Posted by dirtywater on November 02, 2008 at 14:04:44:In Reply to: New to all of this - would appreciate some help posted by mmacdonald on November 02, 2008 at 09:55:26:
Here are all the alternatives to CPAP that I can think of off the top of my head. Some are "natural" and some aren't. These solutions are not at all universal; they are individualized and so you would have to work with a doctor to figure out what type of apnea your wife has and which treatments would be appropriate. It is possible that none of these would work as well as CPAP.
Another option is to talk to a doctor about using anti-anxiety medication nightly, in conjunction with the CPAP, to make the mask more tolerable.
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-Avoid sleeping on your back, the position in which obstructive apnea is typically the most severe. You can sew a tennis ball into the back of your pajamas, or you can buy "anti-snore" t-shirts that are designed to keep you off your back.
-Antihistamines or prescription nasal sprays to keep the nose clear
-"Breath Right" nasal strips to keep the nose clear. Basically if you have a stuffy nose, find a way to make it not-stuffy.
-Various surgeries involving the nose, sinuses, jaw, tongue, and upper airway. There is extensive discussion of those surgeries here in the "Non-CPAP" forum.
-Medication that increases respiratory drive
-Avoid alcohol before bedtime
-Weight loss. (Excessive fatty tissue around the airway can contribute to apnea.)
-Practice the didgeridoo, a large wind instrument, to increase muscle tone in the airway. Singing might also help. There was some discussion of this in an earlier thread:
http://www.sleepnet.com/apnea129/messages/675.html-Prop the head of your bed up so you're sleeping in an upright position
--Jeremy