9 ms·

Sleep apnea: Mouthguards less invasive, just as effective as CPAP

219 points by peutetre 3y ago

wkat4242 3y ago
I hate those mouthguards. I tried to use them before I got my CPAP but I kept waking up with hellish tooth pain in the middle of the night. Also, it was moving my teeth out of wack like braces do, for a few weeks after using it my teeth kept colliding when eating. Maybe for some people they work but for me it was terrible. And they were custom-formed.
marstall 3y ago
i had a CPAP for years, now I've had a (custom-made, prescription) mouthguard for years. For me, the mouthguard is about as effective as CPAP but much, much more convenient. Without treatment, I have severe Sleep Apnea and awaken 30 times per hour during sleep. Using a snore-detecting app while sleeping with the mouthguard, I can see that I snore very little with it and I feel rested and ready after 8 hours. It works by locking into your teeth and very slightly advancing your lower jaw, thereby opening up your airway. After a couple nights adjustment, I hardly notice it. Note that I had this prescribed by a sleep doctor, fitted by a specialist using a high-tech imaging device, made to fit my teeth, etc. The cost was in the range of $3000 and insurance covered it. I see people saying the ordered something off amazon and that is definitely a different thing, not a "Mandibular Advancement Device" as these clever, utterly simple devices are called.
euroderf 3y ago
After CPAP fail, I tried one of these and it worked GREAT. N=1.
- rs999gti 3y ago
  Can you buy them over the counter or does it require a visit to a provider for a prescription?
  - euroderf 3y ago
    It needs a fitting. IIRC they took a gel impression.
rhelz 3y ago
How is a mouthguard "less invasive" than a CPAP mask? A CPAP mask is 100% outside of your body--it doesn't "intrude" at all. Sounds like marketing b.s. to me. P.S. I love my CPAP.
- 0xBDB 3y ago
  I would say intrusive (to the ability to sleep), rather than invasive. I tried CPAP. I am a frequent tosser-turner and the pull from the hose was enough to awaken me dozens of times per night, which obviously defeats (part of) the purpose. My mouthpiece (custom fitted and gradually adjusted with progressively tighter bands by the doctor) doesn't have that problem. It isn't quite as effective as CPAP per the sleep studies, but together with side sleeping it's close.
dver 3y ago
Have done a couple of sleep studies, no apnea, but snored terribly. (Have snored my whole life) During the studies they had me try a CPAP, none chance I would ever be able to wear one. I have a strong gag reflex. I've worn a number of mouth guards, all fitted by my dentist. I wore them for about 25 years. Absolutely noticed the change in my bite, but was will to put up with it to allow my wife to sleep at night. I've now changed out to device that holds my tongue. Much less stress on my jaw and works just as well as any of the mouth guards.
- Ancalagon 3y ago
  Which device do you use? I'm also a heavy snorer, but tested for apnea and came back negative. I've used a mouth guard that was supposed to be fitted but the drooling and the jaw pain makes it impossible for me to use consistently.
  - dver 3y ago
    I'm using the Aveo, https://na.aveotsd.com/ https://na.aveotsd.com/ I'm a pretty big drooler when getting dental work, and I'm ok wearing this device.
    - Ancalagon 3y ago
      does it hurt your gums much?
      - dver 3y ago
        Not at all. It only contacts my tongue and then my lips. It took a couple of nights finding the correct position, how far in to stick my tongue, from there it's been no issue. Less complicated than any of the mouth pieces.
        Ancalagon 3y ago
        Thank you! I'll give it a try :)
CodeWriter23 3y ago
A 16" (female) or 17" (male) or greater neck circumference is the primary indicator of OSA. I know you all will probably tar and feather me for suggesting correlation equates with causation, but I imagine reducing one's neck size below that threshold is also an effective method of treating sleep apnea. NOTE: I am not a doctor and this is not medical advice.
bentt 3y ago
This whole push for mouthguards is being driven by something devious, I'm convinced. There's tons of money to be made. To get a mouthguard is very expensive and requires a lot of custom work from several different providers. The mouthguard you end up with is only for you and if it doesn't work, you're going to end up in a CPAP anyway. If you think you have sleep apnea, just go rent a CPAP and see if it helps. If it does, great! If not, then you can look into other solutions. Source: My wife suffered with sleep apnea for a few years and was talked into an ineffective mouthguard. We paid out of pocket and wasted a lot of time and money when we could've just rented a CPAP. When we finally did, it was a miracle for her. The whole experience was frustrating as hell.
seized 3y ago
I'm sure the custom fitted MADs work well, but the price on those is on par with a CPAP. The cheaper self fit (moulded after being warmed up in boiling water) are absolutely not a replacement for CPAPs.
- jbm 3y ago
  I don't doubt you are correct, but have you tried any of those mouthguards? Do they have any benefits at all?
  - seized 3y ago
    I used a self fit one for a camping trip. Following the directions gave me a sore jaw and painful teeth. Not fun. I find my CPAP with a Nuance Pro mask (the opposite of what's shown in the article) to be much less intrusive.
  - gnabgib 3y ago
    The self fit kind are a replacement for a sports mouth guard (hockey, rugby, football) - protect your upper teeth only. They also help with teeth grinding (bruxism). A dentist will sell a custom fit version for several hundred dollars. (Both are useful for their need, the custom fit are more comfortable, but at a 10-20x price hardly worth it). This article is about a guard that connects to your upper and lower teeth, and draws your jaw forward (it has to to help with obstructive apnea). You basically can't talk while wearing, it takes getting used to. They're not always comfortable, but they definitely help. Less invasive than a CPAP, and you don't need a machine/constant power source. But there's multiple types of apnea, which the paper[0] makes clear (it's only talking about obstructive apnea) - this headline suggests guards are better for all. That's far from true. Obstructive is more common, but; for the other kind (where you forget to breath at night) this does nothing, and a CPAP is the only solution. [0]: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0735109724009069?via%3Dihub https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S073510972...
    - samtho 3y ago
      As someone with combined OSA and CSA (central sleep apnea), CPAP actually doesn’t do much for the later. Most people suffering from CSA need a BiPAP which basically acts as a ventilator when it detects breathing has stopped.
hn_throwaway_99 3y ago
The title doesn't really reflect what's accurately explained in the article: the study was solely about comparing blood pressure reduction rates in the mouthguard vs. CPAP groups, as opposed to the more common metric of whether breathing actually stopped. There was greater reduction in BP in the mouthguard group, and the hypothesis is just that participants simply wore them more when sleeping. But the article also explicitly stated "MADs are less intrusive, but studies have shown they’re outperformed by CPAP when it comes to the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), the number of times airflow fully (apnea) or partially (hypopnea) stops per hour during sleep."
- Madmallard 3y ago
  [flagged]
  - balls187 3y ago
    The title on HN is the literal title of the article. As Op stated, initially in the article the author clearly states that CPAP is preferred and most effective in totality. The actual point of the article is that Obstructive Sleep Apnea is under-diagnosed, causes hypertension, and the conventional treatment kinda sucks—and mouth guards should be the offered as an alternative treatment because it is effective at reducing blood pressure. The title isn’t misleading per-se, but you do have to have the article. FWIW I got a $2100 MAD to treat my OSA.
    - janalsncm 3y ago
      Whether or not the title on HN matches the article is a separate question from whether the article has a misleading title imo. I don’t see how a treatment could be “just as effective” if it has a lower AHI, unless we are saying there’s some other metric which really matters. But there’s a pretty clear contradiction between the body and title of the article. What to do about articles which are misleading in this way is another question. Removing articles whose title is contradicted by the article is a bit heavy handed I think. It should ideally count against the reputation of the website, but there are too many for me to keep track of.
bhaney 3y ago
> Of the participants, 44.5% were overweight, and 49.5% were obese That was a hard one to figure out. I guess the "overweight" classification here probably means "overweight but not obese" and nearly the entire cohort was overweight in the conventional sense?
- rs999gti 3y ago
  Sleep apnea also affects people with thick necks, such as people who used to play sports or lift heavy things. So you can be a slim, thick necked person and still be affected by it. This comedian's mom taped him in the middle of sleep apnea - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iP1rMGlUCck https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iP1rMGlUCck
- nozzlegear 3y ago
  Yes, obesity is on a scale for the medical profession. I can’t name all the steps but it’s basically severely underweight, underweight, normal weight, overweight, obese, severely obese. As far as the cohort, sleep apnea is often a side effect of obesity, though not always caused by it (see central apneas which is a nervous system disorder). Sleep apnea compounds obesity because it makes it difficult to get restful sleep, which is one of the necessary tools for losing weight.
- imadethis 3y ago
  Yeah that's probably based on the BMI definition. Overweight is a BMI > 25, and obese is > 30. So yes, nearly the entire cohort was overweight by definition. BMI is a population measure and normal, healthy people can definitely fall into the overweight category. But it's still useful, including when summarizing the participants of a study like this.
- anitil 3y ago
  Yep looks like they're non-overlapping. From the article - > 44.5% (98/220) of the participants were overweight (BMI 23.0-27.5 kg/m2) and 49.5% (109/220) were obese (BMI > 27.5 kg/m2)
  - MandieD 3y ago
porphyra 3y ago
Are mouth guards likely to cause jaw issues by keeping the mandible extended for long periods of time? some crappier mouth guards and "tongue retaining devices" can cause severe dental issues like open bite but these custom made ones are less likely to cause such issues I think...
- balls187 3y ago
  Your bite can get misaligned, though the solution is a moulded piece of plastic that realigns your bite that you use when you wake up.
  - CrumpetDiagonal 3y ago
    I used the morning moulded piece of plastic that you’re talking about but still, after a year my teeth no longer aligned. I just couldn’t move my lower jaw back into its prior aligned position
x3n0ph3n3 3y ago
Something in my mouth is _way_ more invasive than something mounted across my nose, especially something like the Philips Dreamwear.
- balls187 3y ago
  The sleep doc made this point prior to writing my Rx for an oral appliance—basically it may not work and/or may be not tolerable. Given I wear a mouthguard while training, I felt that I would be able to tolerate an oral sleep apnea device (the cpap I tried was very difficult for me to use)
ein0p 3y ago
I just learned to sleep with my mouth closed and I watch my breathing during the day too, and avoid breathing through my mouth. This was difficult at first. Idk why, but I’ve read the musculature responsible for breathing gets weakened if you breathe through your mouth, because there’s a lot less resistance. But now it’s fine, and I don’t even snore anymore. Obviously this is down to individual physiology, so I’m not saying this works for everyone, but it did work for me. Costs $0.
- schwartzworld 3y ago
  Just to clarify: You were diagnosed with OSA. You learned this technique, did another sleep study and were told you were all clear. Is that right? What was your AHI before "curing" yourself? Afterward, was it 0 or just below the diagnostic criteria of 5?
  - ein0p 3y ago
    You can wear an oxymeter to bed nowadays, which I do. I don’t need a “sleep study” to confirm my oxygenation is adequate though the night and I no longer wake up gasping for breath like I used to.
    - schwartzworld 3y ago
      So that would be a "no".
      - ein0p 3y ago
        Or a “yes” seeing that I do a “sleep study” every night and check the results at least once a week. I don’t see why I need to pay a doctor to tell me if I’m asleep or to monitor my blood oxygen in 2024, much for the same reason why “computer” now means a tiny device you own, and not a room full of people.
        frumper 3y ago
        A sleep study is more than just monitoring your blood oxygen.
janalsncm 3y ago
If this were true it would be great. My mom uses a CPAP and it’s very loud at night and a pain to travel with since it requires distilled water and is an extra bag.
minimalist 3y ago
Are there non-plastic nighttime mouthguards out there? In light of all the new awareness about the health hazards of micro and nano plastics (and plasticizers), I'm a bit reluctant about sleeping with a soft plastic block in my mouth every day.
- tacosalsa 3y ago
  It's not actually made from a single soft plastic, the inner lining is soft, and the outer parts are quite hard. I don't think there's a non-plastic mouthguard in the market.
waldrews 3y ago
But without a CPAP machine, would my cat have a button to press to instantly wake me up when he wants breakfast? Seriously, once he figured out the off button, even if I pretend to keep sleeping, he just keeps pressing the button in frustration, like, why isn't this working. Lately, I've covered the button with double sided tape so it's uncomfortable for his paw. So, he found the off switch on the power strip...
- engineer_22 3y ago
  Cat's got your tongue
- david-gpu 3y ago
  Have you tried feeding your cat when you come back from work, rather than first thing in the morning? The incentive to wake you up would go away.
donatj 3y ago
This is frankly pretty interesting. My wife has a CPAP, and after several months of absolutely dreading sleep she decided that she hated it so badly she’d rather suffer the consequences than live with the machine.
- schwartzworld 3y ago
  It takes active effort to dial in the machine settings. If you just trust the APAP algorithm most people will never get used to it. Took me a year of tinkering. There's a great piece of software called OSCAR that helps.
- pjd7 3y ago
  I have a machine, took a few weeks to dial in the settings right for me. Tried a few different masks & machines from a sleep study clinic. In a few years I have gone less than 7 nights without using it. Using the machine has been life changing for me. I used to struggle to get up before 10am. Now I wake up naturally around 6:30am-7am most mornings. Learning new things isn't a mountain to climb to retain just a bit of information. I feel like if I had done a sleep study 10 years earlier I would be a much better technologist than I am now. I would recommend you suggest to your wife that she tries a few different mask styles. I initially found I wasn't fitting the mask well or had a slightly wrong size and I would get some leaking that would keep me awake at night.
- HlessClaudesman 3y ago
  The consequences of untreated sleep apnoea are very serious. I would urge you both to revisit this issue.
  - donatj 3y ago
    For what it is worth, which is probably not much, I don’t know that I actually believe she has sleep apnea at all. She does not snore, nor wake, nor generally have any trouble sleeping beyond initially getting to sleep - for which she is already on medication. The only reason she even got checked in the first place was she paralyzed one of her diaphragms after a very bad bout of pneumonia, and her pulmonologist made a suggestion based on nothing other than an abundance of caution that we might want to make an appointment to see. I remain largely unconvinced of the methodology by which she was diagnosed. It was an at-home single-night sleep study. She had to strap a box to her chest, place a handful of electrodes around and wear a breathing monitor. She only managed around three hours of sleep, largely because she could not sleep in her preferred position (stomach) and found the hoses in her nose anxiety inducing. It was, in my unprofessional opinion, completely unrepresentative of a normal restful night of sleep, and thus largely irrelevant data. On top of that, the day we returned the device the doctor opened the appointment by checking what CPAP machines our insurance would cover - BEFORE the results came back from the lab. It felt very … salesperson-y
jelled 3y ago
I've been using one of these for the last two years and definitely feel more rested on the nights I wear it. Never tried a CPAP so I can't speak to the comparative effectiveness. The brand I've been using is called Silent Nite. Had a sleep study done years ago that showed mild sleep apnea, but at the time wasn't severe enough to warrant a CPAP.
- laborcontract 3y ago
  Silent Nite mouthguards work great for snoring, best thing out there that I've tried for it. However, I've been cursed with the propensity to grind my teeth, hard. I've snapped every single one I've used after a few months. Mouth guards have been a very expensive outlet of my money.
d--b 3y ago
These are quite uncomfortable, actually. They can have a negative impact on your teeth and jaws (says my dentist friend who wears one every night). So less invasive => yes, but still far from perfect.
- Xeyz0r 3y ago
  Here's a case of choosing the lesser of two evils
- go_prodev 3y ago
  I was fitted for one, and was told that the lower jaw is held forward by using the upper teeth as an anchor. Over time they can cause upper and lower teeth to move.
  - sethammons 3y ago
    For those who want to simulate the feeling, touch your tongue to the front of your top teeth and jut your jaw forward so you can close your jaw with your tongue staying in place, sandwiched between the front of your top teeth and back of your bottom teeth. It was wildly uncomfortable and I gave up after three nights. Also didn't notice better sleep.
    - rob74 3y ago
      Wow, I can (just barely) slide my bottom teeth in front of my top teeth, but not with the tongue in between, and it still feels extremely weird and uncomfortable...
    - stavros 3y ago
      Does anyone have a photo of these? I can only find the boxing ones, and don't understand how they might help with snoring.
      - sethammons 3y ago
        To see a photo, image search "apnea sleep guard." By jutting your lower jaw forward, it is supposed to move your whole lower jaw assembly including tongue forward. It is the tongue drooping back towards your throat that causes the snoring for most. This, in turn, should reduce episodes of reduced oxygen then leading to less wakeful events since your body is not having to jerk itself awake to keep air flowing.
cool-RR 3y ago
I can't find whether it's effective against snoring or not. Can someone help?
- stareatgoats 3y ago
  I have no personal experience, but I am also interested. I found one data point in the below article. Snoring was reduced, and seemingly dependent on the level of adjustment. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/i-tried-silentnite-sl-my-osa-heres-what-happened-randy-clare https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/i-tried-silentnite-sl-my-osa-...
- codazoda 3y ago
  Anecdotal, but I have CPAP and MAD. MAD never worked for me, although I wish it did. I still snore with it and don’t get good sleep. On the flip side, I can no longer sleep without CPAP. I wish it wasn’t so expensive, invasive, and power hungry. I’ve been thinking about designing my own 3D printable nasal mask. The consumables are the expensive part for me and they are relatively simple devices. I pay around $100 for the mask that you thrown away every few months. Mine consumes a lot of power because it uses a heated humidifier—I’m in a dry state. Seems like a cool mist would be better for me but they don’t really exist. The power isn’t a problem at home but can be when away from home, such as camping.
  - lsaferite 3y ago
    Have you tried not using the heated humidifier or using an inline humidifier filter? I started out using the heated humidifier on mine, but quickly decided I hated having to fill it up and removed the chamber using a bypass plate. I travel to Denver, CO area frequently and never have issues with humidity.
- kseistrup 3y ago
  The woodckucks' guide says: > “The splint treats snoring and sleep apnea by moving the lower jaw forward slightly, which tightens the soft tissue and muscles of the upper airway to prevent obstruction of the airway during sleep.” And there are some references to snoring among the links at the end of the article. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandibular_advancement_splint https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandibular_advancement_splint
gonzo41 3y ago
This is super interesting. I did a sleep test a while back and they were on the fence with recommending a CPAP machine. My experience isn't like what is described by most people with sleep apnoea. I don't wake up tired or groggy. I do snore from time to time. The doctor suggested, cutting out alcohol, and sleeping on my side rather than back. I've paired that with a smart watch to keep a track of my O2 stats and feel fine. I'm hoping to avoid all machines as long as possible.
- TheCapeGreek 3y ago
  I really feel like there's no great way to win here. - I've tried the side sleeping thing as well as I snore less with it, but the only way to stay on my side is to force something behind me so I can't roll over. But then I get shoulder and hip pain from lying on only one side for most of the night. - CPAP side effects sounded enough that it'd just be a 50/50 on if it'd help me sleep better - MADs can cause jaw pain and other issues The closest improvement I've had so far is by accident: a higher-end chain store in my area started selling S-shaped "back sleeper anti snoring pillows" so I tried one out. Like CPAP my mouth is suuuuper dry when I wake up, but I've felt more alert waking up and my sleep quality has improved.
joshu 3y ago
i tried one to hold my jaw forward. cpap is way, way less painful.
al_borland 3y ago
I think my dad used one of these for a while. He talked about trying something that effectively made him dislocate his jaw at night, then pop it back into place in the morning. I thought it sounded like a terrible idea, but he seemed excited for the possibility of traveling without his CPAP, so I didn’t say anything negative, having not done any research on it, while he had. Fast forward several months later, he ended up with TMJ issues and tinnitus. I didn’t find that all too surprising, but when talking to him it was like he didn’t see it coming and the risks of messing with the jaw every night were not made clear. He discontinued use. Last I heard, I think his jaw is feeling better, but the tinnitus remains, to some degree.
- CrumpetDiagonal 3y ago
  The literature is replete those kinds of issues. The most common side effect of prolonged use is a change in the bite alignment. I used one for over a year before I had surgical intervention to increase the size of my airway via jaw surgery (both jaws advanced). By the end of that year, I couldn’t get my lower jaw back into place during the day and bite no longer aligned. Thanks the braces and surgery corrected my bite and expanded my airway to the point that I no longer need anything to help me breathe at night or during the day
  - wkat4242 3y ago
    I had the same issue with bite alignment after sleeping with a mouthguard for a few nights only!
  - onemoresoop 3y ago
    I'm glad that worked out for you and you're finally cured. Did you have a painful recovery was post surgery?
    - CrumpetDiagonal 3y ago
      I think my recovery was pretty normal. I spent two nights in hospital, which is normal where I’m from. When I woke up after surgery, I remember being in pain and asking for the strong stuff, which worked just fine. After that it was quite manageable. It’s a difficult long recovery, but I wouldn’t describe it as painful. I
nchase 3y ago
I’m glad there are alternatives to CPAPs for treating sleep apnea. Given the link between some CPAP machines and certain types of cancer, the entire category makes me nervous.
- CaliforniaKarl 3y ago
  Are you referring to Philips Respironics devices and their sound-dampening foam? You can get a CPAP from ResMed (a different company) instead, which was not affected.
petesergeant 3y ago
I was able to come off a CPAP by using a nasal steroid (fluticasone propionate) before bed each night, and my quality of life has improved dramatically
- JoeyJoJoJr 3y ago
  I’m curious, have you tried nose strips? [1] I recently realized that my nostrils slightly collapse inwards when I breath through my nose. The nose strips seem to help me enough to make nose breathing comfortable. [1] https://thefeed.com/products/intake-breathing?variant=40145888804927&currency_code=AUD&ship=GS&g_network=g&g_productid=shopify_US_4500408533055_40145888804927&g_adid=333567076259&g_keyword=&g_adtype=pla&g_keywordid=pla-637752545017&g_ifcreative=&g_campaign=GSN+-+Items+-+Australia&g_adgroupid=67487089379&g_acctid=598-107-7261&g_merchantid=100584816&g_partition=637752545017&g_campaignid=1713972631&g_productchannel=online&g_ifproduct=product&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwoPOwBhAeEiwAJuXRh-583NmB5oGvv1uJAZNs4-d4lfo2sXQKCswknnoVsPnRhgxW_bKvERoCSYIQAvD_BwE https://thefeed.com/products/intake-breathing?variant=401458...
- coupdejarnac 3y ago
  Is that prescribed by a doctor? I'd be concerned about using steroids repeatedly on membranous tissue.
  - loco5niner 3y ago
    My doctor prescribed exactly this for me.
timthelion 3y ago
There are many causes of sleep apnoe, the most common one being obesity. Some people, however have an underbite which causes sleep apnoe, this can be measured and corrected by an orthodontist. I didn't have either, but I did suffer mild sleep apnoe for years. What solved it for me was rinsing my nose with salt water every evening and using Nasonex spray.
- lsaferite 3y ago
  There is also Central Apnea which is 'fun'. Your brain just 'forgets' to breath.
- gushogg-blake 3y ago
  Note that correcting an underbite by extracting/retracting teeth will likely make sleep apnea worse. Make sure you consult an airway focused orthodontist, not just any orthodontist, as many are unaware of these issues.
  - timthelion 3y ago
    Now I'm not sure if its an underbite or an overbite that causes the issue, but I do know it's something that can be objectively measured and fixed. You're right though that I went to a specialist in apnoe to have my teeth/jaw measured.
coupdejarnac 3y ago
I've been using silicone vents in my nostrils for several months, and they've made a huge impact on quality of sleep. It is a much cheaper alternative to cpaps.
- johntash 3y ago
  Do you have a link to what you use? I don't think I've heard of them before, but sounds interesting.
- TheCapeGreek 3y ago
  Only if your snoring is caused by a deviated septum or other nasal cause. Sleep apnea and heavy snoring more commonly is due to the tongue and jaw slacking during sleep, causing the tongue to kind of slide into the throat and obstruct your airway. This is even worse for overweight and obese people with visceral fat making their airways physically smaller too. Then it becomes a self-reinforcing cycle as bad sleep quality and low oxygen during sleep has a host of side effects, including making weight loss and digestion a bit more difficult.
- CrumpetDiagonal 3y ago
  That’ll work for someone whose only or primary breathing obstruction is nasal valve collapse. I had enough nasal valve collapse that I tried these vents but found them uncomfortable. I got the desired impact on my nasal airway from nasal strips that keep the nasal valve open, but that didn’t solved my nighttime sleep/breathing issues because I also had a very narrow airway into the back of my nose and throat due to my recessed upper and lower jaws, which I had surgery to correct about bit over a year ago
tacosalsa 3y ago
Last summer, I (33m) was diagnosed with mild sleep apnea and began treatment with a mouthguard. It took me almost no time to get used to sleeping with one. And it had a great effect on my sleep quality, but lately, I've been experiencing more and more trouble with my jaw. Considering switching to a CPAP soon.
tomohawk 3y ago
Diet is another thing to try. A family member went on a low histamine diet (carnivore) and no longer has any of these issues. It's not a very fun diet, but they also were able to get off of their blood pressure medicine and had a bunch of other conditions clear up.
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]

219 points by peutetre 3y ago

I hate those mouthguards. I tried to use them before I got my CPAP but I kept waking up with hellish tooth pain in the middle of the night. Also, it was moving my teeth out of wack like braces do, for a few weeks after using it my teeth kept colliding when eating. Maybe for some people they work but for me it was terrible. And they were custom-formed.

marstall 3y ago

i had a CPAP for years, now I've had a (custom-made, prescription) mouthguard for years. For me, the mouthguard is about as effective as CPAP but much, much more convenient. Without treatment, I have severe Sleep Apnea and awaken 30 times per hour during sleep. Using a snore-detecting app while sleeping with the mouthguard, I can see that I snore very little with it and I feel rested and ready after 8 hours. It works by locking into your teeth and very slightly advancing your lower jaw, thereby opening up your airway. After a couple nights adjustment, I hardly notice it. Note that I had this prescribed by a sleep doctor, fitted by a specialist using a high-tech imaging device, made to fit my teeth, etc. The cost was in the range of $3000 and insurance covered it. I see people saying the ordered something off amazon and that is definitely a different thing, not a "Mandibular Advancement Device" as these clever, utterly simple devices are called.

euroderf 3y ago

After CPAP fail, I tried one of these and it worked GREAT. N=1.

rs999gti 3y ago
Can you buy them over the counter or does it require a visit to a provider for a prescription?
- euroderf 3y ago
  It needs a fitting. IIRC they took a gel impression.

rhelz 3y ago

How is a mouthguard "less invasive" than a CPAP mask? A CPAP mask is 100% outside of your body--it doesn't "intrude" at all. Sounds like marketing b.s. to me. P.S. I love my CPAP.

0xBDB 3y ago
I would say intrusive (to the ability to sleep), rather than invasive. I tried CPAP. I am a frequent tosser-turner and the pull from the hose was enough to awaken me dozens of times per night, which obviously defeats (part of) the purpose. My mouthpiece (custom fitted and gradually adjusted with progressively tighter bands by the doctor) doesn't have that problem. It isn't quite as effective as CPAP per the sleep studies, but together with side sleeping it's close.

dver 3y ago

Have done a couple of sleep studies, no apnea, but snored terribly. (Have snored my whole life) During the studies they had me try a CPAP, none chance I would ever be able to wear one. I have a strong gag reflex. I've worn a number of mouth guards, all fitted by my dentist. I wore them for about 25 years. Absolutely noticed the change in my bite, but was will to put up with it to allow my wife to sleep at night. I've now changed out to device that holds my tongue. Much less stress on my jaw and works just as well as any of the mouth guards.

Ancalagon 3y ago
Which device do you use? I'm also a heavy snorer, but tested for apnea and came back negative. I've used a mouth guard that was supposed to be fitted but the drooling and the jaw pain makes it impossible for me to use consistently.
- dver 3y ago
  I'm using the Aveo, https://na.aveotsd.com/ https://na.aveotsd.com/ I'm a pretty big drooler when getting dental work, and I'm ok wearing this device.
  - Ancalagon 3y ago
    does it hurt your gums much?
    - dver 3y ago
      Not at all. It only contacts my tongue and then my lips. It took a couple of nights finding the correct position, how far in to stick my tongue, from there it's been no issue. Less complicated than any of the mouth pieces.
      - Ancalagon 3y ago
        Thank you! I'll give it a try :)

CodeWriter23 3y ago

A 16" (female) or 17" (male) or greater neck circumference is the primary indicator of OSA. I know you all will probably tar and feather me for suggesting correlation equates with causation, but I imagine reducing one's neck size below that threshold is also an effective method of treating sleep apnea. NOTE: I am not a doctor and this is not medical advice.

bentt 3y ago

This whole push for mouthguards is being driven by something devious, I'm convinced. There's tons of money to be made. To get a mouthguard is very expensive and requires a lot of custom work from several different providers. The mouthguard you end up with is only for you and if it doesn't work, you're going to end up in a CPAP anyway. If you think you have sleep apnea, just go rent a CPAP and see if it helps. If it does, great! If not, then you can look into other solutions. Source: My wife suffered with sleep apnea for a few years and was talked into an ineffective mouthguard. We paid out of pocket and wasted a lot of time and money when we could've just rented a CPAP. When we finally did, it was a miracle for her. The whole experience was frustrating as hell.

seized 3y ago

I'm sure the custom fitted MADs work well, but the price on those is on par with a CPAP. The cheaper self fit (moulded after being warmed up in boiling water) are absolutely not a replacement for CPAPs.

jbm 3y ago
I don't doubt you are correct, but have you tried any of those mouthguards? Do they have any benefits at all?
- seized 3y ago
  I used a self fit one for a camping trip. Following the directions gave me a sore jaw and painful teeth. Not fun. I find my CPAP with a Nuance Pro mask (the opposite of what's shown in the article) to be much less intrusive.
- gnabgib 3y ago
  The self fit kind are a replacement for a sports mouth guard (hockey, rugby, football) - protect your upper teeth only. They also help with teeth grinding (bruxism). A dentist will sell a custom fit version for several hundred dollars. (Both are useful for their need, the custom fit are more comfortable, but at a 10-20x price hardly worth it). This article is about a guard that connects to your upper and lower teeth, and draws your jaw forward (it has to to help with obstructive apnea). You basically can't talk while wearing, it takes getting used to. They're not always comfortable, but they definitely help. Less invasive than a CPAP, and you don't need a machine/constant power source. But there's multiple types of apnea, which the paper[0] makes clear (it's only talking about obstructive apnea) - this headline suggests guards are better for all. That's far from true. Obstructive is more common, but; for the other kind (where you forget to breath at night) this does nothing, and a CPAP is the only solution. [0]: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0735109724009069?via%3Dihub https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S073510972...
  - samtho 3y ago
    As someone with combined OSA and CSA (central sleep apnea), CPAP actually doesn’t do much for the later. Most people suffering from CSA need a BiPAP which basically acts as a ventilator when it detects breathing has stopped.

hn_throwaway_99 3y ago

The title doesn't really reflect what's accurately explained in the article: the study was solely about comparing blood pressure reduction rates in the mouthguard vs. CPAP groups, as opposed to the more common metric of whether breathing actually stopped. There was greater reduction in BP in the mouthguard group, and the hypothesis is just that participants simply wore them more when sleeping. But the article also explicitly stated "MADs are less intrusive, but studies have shown they’re outperformed by CPAP when it comes to the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), the number of times airflow fully (apnea) or partially (hypopnea) stops per hour during sleep."

Madmallard 3y ago
[flagged]
- balls187 3y ago
  The title on HN is the literal title of the article. As Op stated, initially in the article the author clearly states that CPAP is preferred and most effective in totality. The actual point of the article is that Obstructive Sleep Apnea is under-diagnosed, causes hypertension, and the conventional treatment kinda sucks—and mouth guards should be the offered as an alternative treatment because it is effective at reducing blood pressure. The title isn’t misleading per-se, but you do have to have the article. FWIW I got a $2100 MAD to treat my OSA.
  - janalsncm 3y ago
    Whether or not the title on HN matches the article is a separate question from whether the article has a misleading title imo. I don’t see how a treatment could be “just as effective” if it has a lower AHI, unless we are saying there’s some other metric which really matters. But there’s a pretty clear contradiction between the body and title of the article. What to do about articles which are misleading in this way is another question. Removing articles whose title is contradicted by the article is a bit heavy handed I think. It should ideally count against the reputation of the website, but there are too many for me to keep track of.

bhaney 3y ago

> Of the participants, 44.5% were overweight, and 49.5% were obese That was a hard one to figure out. I guess the "overweight" classification here probably means "overweight but not obese" and nearly the entire cohort was overweight in the conventional sense?

rs999gti 3y ago
Sleep apnea also affects people with thick necks, such as people who used to play sports or lift heavy things. So you can be a slim, thick necked person and still be affected by it. This comedian's mom taped him in the middle of sleep apnea - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iP1rMGlUCck https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iP1rMGlUCck
nozzlegear 3y ago
Yes, obesity is on a scale for the medical profession. I can’t name all the steps but it’s basically severely underweight, underweight, normal weight, overweight, obese, severely obese. As far as the cohort, sleep apnea is often a side effect of obesity, though not always caused by it (see central apneas which is a nervous system disorder). Sleep apnea compounds obesity because it makes it difficult to get restful sleep, which is one of the necessary tools for losing weight.
imadethis 3y ago
Yeah that's probably based on the BMI definition. Overweight is a BMI > 25, and obese is > 30. So yes, nearly the entire cohort was overweight by definition. BMI is a population measure and normal, healthy people can definitely fall into the overweight category. But it's still useful, including when summarizing the participants of a study like this.
anitil 3y ago
Yep looks like they're non-overlapping. From the article - > 44.5% (98/220) of the participants were overweight (BMI 23.0-27.5 kg/m2) and 49.5% (109/220) were obese (BMI > 27.5 kg/m2)
- MandieD 3y ago

porphyra 3y ago

Are mouth guards likely to cause jaw issues by keeping the mandible extended for long periods of time? some crappier mouth guards and "tongue retaining devices" can cause severe dental issues like open bite but these custom made ones are less likely to cause such issues I think...

balls187 3y ago
Your bite can get misaligned, though the solution is a moulded piece of plastic that realigns your bite that you use when you wake up.
- CrumpetDiagonal 3y ago
  I used the morning moulded piece of plastic that you’re talking about but still, after a year my teeth no longer aligned. I just couldn’t move my lower jaw back into its prior aligned position

x3n0ph3n3 3y ago

Something in my mouth is _way_ more invasive than something mounted across my nose, especially something like the Philips Dreamwear.

balls187 3y ago
The sleep doc made this point prior to writing my Rx for an oral appliance—basically it may not work and/or may be not tolerable. Given I wear a mouthguard while training, I felt that I would be able to tolerate an oral sleep apnea device (the cpap I tried was very difficult for me to use)

ein0p 3y ago

I just learned to sleep with my mouth closed and I watch my breathing during the day too, and avoid breathing through my mouth. This was difficult at first. Idk why, but I’ve read the musculature responsible for breathing gets weakened if you breathe through your mouth, because there’s a lot less resistance. But now it’s fine, and I don’t even snore anymore. Obviously this is down to individual physiology, so I’m not saying this works for everyone, but it did work for me. Costs $0.

schwartzworld 3y ago
Just to clarify: You were diagnosed with OSA. You learned this technique, did another sleep study and were told you were all clear. Is that right? What was your AHI before "curing" yourself? Afterward, was it 0 or just below the diagnostic criteria of 5?
- ein0p 3y ago
  You can wear an oxymeter to bed nowadays, which I do. I don’t need a “sleep study” to confirm my oxygenation is adequate though the night and I no longer wake up gasping for breath like I used to.
  - schwartzworld 3y ago
    So that would be a "no".
    - ein0p 3y ago
      Or a “yes” seeing that I do a “sleep study” every night and check the results at least once a week. I don’t see why I need to pay a doctor to tell me if I’m asleep or to monitor my blood oxygen in 2024, much for the same reason why “computer” now means a tiny device you own, and not a room full of people.
      - frumper 3y ago
        A sleep study is more than just monitoring your blood oxygen.

janalsncm 3y ago

If this were true it would be great. My mom uses a CPAP and it’s very loud at night and a pain to travel with since it requires distilled water and is an extra bag.

minimalist 3y ago

Are there non-plastic nighttime mouthguards out there? In light of all the new awareness about the health hazards of micro and nano plastics (and plasticizers), I'm a bit reluctant about sleeping with a soft plastic block in my mouth every day.

tacosalsa 3y ago
It's not actually made from a single soft plastic, the inner lining is soft, and the outer parts are quite hard. I don't think there's a non-plastic mouthguard in the market.

waldrews 3y ago

But without a CPAP machine, would my cat have a button to press to instantly wake me up when he wants breakfast? Seriously, once he figured out the off button, even if I pretend to keep sleeping, he just keeps pressing the button in frustration, like, why isn't this working. Lately, I've covered the button with double sided tape so it's uncomfortable for his paw. So, he found the off switch on the power strip...

engineer_22 3y ago
Cat's got your tongue
david-gpu 3y ago
Have you tried feeding your cat when you come back from work, rather than first thing in the morning? The incentive to wake you up would go away.

donatj 3y ago

This is frankly pretty interesting. My wife has a CPAP, and after several months of absolutely dreading sleep she decided that she hated it so badly she’d rather suffer the consequences than live with the machine.

schwartzworld 3y ago
It takes active effort to dial in the machine settings. If you just trust the APAP algorithm most people will never get used to it. Took me a year of tinkering. There's a great piece of software called OSCAR that helps.
pjd7 3y ago
I have a machine, took a few weeks to dial in the settings right for me. Tried a few different masks & machines from a sleep study clinic. In a few years I have gone less than 7 nights without using it. Using the machine has been life changing for me. I used to struggle to get up before 10am. Now I wake up naturally around 6:30am-7am most mornings. Learning new things isn't a mountain to climb to retain just a bit of information. I feel like if I had done a sleep study 10 years earlier I would be a much better technologist than I am now. I would recommend you suggest to your wife that she tries a few different mask styles. I initially found I wasn't fitting the mask well or had a slightly wrong size and I would get some leaking that would keep me awake at night.
HlessClaudesman 3y ago
The consequences of untreated sleep apnoea are very serious. I would urge you both to revisit this issue.
- donatj 3y ago
  For what it is worth, which is probably not much, I don’t know that I actually believe she has sleep apnea at all. She does not snore, nor wake, nor generally have any trouble sleeping beyond initially getting to sleep - for which she is already on medication. The only reason she even got checked in the first place was she paralyzed one of her diaphragms after a very bad bout of pneumonia, and her pulmonologist made a suggestion based on nothing other than an abundance of caution that we might want to make an appointment to see. I remain largely unconvinced of the methodology by which she was diagnosed. It was an at-home single-night sleep study. She had to strap a box to her chest, place a handful of electrodes around and wear a breathing monitor. She only managed around three hours of sleep, largely because she could not sleep in her preferred position (stomach) and found the hoses in her nose anxiety inducing. It was, in my unprofessional opinion, completely unrepresentative of a normal restful night of sleep, and thus largely irrelevant data. On top of that, the day we returned the device the doctor opened the appointment by checking what CPAP machines our insurance would cover - BEFORE the results came back from the lab. It felt very … salesperson-y

jelled 3y ago

I've been using one of these for the last two years and definitely feel more rested on the nights I wear it. Never tried a CPAP so I can't speak to the comparative effectiveness. The brand I've been using is called Silent Nite. Had a sleep study done years ago that showed mild sleep apnea, but at the time wasn't severe enough to warrant a CPAP.

laborcontract 3y ago
Silent Nite mouthguards work great for snoring, best thing out there that I've tried for it. However, I've been cursed with the propensity to grind my teeth, hard. I've snapped every single one I've used after a few months. Mouth guards have been a very expensive outlet of my money.

d--b 3y ago

These are quite uncomfortable, actually. They can have a negative impact on your teeth and jaws (says my dentist friend who wears one every night). So less invasive => yes, but still far from perfect.

Xeyz0r 3y ago
Here's a case of choosing the lesser of two evils
go_prodev 3y ago
I was fitted for one, and was told that the lower jaw is held forward by using the upper teeth as an anchor. Over time they can cause upper and lower teeth to move.
- sethammons 3y ago
  For those who want to simulate the feeling, touch your tongue to the front of your top teeth and jut your jaw forward so you can close your jaw with your tongue staying in place, sandwiched between the front of your top teeth and back of your bottom teeth. It was wildly uncomfortable and I gave up after three nights. Also didn't notice better sleep.
  - rob74 3y ago
    Wow, I can (just barely) slide my bottom teeth in front of my top teeth, but not with the tongue in between, and it still feels extremely weird and uncomfortable...
  - stavros 3y ago
    Does anyone have a photo of these? I can only find the boxing ones, and don't understand how they might help with snoring.
    - sethammons 3y ago
      To see a photo, image search "apnea sleep guard." By jutting your lower jaw forward, it is supposed to move your whole lower jaw assembly including tongue forward. It is the tongue drooping back towards your throat that causes the snoring for most. This, in turn, should reduce episodes of reduced oxygen then leading to less wakeful events since your body is not having to jerk itself awake to keep air flowing.

cool-RR 3y ago

I can't find whether it's effective against snoring or not. Can someone help?

stareatgoats 3y ago
I have no personal experience, but I am also interested. I found one data point in the below article. Snoring was reduced, and seemingly dependent on the level of adjustment. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/i-tried-silentnite-sl-my-osa-heres-what-happened-randy-clare https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/i-tried-silentnite-sl-my-osa-...
codazoda 3y ago
Anecdotal, but I have CPAP and MAD. MAD never worked for me, although I wish it did. I still snore with it and don’t get good sleep. On the flip side, I can no longer sleep without CPAP. I wish it wasn’t so expensive, invasive, and power hungry. I’ve been thinking about designing my own 3D printable nasal mask. The consumables are the expensive part for me and they are relatively simple devices. I pay around $100 for the mask that you thrown away every few months. Mine consumes a lot of power because it uses a heated humidifier—I’m in a dry state. Seems like a cool mist would be better for me but they don’t really exist. The power isn’t a problem at home but can be when away from home, such as camping.
- lsaferite 3y ago
  Have you tried not using the heated humidifier or using an inline humidifier filter? I started out using the heated humidifier on mine, but quickly decided I hated having to fill it up and removed the chamber using a bypass plate. I travel to Denver, CO area frequently and never have issues with humidity.
kseistrup 3y ago
The woodckucks' guide says: > “The splint treats snoring and sleep apnea by moving the lower jaw forward slightly, which tightens the soft tissue and muscles of the upper airway to prevent obstruction of the airway during sleep.” And there are some references to snoring among the links at the end of the article. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandibular_advancement_splint https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandibular_advancement_splint

gonzo41 3y ago

This is super interesting. I did a sleep test a while back and they were on the fence with recommending a CPAP machine. My experience isn't like what is described by most people with sleep apnoea. I don't wake up tired or groggy. I do snore from time to time. The doctor suggested, cutting out alcohol, and sleeping on my side rather than back. I've paired that with a smart watch to keep a track of my O2 stats and feel fine. I'm hoping to avoid all machines as long as possible.

TheCapeGreek 3y ago
I really feel like there's no great way to win here. - I've tried the side sleeping thing as well as I snore less with it, but the only way to stay on my side is to force something behind me so I can't roll over. But then I get shoulder and hip pain from lying on only one side for most of the night. - CPAP side effects sounded enough that it'd just be a 50/50 on if it'd help me sleep better - MADs can cause jaw pain and other issues The closest improvement I've had so far is by accident: a higher-end chain store in my area started selling S-shaped "back sleeper anti snoring pillows" so I tried one out. Like CPAP my mouth is suuuuper dry when I wake up, but I've felt more alert waking up and my sleep quality has improved.

joshu 3y ago

i tried one to hold my jaw forward. cpap is way, way less painful.

al_borland 3y ago

I think my dad used one of these for a while. He talked about trying something that effectively made him dislocate his jaw at night, then pop it back into place in the morning. I thought it sounded like a terrible idea, but he seemed excited for the possibility of traveling without his CPAP, so I didn’t say anything negative, having not done any research on it, while he had. Fast forward several months later, he ended up with TMJ issues and tinnitus. I didn’t find that all too surprising, but when talking to him it was like he didn’t see it coming and the risks of messing with the jaw every night were not made clear. He discontinued use. Last I heard, I think his jaw is feeling better, but the tinnitus remains, to some degree.

CrumpetDiagonal 3y ago
The literature is replete those kinds of issues. The most common side effect of prolonged use is a change in the bite alignment. I used one for over a year before I had surgical intervention to increase the size of my airway via jaw surgery (both jaws advanced). By the end of that year, I couldn’t get my lower jaw back into place during the day and bite no longer aligned. Thanks the braces and surgery corrected my bite and expanded my airway to the point that I no longer need anything to help me breathe at night or during the day
- wkat4242 3y ago
  I had the same issue with bite alignment after sleeping with a mouthguard for a few nights only!
- onemoresoop 3y ago
  I'm glad that worked out for you and you're finally cured. Did you have a painful recovery was post surgery?
  - CrumpetDiagonal 3y ago
    I think my recovery was pretty normal. I spent two nights in hospital, which is normal where I’m from. When I woke up after surgery, I remember being in pain and asking for the strong stuff, which worked just fine. After that it was quite manageable. It’s a difficult long recovery, but I wouldn’t describe it as painful. I

nchase 3y ago

I’m glad there are alternatives to CPAPs for treating sleep apnea. Given the link between some CPAP machines and certain types of cancer, the entire category makes me nervous.

CaliforniaKarl 3y ago
Are you referring to Philips Respironics devices and their sound-dampening foam? You can get a CPAP from ResMed (a different company) instead, which was not affected.

petesergeant 3y ago

I was able to come off a CPAP by using a nasal steroid (fluticasone propionate) before bed each night, and my quality of life has improved dramatically

JoeyJoJoJr 3y ago
I’m curious, have you tried nose strips? [1] I recently realized that my nostrils slightly collapse inwards when I breath through my nose. The nose strips seem to help me enough to make nose breathing comfortable. [1] https://thefeed.com/products/intake-breathing?variant=40145888804927&currency_code=AUD&ship=GS&g_network=g&g_productid=shopify_US_4500408533055_40145888804927&g_adid=333567076259&g_keyword=&g_adtype=pla&g_keywordid=pla-637752545017&g_ifcreative=&g_campaign=GSN+-+Items+-+Australia&g_adgroupid=67487089379&g_acctid=598-107-7261&g_merchantid=100584816&g_partition=637752545017&g_campaignid=1713972631&g_productchannel=online&g_ifproduct=product&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwoPOwBhAeEiwAJuXRh-583NmB5oGvv1uJAZNs4-d4lfo2sXQKCswknnoVsPnRhgxW_bKvERoCSYIQAvD_BwE https://thefeed.com/products/intake-breathing?variant=401458...
coupdejarnac 3y ago
Is that prescribed by a doctor? I'd be concerned about using steroids repeatedly on membranous tissue.
- loco5niner 3y ago
  My doctor prescribed exactly this for me.

timthelion 3y ago

There are many causes of sleep apnoe, the most common one being obesity. Some people, however have an underbite which causes sleep apnoe, this can be measured and corrected by an orthodontist. I didn't have either, but I did suffer mild sleep apnoe for years. What solved it for me was rinsing my nose with salt water every evening and using Nasonex spray.

lsaferite 3y ago
There is also Central Apnea which is 'fun'. Your brain just 'forgets' to breath.
gushogg-blake 3y ago
Note that correcting an underbite by extracting/retracting teeth will likely make sleep apnea worse. Make sure you consult an airway focused orthodontist, not just any orthodontist, as many are unaware of these issues.
- timthelion 3y ago
  Now I'm not sure if its an underbite or an overbite that causes the issue, but I do know it's something that can be objectively measured and fixed. You're right though that I went to a specialist in apnoe to have my teeth/jaw measured.

coupdejarnac 3y ago

I've been using silicone vents in my nostrils for several months, and they've made a huge impact on quality of sleep. It is a much cheaper alternative to cpaps.

johntash 3y ago
Do you have a link to what you use? I don't think I've heard of them before, but sounds interesting.
TheCapeGreek 3y ago
Only if your snoring is caused by a deviated septum or other nasal cause. Sleep apnea and heavy snoring more commonly is due to the tongue and jaw slacking during sleep, causing the tongue to kind of slide into the throat and obstruct your airway. This is even worse for overweight and obese people with visceral fat making their airways physically smaller too. Then it becomes a self-reinforcing cycle as bad sleep quality and low oxygen during sleep has a host of side effects, including making weight loss and digestion a bit more difficult.
CrumpetDiagonal 3y ago
That’ll work for someone whose only or primary breathing obstruction is nasal valve collapse. I had enough nasal valve collapse that I tried these vents but found them uncomfortable. I got the desired impact on my nasal airway from nasal strips that keep the nasal valve open, but that didn’t solved my nighttime sleep/breathing issues because I also had a very narrow airway into the back of my nose and throat due to my recessed upper and lower jaws, which I had surgery to correct about bit over a year ago

tacosalsa 3y ago

Last summer, I (33m) was diagnosed with mild sleep apnea and began treatment with a mouthguard. It took me almost no time to get used to sleeping with one. And it had a great effect on my sleep quality, but lately, I've been experiencing more and more trouble with my jaw. Considering switching to a CPAP soon.

tomohawk 3y ago

Diet is another thing to try. A family member went on a low histamine diet (carnivore) and no longer has any of these issues. It's not a very fun diet, but they also were able to get off of their blood pressure medicine and had a bunch of other conditions clear up.

deleted 3y ago
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