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eXciteOSA® Sleep Apnea & Snoring Treatment
Snoring and sleep apnea are more than a frustration for sufferers and their sleep partners: these sleep disorders can cause fatigue, sleepiness during the day, and potentially serious health complications. Treatment for these conditions has historically involved surgery or the use of devices such as CPAP or an oral appliance (MADs), but these treatments are not tolerated by everyone. For patients in the areas of Houston and The Woodlands, Texas, Board-Certified Otolaryngologist (ENT) Dr. Shawn Allen offers convenient and effective treatment for mild obstructive sleep apnea and primary snoring with the eXciteOSA device.
What Causes Sleep Apnea & Snoring?
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a sleep disorder characterized by pauses in breathing caused by an interruption to a patient’s airflow, and it affects up to 25 million
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Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)
American Sleep Association
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Americans.
In addition to contributing to chronic snoring, sleep apnea can also lead to:
- Daytime sleepiness
- Mood irregularity
- Headaches
- Weight gain
- Heart arrhythmias
- High blood pressure
In some cases, sleep apnea can lead to stroke, heart attack, and even sudden death during sleep.
For many patients, the source of obstructive sleep apnea is a weakened tongue muscle (genioglossus): when the tongue relaxes during sleep, it may fall back into the airway causing significant
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What is Sleep Apnea?
The American Sleep Apnea Association
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obstruction.
Sleep Apnea & Snoring Treatment
Traditionally, sleep apnea treatments were restricted to nighttime use and often included the use of CPAP or APAP machines that use continuous air pressure to keep the airway open and mandibular advancement devices (oral appliances or MADs), mouthpieces that optimize jaw position to reduce airway obstruction as the tongue moves forward with a protruded lower jaw. Treatment for primary snoring typically involved the use of a different type of mouthpiece called a tongue retaining device (TRD) that prevented the tongue from moving to the back of the throat to obstruct the airway, and other interventions aimed at stiffening the soft palate to prevent vibrations such as pillar implants and radiofrequency treatments.
These treatments can be very effective, but are often inconvenient and uncomfortable and don’t treat the problem at its source. For some patients, surgery for sleep apnea was the best option. Now, Dr. Allen is pleased to offer his patients a non-invasive, daytime sleep apnea and snoring treatment: eXciteOSA.
How Does eXciteOSA Work?
eXciteOSA is a daytime CPAP alternative that is cleared by the FDA to significantly reduce mild obstructive sleep apnea and snoring by improving tongue muscle endurance. eXciteOSA is a simple-to-use handheld device that delivers targeted neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) to the muscles of the upper airway and tongue.
To use eXciteOSA, patients simply place the medical grade silicone mouthpiece inside of their mouths, where the device fits around the tongue. Over the course of a 20-minute session, the tongue muscle is stimulated by a series of gentle electrical pulses. Patients use an app to help them monitor their therapy and control the intensity of the NMES, and after roughly six weeks of treatment can reduce their sessions to just a few times a week to maintain tongue
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eXciteOSA Therapy Journey
Signifier Medical Technologies
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endurance.
eXciteOSA Results
According to multiple studies, eXciteOSA is highly effective in the treatment of snoring and sleep apnea:
- 90% of users experienced reduced
Trusted Source
Daytime Neuromuscular Electrical Therapy of Tongue Muscles in Improving Snoring in Individuals with Primary Snoring and Mild Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Baptista PM, Martínez Ruiz de Apodaca P, Carrasco M, Fernandez S, Wong PY, Zhang H, Hassaan A, Kotecha B
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snoring
- 89% of sleep partners noticed improvement in
Trusted Source
Daytime Neuromuscular Electrical Therapy of Tongue Muscles in Improving Snoring in Individuals with Primary Snoring and Mild Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Baptista PM, Martínez Ruiz de Apodaca P, Carrasco M, Fernandez S, Wong PY, Zhang H, Hassaan A, Kotecha B
Go to Source
snoring
- 78% of patients saw a reduction in obstructive sleep apnea
Trusted Source
Transoral awake state neuromuscular electrical stimulation therapy for mild obstructive sleep apnea
Nokes B, Baptista PM, de Apodaca PMR, Carrasco-Llatas M, Fernandez S, Kotecha B, Wong PY, Zhang H, Hassaan A, Malhotra A
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events
Frequently Asked Questions About eXciteOSA
Is eXciteOSA covered by insurance?
exciteOSA is not yet covered by most medical insurances, but patients can use medical savings accounts such as FSA and HSA to cover the cost of treatment.
How long does eXciteOSA take to work?
Patients often see a dramatic improvement in sleep apnea and snoring after six weeks of treatment with eXciteOSA.
Is daytime sleep apnea treatment with eXciteOSA painful?
No. The first thing patients notice during treatment with eXciteOSA is salivation. Depending on the level of stimulation applied, patients may experience tongue vibration in varying degrees. Discomfort is unlikely, and generally mild at higher levels of device stimulation if it does occur.
Contact Dr. Shawn Allen
If you live in Houston, The Woodlands, or nearby Texas communities and have struggled with sleep apnea and snoring and are interested in learning more about a CPAP alternative, contact Dr. Shawn Allen for an eXciteOSA consultation.
1 American Sleep Association. Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). Available: https://www.sleepassociation.org/sleep-apnea/obstructive-sleep-apnea/ Accessed March 17, 2023.
2 The American Sleep Apnea Association. What is Sleep Apnea? Available: https://www.sleepapnea.org/what-is-sleep-apnea/ Accessed March 17, 2023.
3 Signifier Medical Technologies. eXciteOSA Therapy Journey. Available: https://exciteosa.com/therapy/. Accessed March 17, 2023.
4 Baptista PM, Martínez Ruiz de Apodaca P, Carrasco M, Fernandez S, Wong PY, Zhang H, Hassaan A, Kotecha B. Daytime Neuromuscular Electrical Therapy of Tongue Muscles in Improving Snoring in Individuals with Primary Snoring and Mild Obstructive Sleep Apnea. J Clin Med. 2021 Apr 27;10(9):1883. doi: 10.3390/jcm10091883. Available: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33925376/. Accessed March 17, 2023.
5 Baptista PM, Martínez Ruiz de Apodaca P, Carrasco M, Fernandez S, Wong PY, Zhang H, Hassaan A, Kotecha B. Daytime Neuromuscular Electrical Therapy of Tongue Muscles in Improving Snoring in Individuals with Primary Snoring and Mild Obstructive Sleep Apnea. J Clin Med. 2021 Apr 27;10(9):1883. doi: 10.3390/jcm10091883. Available: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33925376/. Accessed March 17, 2023.
6 Nokes B, Baptista PM, de Apodaca PMR, Carrasco-Llatas M, Fernandez S, Kotecha B, Wong PY, Zhang H, Hassaan A, Malhotra A. Transoral awake state neuromuscular electrical stimulation therapy for mild obstructive sleep apnea. Sleep Breath. 2022 May 27:10.1007/s11325-022-02644-9. doi: 10.1007/s11325-022-02644-9. Epub ahead of print. Available: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35624401/. Accessed March 17, 2023.