.Having a hard time breathing at night from snoring or sleep apnea, is concerning. Few things are as terrifying as not trusting yourself to breathe uninterrupted through the night. One treatment method Dr. Marzban encourages is myofunctional therapy, which consists of simple exercises for easier breathing.
What is Myofunctional Therapy?
Myofunctional therapy is an exercise-based therapy designed to reduce jaw pain and headaches, help orthodontics stay in place, and help patients breathe easier. Think of it as physical therapy, only for the mouth, tongue, and face muscles. These isometric and isotonic exercises can help strengthen and retrain the tongue and other muscles to eliminate bad habits and institute healthier ones. Certified Orofacial Myofunctional Therapist (OMT) custom design each myofunctional therapy regiment unique for each patient’s needs.
How Does It Work?
One of the most significant contributors to obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are the muscle groups near the airway. The goal of myofunctional therapy is to retrain the patient to use these muscle groups in a more sustainable, healthy way. For example, the tongue is one of these muscles. If a person experiences tongue-tie, the movement of their tongue is greatly restricted. This restriction can lead to a blocked airway, especially during sleep. Through myofunctional therapy, some patients can see increased range of movement for their tongue. This can in turn prevent the tongue from slipping back and blocking the airway during sleep.
Solutions Offered by Myofunctional Therapy
Myofunctional therapy can be a great noninvasive treatment option for sleep apnea patients. Here are some of the applications for this course of treatment:
- Teaching patients to breathe through their nose
- Developing, strengthening, and toning the tongue and other muscles of the mouth and face
- Building a habit of resting the tongue in an ideal position
- Identifying compensation behaviors during chewing, talking, and swallowing
- Reducing difficulty chewing or eating
- Improving speech disorders
- Preventing sleep-disordered breathing
- Alleviating TMJ symptoms
Does It Work?
While every patient is different, several studies have found myofunctional therapy to be quite successful in treating obstructive sleep apnea. One literature review published by the Sleep Research Society concluded that current literature demonstrates that myofunctional therapy decreases the apnea-hypopnea index by approximately 50% in adults and 62% in children. This data is substantial for a noninvasive therapy plan, and we’ve seen success with our patients as well.
What Would A Myofunctional Therapy Session Look Like for You?
For more information about myofunctional therapy and whether this course of treatment could be effective for your individual needs, contact our office at703-323-8200 or visit our [link id=’50003′ text=’contact form’ esc_html=’false’].
