Sleep Disordered Breathing Seattle, WA

Treatment Options for Sleep Disordered Breathing

If you or any of your family members suffer from some form of snoring, clenching or grinding, TMJ pain or clicking, lethargy, chronic allergies, or difficulty focusing you may be having some form of Sleep Disordered Breathing. The treatment is a multi-disciplinary approach.

Dr. Saturday is trained to screen and perform a Home Sleep Test to submit to a Medical Doctor for diagnosis if you have Sleep Apnea. Mild and Moderate forms of Sleep Apnea for children and adults are treated in the office along with referral to other medical providers to comprehensively address the cause of the Sleep Apnea.

There are several treatment options available for severe sleep apnea. An initial treatment may consist of using a nasal CPAP or BIPAP machine that delivers pressurized oxygen through a nasal mask to limit obstruction at night. One of the surgical options is an uvulo-palato-pharyngo-plasty (UPPP), which is performed in the back of the soft palate and throat. A similar procedure is sometimes done with the assistance of a laser and is called a laser assisted uvulo-palato-plasty (LAUPP). In other cases, a radio-frequency probe is utilized to tighten the soft palate. These procedures are usually performed under light IV sedation in the office.

In more complex cases, the bones of the upper and lower jaw may be repositioned to increase the size of the airway (orthognathic surgery). This procedure is done in the hospital under general anesthesia and requires a one to two-day overnight stay in the hospital.

The severe case of sleep apnea is treated by a medical doctor but can be a collaboration with Dr. Saturay’s treatment. If you have Mild or Moderate Sleep Apnea Dr. Saturay will do a comprehensive exam and therefore treatment plan that involves a customized appliance to correct the airway. Myofunctional therapy (muscle exercises of the tongue and muscles of mastication) is also part of the treatment in addition to the appliance provided and  can be done in our office.

OSA is a very serious condition that needs careful attention and treatment. Most major medical plans offer coverage for diagnosis and treatment.