Whether snoring from your partner interrupts your sleep, or you’re the one making all the noise, we’re sorry to hear it! After all, it’s hard to get quality sleep if the snoring machine next to you is chasing you from your own bed on a nightly basis. In addition to being disruptive (ahem, and irritating), snoring can also be an early indicator of a more dangerous problem—obstructive sleep apnea.
The good news is: a better night’s sleep is on the horizon for snorers and those suffering from, or at risk of, sleep apnea. eXciteOSA®’s new technology reduces the symptoms, discomforts and risks of both mild sleep apnea and snoring with its innovative daytime treatment.
The winner of the iF Design Award 2020 for Design Excellence in the Medical Device category with promising clinical results, eXciteOSA® is the world’s first daytime therapy treatment for sleep apnea and snoring. With a flexible, easy-to-use silicone mouthpiece and controller, the treatment delivery is simple: One 20-minute session per day over a period of six weeks.
The difference between snoring and sleep apnea
If you’re unaware, sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder that impacts millions worldwide. It occurs when the upper airway is partially or completely obstructed, limiting oxygen to blood cells and the brain. Undiagnosed sleep apnea can lead to unpleasant or dangerous complications such as heart attacks, high blood pressure and severe daytime drowsiness. And because apnea causes sudden, startling awakenings, sleep quality can be severely harmed over time if left untreated.
Snoring, on the other hand, may not only be a precursor to sleep apnea, but it can also be incredibly disruptive to both the snorer and their partner. So, what causes snoring? Typically, snoring occurs due to vibrations in the throat as muscles relax and partially collapse during sleep. The narrowing of the throat then causes blockages to the air passing through the throat, resulting in the snoring sound.
Snoring can be influenced by several factors including excess body weight, smoking, overconsumption of alcohol, and sleeping on one’s back. Many of these factors can be reduced or altered with lifestyle changes, but continued snoring despite these adjustments may indicate the need for a more targeted approach. This is where treatments like eXciteOSA come into play.
How eXciteOSA® works
The eXciteOSA® is a promising advancement in sleep technology. Compared to many current treatments which require wearing headgear overnight, eXciteOSA® delivers the full treatment during one 20-minute session while the patient is awake—either during the day or shortly before bed.
The silicone mouthpiece, attached to a rechargeable USB control unit, delivers small, safe electric currents to the tongue over the course of 20 minutes. Because a relaxed tongue is often the root cause of airway blockage, the currents help to stimulate the tongue’s muscles and strengthen them—a tongue workout, if you will.
eXciteOSA® comes complete with its own app which offers full remote-control functionality of the device. Additionally, it allows users to follow a specific treatment plan, monitor progress and track changes in snoring. In eXciteOSA®’s clinical study of 115 patients with snoring or mild apnea, 79% of patients achieved a reduction in sleep apnea measures, 90% reported a reduction in snoring time, and 89% of bed partners also reported a reduction in snoring.
Thanks to the six-week treatment plan, a strengthened tongue no longer causes airway blockages at night, allowing for a more restful, snore-free snooze. It’s not just a one-time treatment plan though: Continuing treatment once a week after the initial six-week period is recommended to keep those tongue muscles in tiptop shape.
If you have trouble sleeping due to snoring, apnea, or any other sleep disorders, we’re here for you. Book a complimentary consultation to find out how we can help you get the sleep quality you deserve.
We wrote this post with reference to a journal on PubMed Central®. You can read the full journal here.