Sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder in which breathing suddenly stops and begins during sleep. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common type. It occurs when the muscles at the back of the throat relax too much during sleep, partially or entirely blocking the airway. It stops breathing briefly, and the brain signals you to wake up and open the airway for proper breathing. It can happen several times daily.
If not treated, sleep apnea can affect your health in various ways. For instance, sleep apnea reduces oxygen flow to vital body organs like the heart and brain, increasing your risk of cardiovascular and memory problems.
Sleep apnea can also cause sleep deprivation, leading to daytime sleepiness and increasing the risks of traffic and work-related accidents. That said, it’s advisable to seek help for sleep apnea treatment in Westwood, MA.
Myofunctional therapy is an exercise training program that targets the muscles around your mouth, face, and tongue. These exercises improve certain functions like eating, talking, and breathing. The treatment is safe, effective, comfortable, and relatively inexpensive, making it an excellent alternative to surgery or CPAP machines.
The myofunctional therapy exercise program treats orofacial myofunctional disorders (OMDs). These are abnormal movement patterns of the mouth or face that can be caused by:
Myofunctional therapy uses neuromuscular exercises to normalize the face and mouth structures to restore optimal movements. They aim to improve lip seal, tongue position, and nasal breathing.
According to research, you can use myofunctional therapy exercises to:
Obstructive sleep apnea happens when the muscles of the soft tissue in your throat relax too much during sleep, closing the airway.
Myofunctional exercises can help improve the function of muscles in your upper airway to help keep the airway open. These exercises can also help improve nasal breathing and reposition the tongue, ensuring your airway remains open during sleep.
Myofunctional therapy is like physical therapy of the face. A professional therapist certified by the International Association of Orofacial Myology can perform the therapy.
The therapist will begin by evaluating your condition and develop a custom treatment plan targeting your muscles to improve their functions. The treatment can consist of various exercises, including:
While research on myofunctional therapy is still ongoing, researchers have found strong evidence that the therapy can help treat sleep-disordered breathing conditions like snoring and sleep apnea.
Are you interested in Myofunctional Therapy in Westwood, MA? For more information about sleep apnea and myofunctional therapy, contact Westwood Dental Group.
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