CPAP Just a Temporary Solution

It seems we have an acronym for almost everything in our society. There are now billboards in our area asking people, “Do you hate CPAP?”  Most people now know that means a machine that blows air into your lungs even if they don’t know the letters stand for Continuous Positive Air Pressure. CPAP is the gold standard for treating Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). Although it isn’t sexy to have an air pump sitting on your night stand connected to a face mask, it might be the difference between living and dying. It can certainly be the difference between awakening feeling like you lost a bout with Mike Tyson or feeling refreshed and ready to start a new day.

People with reduced airways, due to their jaws failing to grow forward properly in modern society, need to consider CPAP for a short term solution. Men can mask their weak chins by wearing a beard. They cannot hide their sleep apnea from their bodies. Over time, untreated OSA will take its toll and possibly reduce their lifespan by 20%. It is all so unnecessary.

People can (and should) wear CPAP if they have been diagnosed with OSA. They might also seek more long term solutions to open their airways. In our office we offer patients ways to make more room for their tongues to be in their mouths rather than back in their throats. If you suffer from OSA don’t ignore it and become a statistic. Get on CPAP right away and then explore more permanent solutions to the problem. They do exist.