Are all these anti-snore things internet garbage?
October 13, 2024 6:35 AM Subscribe
I must have google something or clicked on something or just my phone is tired of hearing me snore because I'm getting ad after ad for mouthpieces to stop snoring. I do have diagnosed apnea and hate/do not use my CPAP so I'm a little curious but also skeptical because at this point 99% of the internet is desperate capitalist garbage.
Mostly this is mouth guards, but there are also like....jaw straps and one particularly sketchy seeming thing that attached to your chin and like somehow stimulates muscles to open your airway. I think we can safely ignore that one. But are any of the others possibly a good solution for someone who has given up on ever using the CPAP machine? They run $50-100 and I assume have a refund process designed to make people give up and say "oh well, I spent $50-100 on a thing that's going in the trash" but I'm not up for that.
Not desired: encouragement to use my CPAP machine.
Mostly this is mouth guards, but there are also like....jaw straps and one particularly sketchy seeming thing that attached to your chin and like somehow stimulates muscles to open your airway. I think we can safely ignore that one. But are any of the others possibly a good solution for someone who has given up on ever using the CPAP machine? They run $50-100 and I assume have a refund process designed to make people give up and say "oh well, I spent $50-100 on a thing that's going in the trash" but I'm not up for that.
Not desired: encouragement to use my CPAP machine.
No idea if you qualify or your insurance would cover it, but are you familiar with the Inspire implant? Folks on sleep apnea Reddit seem to love it. It’s an implant that triggers your muscles to open your throat and resolve obstructive sleep apnea physically, and it sounds like it’s intended for people who couldn’t tolerate a cpap.
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 8:16 AM on October 13 [5 favorites]
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 8:16 AM on October 13 [5 favorites]
Part of a household that purchased a completely useless snore mouth guard from Amazon this month. It was called better than mouth tape for sleeping.
Mouth tape though, worth trying.
posted by RoadScholar at 8:30 AM on October 13 [1 favorite]
Mouth tape though, worth trying.
posted by RoadScholar at 8:30 AM on October 13 [1 favorite]
I haven't been diagnosed with sleep apnea but I apparently snore and probably have it; I have the head of my bed elevated and I like that (adjustable beds can be found pretty reasonably priced, I was surprised to find), and I use a bit of cheap plastic medical tape to keep my mouth closed while I sleep. Definitely sleeping better with that than without, and if I'm feeling a bit congested, I have a little menthol inhaler thing that I breathe in to clear out my nose. I've woken up a couple of times with the tape just gone - which is what I want, I use the breakaway tape for that very reason.
I tried those tape things that you put on the outside of your nose - no noticeable effect. Tried a couple of those nasal inserts - one like an open ring that sort of clips to your septum, and the other was little plastic things that you put into your nostrils and supposedly breathe through. Complete failure, both of them, the breath right strips didn't do anything but the nasal inserts were wildly annoying, with the side effort of me apparently pawing them out during my sleep and having to search the bedding to find them.
posted by lemniskate at 9:20 AM on October 13
I tried those tape things that you put on the outside of your nose - no noticeable effect. Tried a couple of those nasal inserts - one like an open ring that sort of clips to your septum, and the other was little plastic things that you put into your nostrils and supposedly breathe through. Complete failure, both of them, the breath right strips didn't do anything but the nasal inserts were wildly annoying, with the side effort of me apparently pawing them out during my sleep and having to search the bedding to find them.
posted by lemniskate at 9:20 AM on October 13
I have apnea. I have tried: mouth tape, the standard mouth guards, adjusting the pillows and bed, the boil-and-bite mouth guards, chin tape, chin straps, a straw that supposedly strengthens your muscles as you drink, nasal inserts that keep your nose open, nose tape, sewing a tennis ball in my shirt so I sleep on my side, and a thing that's like a suction cup that keeps your tongue out (if you stick out your tongue you can't make a snore noise.) Not one of them do anything. Anything that was in my mouth muted the snoring or caused a choking noise instead. But, I've probably had sleep apnea since early childhood, so I'm probably kind of a hard case.
I like my CPAP, but if I did not, I would sign up for Inspire, the implant. (Insurance does not cover it, but from one person I know who has it, they said it was worth every penny.)
posted by blnkfrnk at 9:33 AM on October 13 [1 favorite]
I like my CPAP, but if I did not, I would sign up for Inspire, the implant. (Insurance does not cover it, but from one person I know who has it, they said it was worth every penny.)
posted by blnkfrnk at 9:33 AM on October 13 [1 favorite]
I would tell your sleep doc straight up that you hate your CPAP machine and aren't using it, and ask them what the alternatives are, and the pros/cons. They should be able to steer you to something that actually works, and its pros/cons.
Mine mentioned a jaw device, but yours can tell you exactly what is appropriate in your situation, and discuss the pros/cons in detail so you can decide if it is worth it for you.
posted by splitpeasoup at 10:05 AM on October 13 [1 favorite]
Mine mentioned a jaw device, but yours can tell you exactly what is appropriate in your situation, and discuss the pros/cons in detail so you can decide if it is worth it for you.
posted by splitpeasoup at 10:05 AM on October 13 [1 favorite]
I have no experience with any of the devices being promoted, but I can tell you I too have been getting flooded with ads for them. I have no online or shopping behaviors that would have led to this, so unless my age is a factor I think these vendors are not bothering to target potential consumers very specifically.
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 1:16 PM on October 13
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 1:16 PM on October 13
In my experience this past year, the Panthera D-SAD mouth guard is very effective at preventing snoring. You can't just buy it online like the products you're seeing advertised. A dentist has to make it and fine tune it, but it seems to have cut down on 80-90% of my partner's snoring. You apparently also have to be careful about re-setting your jaw for a few minutes after you wake up, with this other accessory that sits between the front teeth and looks like gum.
posted by oxisos at 2:39 PM on October 13 [1 favorite]
posted by oxisos at 2:39 PM on October 13 [1 favorite]
I think the advice above about talking to your doc about not using the CPAP and looking for something that works for you is great. FWIW, my wife has sleep apnea and was prescribed a mouth guard/jaw device that she was supposed to get fitted for from a dentist. She ended up buying one online and it’s genuinely cut down her snoring (not to zero but a decent amount, maybe 75-80%) and qualitatively she seems to be sleeping better and has a lot more energy. I know it’s just one anecdote, and it’s only been <6mos so who knows what the long term looks like, but it’s working for her. YMMV.
posted by malthas at 8:15 PM on October 13
posted by malthas at 8:15 PM on October 13
SnoreRX worked to cut my snoring but i woke up too sore in the morning to tolerate it. Mouth tape, breathe-rite strips, and one other mouthpiece that only goes on my bottom teeth (and has some texture that’s supposed to train your tongue to stay forward) didn’t work.
posted by supercres at 8:25 PM on October 13
posted by supercres at 8:25 PM on October 13
i have used a mouthguard for about 6 months now and it has eliminated my snoring (confirmed by SO). this mouthguard lets me adjust the lower part so that, when i bite down, my lower jaw is moved to the front a little bit. this is what works for me, and works well.
posted by alchemist at 9:59 PM on October 13
posted by alchemist at 9:59 PM on October 13
I could not tolerate a CPAP, so instead I have a mouth device— it’s prescription, made by a sleep dentist, and evidently only for mild or moderate apnea.
I’d recommend it to anyone eligible. So I second the advice to tell your sleep doc the CPAP is not an option and ask what else is. Plus the more people who tell their docs the CPAP is intolerable, the more likely physicians will believe it when someone says so.
(I had to be quite forceful to get heard, but it’s worth being forceful here).
posted by nat at 10:02 PM on October 13 [1 favorite]
I’d recommend it to anyone eligible. So I second the advice to tell your sleep doc the CPAP is not an option and ask what else is. Plus the more people who tell their docs the CPAP is intolerable, the more likely physicians will believe it when someone says so.
(I had to be quite forceful to get heard, but it’s worth being forceful here).
posted by nat at 10:02 PM on October 13 [1 favorite]
A dental splint like the ones alchemist, nat and oxisos mention is very effective. Your dentist takes an imprint so that the splint is thus tailored to your jaw and bite.
I used ‘Snore Lab’ - a recording app on my phone for a few months. It shows your snoring patterns and thus very useful at seeing what effects various interventions have. For example, I tried all kinds of pharmacy gadgets, bed changes/ pillow heights etc - very little effect.
In contrast, when I used the dental splint the dial when I checked in the morning showed ‘quiet’ which was a major major change. The down side is that in the morning when you first start using it, you will have a sore or tired feeling jaw. It takes a minute to do some big yawn type movements to recalibrate. I take this effect positively because it is showing how your jaw has been kept in a forward position effectively, maximising the correct airflow where it needs to go. It also passes as a symptom after a week or so.
I also have Snore lab’s sister app ‘Snore Gym’ which reminds you each morning to do a few little mouth exercises to strengthen your tongue and throat muscles, like five minutes tops.
posted by honey-barbara at 10:56 PM on October 13
I used ‘Snore Lab’ - a recording app on my phone for a few months. It shows your snoring patterns and thus very useful at seeing what effects various interventions have. For example, I tried all kinds of pharmacy gadgets, bed changes/ pillow heights etc - very little effect.
In contrast, when I used the dental splint the dial when I checked in the morning showed ‘quiet’ which was a major major change. The down side is that in the morning when you first start using it, you will have a sore or tired feeling jaw. It takes a minute to do some big yawn type movements to recalibrate. I take this effect positively because it is showing how your jaw has been kept in a forward position effectively, maximising the correct airflow where it needs to go. It also passes as a symptom after a week or so.
I also have Snore lab’s sister app ‘Snore Gym’ which reminds you each morning to do a few little mouth exercises to strengthen your tongue and throat muscles, like five minutes tops.
posted by honey-barbara at 10:56 PM on October 13
One thing that helped me before I got my CPAP sorted out: a wedge pillow that inclines your head and neck about 15°. It didn't stop my apnea entirely (as measured by an SpO2 sensor) but lessened the symptoms. The downside is it's not very comfortable, particularly if you want to sleep on your side (which is generally better than on your back for apnea).
The OTC stuff marketed to stop snoring is mostly junk. There are oral appliances you can have custom made for apnea that try to keep the airway open. And the Inspire implant does seem to be working for many people but be sure you understand the permanence of it.
Seconding the advice to talk to your sleep doctor about not wanting to use the CPAP machine. Many, many apnea sufferers have a hard time with them. They may be able to help.
posted by Nelson at 9:48 AM on October 14 [1 favorite]
The OTC stuff marketed to stop snoring is mostly junk. There are oral appliances you can have custom made for apnea that try to keep the airway open. And the Inspire implant does seem to be working for many people but be sure you understand the permanence of it.
Seconding the advice to talk to your sleep doctor about not wanting to use the CPAP machine. Many, many apnea sufferers have a hard time with them. They may be able to help.
posted by Nelson at 9:48 AM on October 14 [1 favorite]
Partner has sleep apnea (and so do I but I don’t talk about it lol). I got a CPAP and I would be down with it if I didn’t worry about mold inside the machine plus whatever happened to one of the models that led to recalls.
Anyway - came across a journal article that recommended raising the head of the bed and that’s what we do. We got six inch bed risers and just have them under the feet of the head of the bedframe (and have books under the middle legs). That way gravity takes care of relaxing the soft tissues in there (for obstructive apneas).
There was a caveat that this isn’t recommended for people with certain heart conditions (guessing heart failure).
Also if you’re overweight, that is an area of change that could help with apneas.
^^ obviously this won’t help if the problem is central apnea.
posted by cotton dress sock at 3:07 PM on October 14
Anyway - came across a journal article that recommended raising the head of the bed and that’s what we do. We got six inch bed risers and just have them under the feet of the head of the bedframe (and have books under the middle legs). That way gravity takes care of relaxing the soft tissues in there (for obstructive apneas).
There was a caveat that this isn’t recommended for people with certain heart conditions (guessing heart failure).
Also if you’re overweight, that is an area of change that could help with apneas.
^^ obviously this won’t help if the problem is central apnea.
posted by cotton dress sock at 3:07 PM on October 14
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posted by missmobtown at 8:12 AM on October 13 [1 favorite]