Host Amber Smith: Here's some expert advice from sleep specialist, Dr. Dragos Manta, from Upstate Medical University. Is there an alternative to the sleep apnea machines called C-PAP?
Dragos Manta, MD: Continuous positive airway pressure -- it's a device that maintains a certain pressure into the airway to prevent the airway collapse that is the main problem that happens with sleep apnea. There are alternatives, but the C-PAP machine is still the best treatment for sleep apnea. And I have to tell you that I've been thinking of so many patients that came to me and they said, "no, I don't think I can use that." You'd be surprised how many patients that initially wouldn't even consider it. Now they feel so much better, and they swear by it. So it's definitely something that initially sounds like and looks a little bit more difficult, but, it is the gold standard treatment. And I would be very reluctant to go to a second line, because all the other lines of treatment are really, I wouldn't even call them second line. I would say maybe third or fourth line of treatment. Some patients -- a lot of patients feel better -- but some patients cannot tolerate, and in that situation, we do have other options. The most popular one would be an on oral appliance, which is a device that a dentist will make that the patients will have to sleep with at night. It's effective, although a little less effective and mostly effective in maybe mild to moderate cases of sleep apnea.
Host Amber Smith: You've been listening to Dr. Dragos Manta from Upstate Medical University.
