Sleep Disorder Breathing
Sleep disorder breathing is the general term used to describe breathing difficulties during sleep. Many people suffer from lack of quality sleep. Factors that contribute to this are often airway collapsibility, reduction in pharyngeal muscle responsiveness, low arousal threshold and/or the tongue may simply be blocking the airway.
Sleep disorder breathing covers a range of disorders from increased respiratory effort to Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). OSA involves a significant decrease or cessation of airflow while sleeping. Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome (UARS) is similar to obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) but not as severe. Respiratory Effort Related Arousal (RERA) are disruptions in sleep that are not classified as apnea or hypopnea. This is when breathing slows and a brief arousal occurs so that normal breathing can resume. RERAs can only be detected during an in clinic sleep study that monitors breathing and brain activity, and it does not involve a drop in blood oxygen levels. RERAs often progress to more severe sleep disorders over time.
About 6 million people in the US have been diagnosed with sleep apnea and it is estimated that 23 million people are suffering the effects of apnea without being diagnosed.
How Can Myofunctional Therapy Help?
The main purpose of myofunctional therapy is to build and improve the tone of the muscles of the tongue, airway and aide in the ability to expand the lungs. While therapy cannot cure apnea current literature demonstrates that myofunctional therapy decreases apnea-hypopnea index by approximately 50% in adults and 62% in children. Low oxygen saturations, snoring, and fatigue improve in adults. Myofunctional therapy could serve as an adjunct to other obstructive sleep apnea treatments. Observations have shown that some people have experience complete resolution of OSA and the majority of patients find an improvement in how restful they sleep. As with all therapy it is possible that you may not experience any improvement at all.
If you already have moderate to severe sleep apnea the most effective use of myofunctional therapy is in conjunction with a medically prescribed C-PAP or mandibular advancement dental appliance or as part of treatment plan from an orthodontist or oral maxillofacial surgeon that includes expansion of the roof of the mouth and airway.
