Combined Sleep Apnea Treatment – Glendale, AZ

Multiple Methods, One Effective Sleep Apnea Treatment Plan

young woman sleeping and wearing a nasal CPAP mask

With sleep apnea, as with many other conditions, there isn’t a single treatment that always works for every patient. That’s why there are multiple methods of addressing sleep-disordered breathing. At Go To Sleep Center for CPAP Alternatives, we believe in truly customizing therapy to your needs, and in some situations, this includes taking advantage of multiple treatments at once. Learn more about combined sleep apnea treatment and how it could help you finally sleep peacefully and get started by contacting our office for an appointment.

What Is Combined Sleep Apnea Treatment?

young man sleeping and wearing a nasal CPAP

As effective as CPAP and oral appliance therapies can be individually, for some patients to achieve better rest and relief from sleep apnea symptoms, we need to combine these two treatments. While the oral appliance pulls the lower jaw and the neck tissues forward, the constant airflow from the CPAP ensures that the patient can breathe easily throughout the night. In other words, the patient wears a custom oral appliance and wears a CPAP nasal mask while sleeping. These therapies work together to reinforce deep, restful sleep.

Who Is Eligible Combined Sleep Apnea Treatment?

man tired and awake at night

There are several scenarios in which a patient may be a good candidate for combined therapy, including the following:

  • A patient who has undergone corrective surgery still experiences sleep apnea symptoms.
  • A patient has moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea and doesn’t qualify for oral appliance treatment alone.
  • A patient finds CPAP therapy too uncomfortable.
  • A patient shows symptoms of both sleep apnea and bruxism (teeth grinding).

To know for sure whether combined treatment would be beneficial in your situation, you should schedule a consultation with our team.

Benefits of Combined Sleep Apnea Treatment

happy couple hugging
  • More Comfort: Complaints about CPAP therapy mostly revolve around how uncomfortable wearing the mask is, but with combined therapy, the mask only covers the nose, which is much easier to handle. In addition, the machine settings can usually be turned down when the patient also wears the oral appliance, reducing the noise. As you might imagine, this helps not only the sleep apnea patient but also their partner sleep more soundly.
  • Better Compliance: Because of how bulky and loud CPAP machines are, many patients choose not to follow instructions and wear the masks as directed. However, when they are prescribed combined therapy, the oral appliance and nasal mask make it easier for patients to comply and actually benefit from treatment.
  • More Effective: Research from the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine suggests that taking advantage of both oral appliance and CPAP therapy leads to significantly fewer events every hour for sleep apnea sufferers.