OSA Diagnosis: What Now?

You have been diagnosed with Obstructive Sleep Apnea, What now?

Obstructive sleep apnea is the result of a collapse of the upper airway during sleep, interrupting airflow and reducing blood oxygen levels. It is significantly under diagnosed in the U.S. and those suffering from it are usually unaware they have it. In fact, it is oten the spouse of loved one who first notices signs of sleep apnea. Those common signs include loud snoring, gasping or choking during sleep. At times sufferers stop breathing for 10 seconds or longer, up to hundreds of times per night reducing Oxygen to dangerously low levels. Now is your time to take charge of your health!

What Happens if Obstructive Sleep Apnea is Not Treated?

If left untreated, the fatigue and restlessness associated with sleep apnea can severely affect a person's quality of life both mentally and physically. Untreated OSA can often make concentration difficult, decrease work productivity and increase the risk for accidents.

Because sleep apnea is also connected to a number of other serious health conditions such as diabetes, heart conditions, depression, weight gain, daytime fatigue, and erectile dysfunction, not treating your sleep apnea can aggravate the symptoms of these conditions which in some cases can be life threatening.

Treatment Options for Obstructive Sleep Apnea:

There are a number of different treatment options when it comes to OSA.Once your doctor has a copy of your sleep study results he/she will help prescribe the best possible option for treatment.


  • Weight Loss: Losing weight can sometimes reduce the pressure being put on the airway during sleep.Though remember that not all OSA cases are due solely to weight.
  • Sleep Position: For some OSA sufferers keeping from laying in the supine position (on your back) can alleviate symptoms.
  • CPAP Machine/CPAP Therapy: CPAP stands for continuous positive airway pressure and is still considered gold standard in treating OSA. CPAP machines can be set to deliver a continuous set pressure flow amount or programmed in the auto mode. APAP stands for Automatic Positive Airway Pressure (also called Auto CPAP). This device will automatically adjust, or titrate the amount of air pressure a patient needs throughout the night to keep airway passages open. The idea of an auto CPAP is that it could eliminate the need for an in lab titration study. Depending on the severity and type of your OSA will determine if this is an appropriate treatment option. Whether you are on a CPAP administering a set pressure or an auto titrating CPAP the device will connect to tubing and a mask fitted for you. A respiratory therapist will instruct you on how to use the device, clean the device and go over any questions you may have. They will fit you with different mask styles to see what you are most comfortable with and which one will work the best. If you have any questions on how this process will work please contact a respiratory therapist from Frontier Home Medical. They are the Nebraska leader in CPAP therapy. You can also follow the Frontier Home Medical link for further CPAP therapy information.