stroke, and adult-onset diabetes. It also impairs your brain's ability to clear toxins, which is linked to long-term cognitive decline and memory issues.

Schedule Your Sleep Apnea Consultation In Los Angeles Today

Stop the cycle of exhaustion. Visit our sleep center to meet with a doctor who can help you reclaim your rest. Dr. Geoffrey Trenkle at Los Angeles Ear, Nose, Throat, and Allergy provides the sleep apnea treatment you need to breathe clearly again.

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Sleep Apnea Treatments

CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure)

Continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, therapy treats obstructive sleep apnea by increasing air pressure in the throat, preventing the tissue collapse which causes breathing issues and snoring. CPAP is the most effective alternative to surgery for sleep apnea sufferers, and it’s typically one of the first treatments used with sleep disorders.

CPAP devices use one of three common delivery systems. These include either a mask covering the nose, a mask covering both nose and mouth, or prongs that sit in the nostrils. Benefits of using a CPAP device include deeper and more restful sleep, reduced daytime sleepiness, reduced incidence of depression, reduced incidence of heart problems, and lower blood pressure.

Sleep Apnea Surgery

If CPAP winds up being ineffective or cumbersome, there are other treatment options that involve the implantation of devices or surgery to treat sleep apnea symptoms. These include:

Inspire for Sleep Apnea

Inspire is a relatively new treatment option that involves the insertion of a device that monitors your breathing and uses a gentle pulse to ensure your breathing remains unobstructed during sleep. Think of it as a pacemaker for your sleep apnea. As one of the leading Inspire partners in California, we at Los Angeles Ear, Nose, Throat, and Allergy have created a complete Inspire guide to help our patients learn more about this innovative new frontier in sleep apnea treatment.

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UPPP (Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty)

Severe snoring and obstructive sleep apnea frequently source back to limited airways. Soft tissue at the back of the throat may not be the origin of a patient’s condition, but removal of some of this tissue may relieve symptoms by increasing room along the airway.

The uvulopalatopharyngoplasty, or UPPP, removes tissue from the throat, including some or all of the uvula, portions of the soft palate, and tonsils and adenoids, if these have not been removed previously. Typically, the UPPP procedure follows other attempts to correct sleep apnea or snoring. Lifestyle changes, including weight loss and change of sleep positions, CPAP, and oral appliances are among the first-line approaches to these issues. Without improvement, UPPP may be the next step.

Epiglottoplasty

In some cases of obstructive sleep apnea, the epiglottis is the portion of the upper airway that collapses and creates breathing difficulty, as it blocks the opening of the larynx. This may make CPAP treatment ineffective, as the positive air pressure assists the collapse of the epiglottis.

First described in 1984, epiglottoplasty reshapes the airway by removing tissue from and around the epiglottis, increasing distances between the various tissues that collapse and impede breathing. The condition that epiglottoplasty addresses – laryngomalacia – is most often seen in infants and children up to two years old, who generally outgrow the condition. Laryngomalacia can affect adults as well, contributing to sleep apnea and other breathing issues.

Base of Tongue Reduction

Some cases of obstructive sleep apnea trace back to the size of the patient’s tongue. When the tissue of the tongue collapses during sleep and blocks the airways into the throat, breathing and sleep problems may develop. Typically, the base of the tongue is the culprit, and in patients with larger-than-normal tongue bases, reducing the size of the tongue may relieve sleep apnea symptoms.

Two procedures address the size of the base of the tongue. Resectioning is typically performed with a surgical laser, removing soft tissue from the tongue, but leaving its musculature intact. Coblation treatment uses radiofrequency energy to heat soft tissue, which is then suctioned out.

Lingual Tonsil Reduction

The lingual tonsil tissue is at the back of the tongue, not the typical tonsils of the palate, which most people are familiar with. Reducing the size of the lingual tonsils may be performed as part of tongue base reduction procedure above.

Who Is A Good Candidate For Treatment?

Most patients struggling with chronic airway collapse are candidates for nonsurgical treatments like a CPAP device or oral appliance. If you have mild to moderate OSA and cannot tolerate a mask covering your nose, you may fit a device that shifts your lower jaw forward. We focus on keeping the airway open through the most comfortable means possible. Some patients with high BMIs may be referred for weight loss surgery or bariatric surgery in conjunction with clinical therapy.

What Are The Benefits Of Treating Sleep Apnea?

Effective management leads to immediate better sleep and protects the heart from the strain of fluctuating air pressure. By maintaining consistent oxygen flow, you reduce the risk of cardiovascular events and improve your metabolic health. Most patients find that their brain fog lifts and their energy returns. This stability eliminates the "fight or flight" response your body undergoes every time it stops breathing. 

At a glance, treating sleep apnea can help with:

• Restored restful sleep
• Elimination of snoring
• Increased blood oxygen levels
• Reduced risk of heart disease and stroke
• Improved daytime focus and mental clarity
• Stabilized blood pressure
• Reduction in morning headaches

Choose LACENTA for Sleep Apnea Treatment

As the premier sleep apnea treatment center in Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Center for Ear, Nose, Throat, and Allergy offers cutting-edge treatments in a comfortable setting. With a team of dedicated board-certified surgeons and six convenient locations across the city, LACENTA will provide you with options, guidance, and treatments to correct your sleep apnea. Knowing you’re sleeping better helps us sleep better!

Frequently Asked Questions about Sleep Apnea

Why do I have sleep apnea if I’m not overweight?

Weight is a common factor, but many patients have apnea due to their natural anatomy. A narrow jaw, a large tongue, or the shape of your soft palate can cause the upper airway to collapse regardless of body fat. In Los Angeles, we see many athletic patients who suffer from OSA purely due to hereditary traits.

Will I have to wear a CPAP mask forever?

Not necessarily. While a CPAP machine is a common treatment, many patients transition to oral devices or surgical options like Inspire. The goal is to keep your airway open; the method can change as your health evolves. We prioritize the treatment options that best fit your lifestyle.

Does insurance cover a sleep study?

Most providers cover diagnostic testing when obstructive sleep apnea is suspected. We help you navigate the requirements for both in-lab and home-based tests to ensure your oxygen levels are monitored under your plan. This ensures your treatment is both effective and affordable.

Is snoring always a sign of apnea?

No, but it is the most frequent indicator. Snoring occurs when the airway is partially restricted; apnea occurs when it is fully blocked. If you notice gasping or choking along with the noise, it is time for a professional evaluation at our sleep center.

Can I use a dental guard from the drugstore to treat my apnea?

Drugstore guards are for teeth grinding, not sleep apnea. A clinical oral appliance is custom-molded to shift your lower jaw forward specifically to prevent throat collapse. Over-the-counter versions cannot provide the necessary structural support to keep the airway functional.