Positional Therapy is a Great Addition to Sleep Apnea Appliance Protocol

Many patients have difficulty with CPAP compliance. I have heard over the years many clinicians refer to an over reliance on CPAP therapy for obstructive sleep apnea. While CPAP fits nicely into the in lab sleep diagnostic setting, long term compliance rates tend to be low when this device is used in the home. It is a stretch in the minds of some to consider a therapy with only 50% adherence after 45 days, according to some studies, the gold standard. A major challenge in today’s medical reimbursement climate is that CPAP compliance requires skilled therapists working with the patients often over several visits to get the right mix of device, interface and behavioral modification. David Gergen offers us a look into the experience of a retired NFL player who took a different path. I like this story because it lays out how Mr Mark Walczak took ownership of his condition and perused a therapy combination that worked for him. I have met Mr Walczak and was very impressed with his commitment to patient advocacy around sleep issues and expect him to contribute a great deal to the sleep apnea community in the Phoenix area. – ed

Mark Walczak: A Big Guy with Big Sleep Problem

I have been in the sleep therapy field for over 20 years. In that time I have witnessed the effect on patients of what I can only call an over reliance on CPAP therapy in treating OSA. Many of my close friends are ex NFL players like Roy Green, Carl Eller, Derrek Kennard, Markus Allen, Eric Dickerson and Mark Walczak who have tried CPAP but found themselves unable to comply with their prescribed therapy. Pro Player Health Alliance was founded to help these icons of the NFL share their experiences and perhaps help patients find therapy that will help them maintain their health and get a good nights sleep.

I am particularly struck by the story of Mark Walczak who has suffered with sleep apnea for many years. After undergoing an in lab sleep study it was shown that Mark had an AHI (Apnea Hypopnea Index) of 62. This is classified as severe sleep apnea “a big guy with a big sleep problem”. Mark was prescribed with CPAP and tried to wear it but was unable to make the therapy work for him.

Studies indicate that CPAP compliance is very low and is dependent on great coaching and highly engaged medical team that work a wide range of patient interfaces and desensitization protocols. This is all in an effort to help the patient adjust to wearing a mask at night with a column of pressurized air blowing into the airway. The sound of the devices and the effort to maintain a clean and effective device, all this combines and contributes to reduced compliance rates. Mark ended up a casualty of this process as do about 50% of patients who start the process according to recent studies.

As part of his journey to healthy sleep he met with Dr Roger Briggs DDS from Scottsdale AZ. Dr Briggs made a Herbst sleep appliance for Mark. The Herbst appliance reduced Marks snoring and his sleep apnea to a moderate level (AHI 17) however it was not completely eradicated and with further testing it was shown that there was now a significant positional component. The decision was taken that a SlumberBump positional therapy device would be added to Marks sleep time protocol.

SlumberBump is a very simple device that is worn around the chest to help position the patient on their side while sleeping. Studies indicate that positional therapy is as effective as CPAP in mild sleep apnea patients.

In combination Mark Walczak wears a Herbst mouth piece and a Slumberbump to bed and his AHI as registered with a sleep study went from untreated AHI of 62 all the way down to an AHI of 1. This took some time, and there were trained dental and sleep clinicians monitoring and guiding the process. I would say that the best part of this approach is that the patient has control over how often how much and understands their condition so much better.

I have to say oral appliance therapy in combination with body position therapy with a SlumberBump is a winner in my book.

David Gergen

About David Gergen

David Gergen, CDT and President of Pro Player Health Alliance, has been a nationally respected dental lab technician for over 25 years. He received the award for “The Finest Orthodontic Technician in the Country” given by Columbus Dental in 1986. He also has been appointed Executive Director of the American Sleep and Breathing Academy Dental Division, a national interdisciplinary academy dedicated to sleep training and education with over 60,000 members. David rolled out of bed on December 4, 1982 and had his career “ah ha” moment. He knew he was going to be an orthodontic technician and he knew he was going to help people all over the country to help treat their sleep disorders in partnership with their dentists. He has worked for some of the pioneers in the orthodontic and sleep dentistry fields. He was the personal technician for the likes of Dr. Robert Ricketts, Dr. Ronald Roth, Dr. A. Paul Serrano, Dr. Clark Jones, Dr. Harold Gelb, Dr. Joseph R. Cohen, Dr. Rodney Willey, Dr. Allan Bernstein, and Dr. Thien Pham. One of his proudest achievements is receiving The National Leadership award for Arizona Small Businessman of the Year in 2004.