For most people, a Standard Snoring Aid is enough to help people alleviate their problems with snoring. In some more severe cases, however, there is also the option of surgery. Now, this isn’t for everyone, and it really is something of a last resort. That being said, it can, when done well and for the right reasons, make a world of difference to the sleep apnea sufferer. Here’s a look at some of the pros and cons.
So first off, when is surgery appropriate? There is a couple of scenarios when it is, but the underlying reason a doctor might want to consider surgery as an option for Sleep Apnea sufferers, is structural- if there is some obstruction to a patient’s airways which is continually causing an interruption to breathing during sleep.
This can be tonsils, adenoids, or simply the accumulation of fatty tissues in the various breathing passages. The role of the surgeon is then simply to find the obstruction, and remove it. This is most effective in situations where there is one specific cause of a patient’s Sleep Apnea, and is especially applicable and helpful for obesity sufferers (who are very prone to Sleep Apnea).
These are the most common cases, however for some, more extreme situations, a surgeon may opt for something more wide-ranging, namely jaw reconstruction surgery. This is work which will change the shape of the upper airway in the mouth of the patient, and may often require extensive follow-up work, and a longer recovery time. This is more applicable for people who have had some significant trauma, such as an event like a car crash, and have impairments in breathing as a result. It can also help to correct severe deformities or abnormalities in the airways, however reconstruction to this extent is such a complicated procedure, that it should never be undertaken lightly.
It is very worth stressing that surgery is always a last resort- in a lot of cases, the best solution possible is simply to live well- take regular exercise, use a snoring aid such as a mouthpiece or a nasal strip to keep the airways open during sleep, and try to sleep regular hours. If your problem is that severe it requires surgery, then a good physician should always suggest you try more moderate solutions first.
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