- Repopny
There are many different ways to get a good night’s sleep, but one popular method is to use an “inspire” device. These devices are worn during the day and deliver a small electric current to the wearer when they feel drowsy. This current is supposed to help the person stay awake and avoid falling asleep.
However, there are some potential risks associated with using these devices, so it’s essential to weigh the inspire sleep pros and cons before deciding whether or not to use one.
Contents
What Is Sleep Apnea?
Obstructive sleep apnea is a disorder in which the muscles in the back of your throat relax for a brief period, causing your tongue and soft palate to constrain your airflow and obstruct your sleep. People with apnea may wheeze and have difficulty breathing at irregular intervals during the night.
Most people are aware that, while it may not be a life-threatening illness in the short term, it poses numerous risks in the long term. Untreated sleep apnea can reduce oxygen flow to the brain, heart, and other vital organs, potentially impairing their performance over time. Patients are more prone to have strokes, brain damage, heart attacks, and type 2 diabetes.
Read our article to know more useful information: Can Sleep Apnea Kill You?
What Are The Causes Of Sleep Apnea?
Adults might develop sleep apnea due to a variety of circumstances. Obesity is the most significant risk factor, as fat deposits around the throat can press down on your upper airways, restricting regular breathing.
Breathing can be bound by alcohol, smoking, and nasal congestion. A naturally thicker neck, more minor throat, being male, being older, and having a family history of sleeping apnea are inherited risk factors.
It is treatable, and therapy usually consists of a combination of lifestyle modifications such as decreasing weight and quitting alcohol and smoking and wearing a sleeping mask known as a “continuous positive pressure device” (CPAP) that maintains your airway open while you sleep. However, a new gadget called Inspire Sleep is more comfortable and sleep-friendly than bulky CPAP masks.
What Is Inspire Sleep?
Inspire sleep is a tiny device implanted in the throat and used to expand your airway while you sleep, allowing you to inhale more easily.
The gadget is implanted beneath the skin of your neck and chest during an outpatient procedure that is quick and painless. It’s the only FDA-approved device for treating sleep apnea within the body, so it’s safe, convenient, and effective.
How Can Inspire Sleep Apnea Treatment Function?
During sleeping, the muscles and soft tissues in the back of the throat might relax and impede the airway, resulting in snoring and airway obstruction. When these airway blockages repeatedly occur throughout sleeping, individuals wake up with the ability to breathe normally.
Constantly waking up during the night can cause daytime tiredness and difficulties with the brain and cardiovascular system.
The Inspire treatment for obstructive sleep apnea keeps the muscles from sagging by providing moderate stimulation to the nerve that controls the tongue.
The Inspire system provides mild stimulation by synchronizing with the human body’s natural breathing.
The Inspire mechanism activates the hypoglossal nerve, which causes the throat and other related muscles to shift and reopen the airway, allowing you to breathe (and sleep) comfortably again. The device then monitors your breathing patterns throughout the night, with stimulation levels adjusted to achieve the most outstanding results.
Inspire treatment consists of two main components: implant and remote management, as opposed to these masks and mazes of wires and tubes attached to the CPAP gear. The implant is composed of two lead lines and a little generator that isn’t much bigger than a pacemaker.
During the implanting technique, the unit is implanted beneath the skin in an outpatient procedure with general anesthesia up around the throat and upper chest area.
Typically, you can return home and begin light daily activities along with your regular daily diet of the procedure, even though it may necessitate nighttime tracking to assure device retrieval and function.
Before going to bed, switch on the device with the remote, then turn it off with another click when you wake up in the morning. As it turns out, you may experience a brief tingling feeling or a tiny involuntary movement on your throat or tongue, which is a common side effect of device use and shouldn’t be uncomfortable or embarrassing.
Who Qualifies For Inspire treatment?
CPAP therapy is the first step in treatment. The CPAP machine removes the air from the room and then increases strain with the machine’s help. Using a hose and a face mask, the apparatus humidifies the air that blows into the individual’s nose or mouth.
Inspire treatment was created for people who couldn’t stand CPAP or couldn’t achieve regular results from it. Patients must first fail on CPAP before being considered for Inspire as a second-line treatment. Sleeping experts may order a new sleep study when the person who qualified them for CPAP is too old.
After the sleep specialist has fine-tuned the device for the first two or three months, a final sleep evaluation will be undertaken. The person is then free to use Inspire all night long, every night.
The new long-term research findings revealed that the gains seen in the first year were maintained in the follow-up period.
- The baseline apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) was reduced by 78%.
- There was an 80% reduction in oxygen desaturation episodes in the baseline.
- Compared to 17 percent of bed couples, 80% of mattress partners reported no or light snoring.
- Clinically substantial improvements and a return to normal levels were seen in the quality of life variables such as daytime sleepiness and working.
The findings were published in the Internet issue of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation’s official peer-reviewed report.
Continue reading to learn more about the benefits and drawbacks of inspiring sleep.
Inspire Sleep Pros And Cons
Pros Of Inspire Sleep Therapy
- Unobtrusive
The Inspire implantable device does not interfere with your everyday activities such as exercising, working, or eating, and you will not have the opportunity to experiment with new food habits.
It’s not only small but also implanted into your body and operated by a bit of handheld remote, which means you won’t need all that additional space for a large CPAP machine or have to deal with the trouble of putting it away every morning.
- Maintenance
Your physician will want to visit you once every few months for the first year after your Inspire Sleep device is implanted. You will need to have a checkup once a year after confirmation that the gadget is working well and has no side effects.
The Inspire Sleep device’s battery will last for about 10 years, after which your remote control will display warnings if the battery is low. You’ll need to see your doctor to change the battery, a quick and painless procedure.
Your remote’s battery is a standard 9-Volt battery that can be easily replaced.
- Simple to Operate
The Inspire device is simple to use at night and before bed because it is triggered by pressing a button on your remote control. It’s simple to use at home, on the road, or wherever you might need to sleep or nap. It’s simple to use, even for people with physical or mental problems, because it doesn’t require complicated calibration, setup, or storage like a CPAP machine.
Cons Of Inspire Sleep Therapy
- Invasive
Unlike other sleep apnea therapies, the Inspire device is implanted beneath the skin of your neck and chest, necessitating an intrusive surgical procedure. You may feel some minor discomfort when it’s planted. Even though it requires an invasive implantation technique, the invasiveness is low because only three microscopic entry points are required.
- Replacement of the battery
The battery life of the Inspire gadget is extraordinary, lasting up to ten years, but when it runs out, it will require an invasive surgery under local anesthetic.
- MRI assistance
MRI scans are not compatible with some versions of the Inspire gadget. Because of the significant danger of bodily harm to the tissue surrounding the device, you may not be able to receive an MRI scan for other potential health conditions.
However, the most recent version of the Inspire, the Inspire 3028, is designed to be completely compatible with MRI scans if your doctor follows particular rules, allowing you to go through your health exams without interruption.
- Price
Even though CPAP machines and similar equipment cost between $1,900 and $4,500, the Inspire implantation device alone costs over $20,000, not including the cost of the implantation.
Fortunately, more than 100 health insurance providers offer implantation discounts, and several Medicare contractors have stated that Medicare will cover Inspire costs in the states where the contractors operate.
Despite its drawbacks, the Inspire Sleep Apnea Treatment is gaining acceptance in medical circles as a safe and effective alternative to CPAP devices and other traditional treatments. If Inspire Sleep is suitable for you, you and your doctor will have to decide.
FAQs
What are the different types of obstructive sleep apnea?
There are three types:
- Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common type and it occurs when the muscles that support your tongue and throat relax, blocking your airway.
- Central sleep apnea is caused by the brain failing to deliver appropriate breathing signals to the muscles that control your breathing.
- Complex sleep apnea syndrome, also known as treatment-emergent central sleep apnea, arises when both obstructive and central sleep apnea is present simultaneously.
What is the best way to tell whether you have sleep apnea?
Different varieties of sleep apnea have similar signs and symptoms, making it difficult to tell which one you have. After completing several tests, your doctor will be able to tell you which type you have however, the most common symptoms and indicators of central and obstructive sleep apneas are:
- During sleep, there is a lot of snoring.
- Short intervals of time when you don’t breathe while sleeping that your partner or family member brings to your attention
- During sleep, I was gasping for air.
- Having a dry tongue when you wake up
- Headache in the morning
- Having trouble sleeping (insomnia)
- Excessive drowsiness during the day (hypersomnia)
- Inability to concentrate
- Irritability
What is the optimum sleeping position for people who have sleep apnea?
If you have sleep apnea, you are undoubtedly familiar with the frustration of disturbed sleep and morning headaches. Many people want to discover which sleeping position is best for them.
Sleeping on your left side is more effective than sleeping on your right side in relieving sleep apnea symptoms. It also aids in the reduction of acid reflux, which can cause this disease in some people.
Sleeping on your stomach may be a solution for certain patients since the tissues and muscles around the throat are forced downwards, reducing the likelihood of airway obstruction.
While sleeping on your right side is less desirable than sleeping on your left, it may be ideal for you because it is comfier.
Check out this video for additional information on Inspire therapy for obstructive sleep apnea:
Conclusion
There are many options for people who want to try and improve their sleep. But one thing is for sure: the medical industry will continue to develop new devices to help people get a better night’s rest.
While some of these devices may have potential side effects, it’s essential to weigh the risks and benefits before deciding. Thanks for taking the time to read Repopny‘s article.