Sleep apnea is a condition that affects millions of Americans and can have a negative impact on a person’s overall health. Luckily, there are ways to treat sleep apnea and help give you a better sleep. Inspire is a modern alternative for those suffering from obstructive sleep apnea. This device is a system that is surgically implanted in order to monitor breathing patterns. It also gives you adequate stimulation to contract, and this helps your throat muscles move and retain an open airway.

Am I a Candidate?

Sleep apnea treatment does not consist of a single treatment that fits for everyone. There are various causes of sleep apnea, meaning that there are different treatment options available that depend on your individual situation. Your specialists will examine you for the best suiting procedures for you. A drug-induced endoscopy is necessary before you get the upper airway stimulation, as it shows if you have a good chance of benefiting from this procedure.

Inspire vs. CPAP

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy is machine used to treat symptoms of sleep apnea. This usually involves a mask that covers your nose and mouth with a tube that connects it to a motor that blows air into the tube. This treatment is not ideal or possible or everyone, which is when Inspire can be a more beneficial alternative. Some may struggle to sleep with a mask or have other reasons for not being able to use the CPAP machine. It’s also possible that you have already tried CPAP therapy but it did not yield consistent results.

How Does Inspire Work?

As with CPAP therapy, all sleep apnea patients have to undergo a detailed evaluation to determine their suitable treatment setting. The Inspire treatment device is controlled by a remote, which will allow you to control the system by turning it on and off. The remote helps the patient to change the stimulation signal strength they are receiving.

Once the system is on, it will move your tongue forward every moment you inhale. The system will wait until your sleep apnea symptoms are triggered to work, as its primary purpose is to hinder it from happening. You can use the remote to adjust the system’s signal before you turn it on. Usually, the system is not meant to regulate the signal on its own as you sleep.

Inspire Implant Surgery Procedure

During the procedure, a specialist will place the whole system components inside the patients’ body. Typically the process takes about two and a half hours. The surgery is usually performed under local anesthesia, and you can resume your usual diet one night following the procedure.

Generally, most doctors will place the system on your right side, away from your heart. The central systems unit is mainly placed on the pectoral muscle, which is the main chest muscle. It is then covered using your skin, and a layer of fat present underneath your skin, covering up the system slightly.

How Safe Is Inspire?

Inspire is an FDA approved treatment system for sleep apnea. The whole system is completely placed inside your body, and there is no threat of electric shock or any stimulation injury. Usually, the system will provide a moderate electrical nerve stimulation controlling your tongue movement without moving, interrupting your sleep. Additionally, it is impossible to hack most medical systems.

Similar to a heart pacemaker, this device uses a battery that lasts for about eight and ten years. To replace the battery, you will need to undergo outpatient surgery to replace the unit.

Schedule a Consultation

If you are struggling with sleep apnea and interested in Inspire, schedule a consultation with us at Associates of Otolaryngology. We will help to diagnose your condition and provide you with the right treatment for your needs. To find more about inspire implants in Denver, Lone Tree, and Castle Rock, CO, kindly contact us by calling or filling out an online form.