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If you have sleep apnea, waking up tired may be your norm. Even if you wear a CPAP every night, you might not get the good night’s rest you need. Thankfully, there’s a different option available.

Positive airway pressure (PAP)—CPAP and BiPAP therapy—is the most common treatment for sleep apnea. It pushes pressurized air through a mask to keep your airway open so you can sleep better. But it doesn’t work well for everyone.

“For years, countless patients who have been intolerant of CPAP or BiPAP therapy have had few options for treatment,” said Dr. Michael Vick, an otolaryngologist with Wellstar. “What we have done in the past has been painful and unpredictable.”

Fortunately, if you don’t respond to PAP therapy, there’s good news. Wellstar is a multidisciplinary Center of Excellence for Inspire Implants—the first with the designation in Georgia and the second in the country. This hypoglossal nerve stimulator can reduce sleep apnea without the bulky mask.

What is sleep apnea?

Sleep apnea is a sleeping disorder. It causes you to stop breathing off and on while you’re asleep. It can happen when something blocks your airway (obstructive sleep apnea) or if your brain doesn’t send the right signals to the muscles that control your breathing (central sleep apnea). Either way, your body doesn’t get enough oxygen.

To kickstart your breathing, your body triggers a survival reflex. The jolt wakes you up just enough for you to start breathing again. But it also breaks your sleep cycle, meaning you’re tired the next day. And without proper treatment, you can develop high blood pressure or other heart problems that can be life-threatening.

How is sleep apnea diagnosed?

You may have sleep apnea if you snore, wake up frequently at night or stop breathing when you sleep. An at-home or overnight in-clinic sleep test can diagnose you accurately.

At-home tests use a finger monitor to measure and record your airflow, blood oxygen level, breathing pattern and heart rate. We may suggest an in-clinic test called a polysomnogram if we think you have central sleep apnea. This test uses electrodes placed around your body to evaluate your arm and leg movements, blood oxygen level, brain activity, breathing, and heart and lung activity while you sleep.

Common treatments for sleep apnea

Oral appliances can treat mild sleep apnea, and surgery can address treatment-resistant sleep apnea. But two types of PAP therapy have long been the most common treatments for most people with moderate-to-severe sleep apnea:

• Continuous PAP (CPAP): A machine delivers constant air pressure through a mask to keep your airway open during sleep.
• Bilevel PAP (BiPAP): A similar machine uses a mask to deliver higher air pressure when you inhale and lower air pressure when you exhale.

More advanced sleep apnea treatment

PAP therapy is uncomfortable for many people. If it doesn’t work for you, an Inspire Implant can reduce your sleep apnea without the mask. The two-piece implant involves a sensor in your chest and a receiver that wraps around the hypoglossal nerve that controls your tongue.

Our ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialists partner with lung and sleep medicine experts to place the device. They perform a minimally invasive procedure that requires two small incisions. This outpatient surgery requires minimal recovery time.

Once in place, the implant works simply. When turned on at night, the sensor sends a signal to the receiver that gently stiffens your tongue and palate with each breath, so your airway does not become blocked—all without waking you.

According to Dr. Vick, Inspire has been a breakthrough for many patients who cannot tolerate CPAP or BiPAP therapy. While success rates can vary depending on individual health factors such as body mass index (BMI), Inspire generally delivers higher satisfaction, fewer complications and a more comfortable recovery than previous surgical options.

“With Inspire, we have a successful and convenient treatment option with a high patient satisfaction rate. While it is a surgically placed device, there is far less risk of complications and downtime than anything we have previously offered,” he said. “If you cannot tolerate PAP therapy, you should consider Inspire.”

Learn more about Inspire at Wellstar and find an ENT who’s right for you.

Maria Fernanda Ortiz was a college junior, pursuing a degree in interior design. But at just 26 years old, her life took an unexpected turn. She discovered a lump in her breast, which led to a cancer diagnosis and expert, multidisciplinary care at Wellstar that would shape her professional aspirations in the future. Maria feels her hopeful attitude and compassionate care team at Wellstar helped her come through treatment with positive outcomes.

Feeling heard in healthcare

After Maria discovered a lump, she initially saw a doctor who went through the motions but didn’t seem to take her concerns seriously. 

“He was so sure it was nothing because I am so young,” she remembered. “I didn’t think it was cancer, but I wanted someone who would get to the bottom of it.”

She then saw her OB/GYN who referred her to Dr. Laura Pearson, a Wellstar breast surgeon at Wellstar North Fulton Cancer Center, for a second opinion. 

Maria got what she was looking for: a doctor who listened and would help her find answers. 

“Maria is the perfect example of a patient advocating for themselves,” Dr. Pearson said. “She did exactly what she was supposed to do for someone her age who finds a lump. When it didn’t go away, she got it looked at. When she didn’t feel like she was being heard, she didn’t let it go.”

A surprising cancer diagnosis

Dr. Pearson immediately performed an ultrasound in the office, followed quickly by a biopsy, which came back positive for cancer. 

"The diagnosis was scary," Maria said. “Dr. Pearson made it as simple as possible to understand by making sketches. She took the time to answer my questions—and she gave me hugs.”

Dr. Pearson added, “I try hard to be methodical and build a story: ‘This is what this means. This is how it applies to you.’ It’s important for patients to understand their plan and how it’s based very specifically on their situation.”

Maria was diagnosed with stage 2A breast cancer, meaning it was a small tumor but had spread to a nearby lymph node. 

“The stage helps us understand how the patient is going to do with standard treatment,” Dr. Pearson explained. “At stage 2A, we’re looking at a 90% survival rate.”