Treating Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome (UARS)
There are several ways to treat UARS; however, treatments taken are
different for adults and children.
Adults
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) is the most effective
treatment for sleep apnea, however there are also surgical options,
oral appliances, and behavioral approaches that can be used to treat
OSA. Weight loss, although always a good idea in reducing
obesity-related conditions (e.g., hypertension, diabetes), is
considered supplementary or adjunctive therapy rather than primary
treatment for OSA. Other underlying medical conditions, especially
nasal allergies, should also be treated. A nasal steroid might help
improve nasal obstruction associated with allergies as well as the OSA
symptoms. For a more comprehensive explanation of the treatment
options for this condition, go to the Treatments Section in the Tests
and Treatments Section. The same treatments that are successful for
OSA can be used to treat UARS. While CPAP remains the most effective
treatment, this population may find it difficult to tolerate.
Alternative treatments such as surgery, oral appliances, positional
therapy (restricting the individual to sleeping on his/her sides), and
weight loss may be effective in improving sleep disordered breathing
in individuals with UARS.
Children
Surgery is usually the first line of treatment for children;
removing a child's enlarged tonsils and adenoids by a tonsillectomy
and adenoidectomy (or T&A) will often resolve the OSA. However, in
some children, CPAP, further surgery, or specialized orthodontic
treatment may be necessary to treat the OSA.