cpap machine masks

Implants, nasal attachments and other substitutes for the most common treatment for the sleep disorder.

About 28 million Americans have sleep apnea, which causes repeated awakenings and pauses in breathing during the night, sometimes resulting in loud snoring and gasps for air. For decades, the standard treatment has been "continuous positive airway pressure." A mask worn at night pushes air into the nasal passages, enabling easier breathing.

CPAP is by far the most common form of treatment for patients with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Often referred to as the 'gold standard', CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) works by delivering a steady air pressure in order to keep the patients breathing airway open.

Lisa Shives, M.D., is the founder of Northshore Sleep Medicine in Evanston, Illinois. She blogs on Tuesdays on The Chart. Read more from her at Dr. Lisa Shives' Sleep Better Blog. Last week, I talked about CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure), which is the gold standard therapy for obstructive sleep apnea.