The Portland Hospital
205-209 Great Portland Street London W1W 5AH
Sleep apnoea treatment
Sleep apnoea can be serious if it's not diagnosed and treated.
What is sleep apnoea?
Sleep apnoea is a condition where;
- your breathing is irregular and stops and starts while you sleep
- you make gasping, snorting or choking noises while you sleep, these are different from snoring
- you always feel very tired during the day
Sleep apnoea may also increase your risk of:
- developing high blood pressure (hypertension)
- having a stroke or heart attack
- developing an irregular heartbeat
- developing type 2 diabetes
- being involved in a motor accident as it impacts your ability to drive
Sleep apnoea is a treatable, and there are a variety of treatment options that can reduce the symptoms. These include lifestyle changes, or wearing devices that keep your airways open.
Need to know
There are several treatment options that can reduce the symptoms of sleep apnoea. These include:
- Lifestyle changes such as losing excess weight, cutting down on alcohol and sleeping on your side.
- Using a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device. These devices prevent your airway closing while you sleep by delivering a continuous supply of compressed air through a mask.
- Wearing a mandibular advancement device (MAD). This gum shield-like device fits around your teeth, holding your jaw and tongue forward to increase the space at the back of your throat while you sleep.
There are no special preparations you need to make prior to treatment.
While the symptoms of sleep apnoea can be eased, treatment will most likely need to be lifelong. If left untreated, it can have a significant impact on your quality of life, causing problems such as poor performance at work and school, and placing a strain on your relationships with others.
Our Sleep apnoea locations
The Princess Grace Hospital
42-52 Nottingham Place London W1U 5NY
The Lister Hospital
Chelsea Bridge Road, London SW1W 8RH
The Shard Outpatients
The Shard, 32 St Thomas Street London SE1 9BS
London Bridge Hospital
27 Tooley Street London SE1 2PR
The Wellington Hospital
8A Wellington Place London NW8 9LE
Patient stories
Yvette's story: From back pain to hip replacement surgery
Yvette (54) a journalist from Kent, started experiencing pain in her hip seven years ago in 2015. An ex-national gymnast who had been incredibly active and flexible her whole life, Yvette felt concerned about the growing discomfort impacting her quality of life, and so sought help from her GP.
A new hip and straight back into the spin of things
David’s gym video shows him repeatedly pushing up to 100kg on a single leg press – not particularly unusual for this keen cyclist, former competitive squash player and all-round fitness enthusiast. What is unusual is that 52-year-old David had hip surgery just 12 weeks earlier.
Michael's MAKO hip surgery to treat his arthritis
73 year-old Michael, an avid walker and charity worker, was diagnosed with arthritis in January 2021. After facing long waiting times and increasing pain that was becoming more frequent, he started to look elsewhere for treatment.
This content is intended for general information only and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional.