anyone improved without fancy machines?

[sniko2219]

Am I naive to think that it is possible to treat sleep apnea without resorting to CPAP, etc?
I am the archetypal lifelong mouth breather - crooked teeth, TMJ pains, severe bruxism, overbite, stuffed nose, sleep apnea,
sleeping in supine position, etc - to the point where neurological (auto immune?) deterioration is taking place (very scary).
My father died of dementia which I attribute in part to years of snoring. I don't snore btw, according to my wife.

I want to try a simple combination - mouth taping at night (borrowed from Byteuko's system for breathing),
and wearing a neck collar while sleeping. May also add nose strips that pull skin above nostrils up to open the airways.
As you see, nothing fancy.
Is this enough to attack sleep apnea or am I delusional?
What can CPAP/(what have you) do that the above simple things can't?
Thanks.

[Gideon]

Splint open the airway.
Improve your air exchange.
Minimize hypopneas, flow limits, RERAs, UARS.
Help you to initiate a breath

If you have Central Apnea, eliminate it.

[SarcasticDave94]

Since we don't know what type or how severe the apnea you have or might have, bonjour's answer pretty much covers it. You can't address CA as mentioned. In that case, an ASV machine is your only answer. Central Apnea, CA means you just stop breathing for 10 or more seconds during your sleep. Not the same as Obstructive Apnea, the common kind. The airway is still open, so tape can't help then. You also cannot reasonably splint the throat airway without air pressure from CPAP. So unfortunately, your options are few. Check with the doc if you are concerned about having Apnea, and I speculate you are concerned or you'd not have posted here nor have a plan to combat them.

So again, check in with your doctor and explain your concerns. You will have to submit to a sleep study of some sort to create the data that tells you that apnea is or is not an issue.

[staceyburke]

I don't want to hijack this thread BUT has anyone tried VOODO dolls.  I heard that worked.

[OpalRose]

Take some time to watch this short video.  This will explain a little better on what you are actually dealing with and why your "nothing fancy, simple things" can't splint the airway open or treat Sleep Apnea.

The damage that untreated Sleep Apnea will have on your health and body isn't worth playing around with.

http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php...leep_apnea