Small Tongue Shocks may Aid Sleep Apnea

By Christopher Walker
Dec 28 2010

Inspire Medical Systems, a small US-based research lab has said that their new device, that sends small electrical shocks through the tongue, may be the new treatment for sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea is a common condition that can strike almost anyone in the world. The condition is marked by the sufferer failing to breath for a few seconds while asleep. The halting of the breathing wakes the person’s brain to a small degree which then causes the person to feel as though they did not get enough sleep.

There are many levels of severity in sleep apnea. The highest levels are marked by a person falling asleep in normal situations, such as talking or driving. At this point doctors agree that treatment is necessary.

At this time the standard treatment for sleep apnea is a CPAP or BPAP machine. With these machines air is forced down the throat through a mask that is worn while the patient sleeps. However, this is not a popular version of treatment because many patients report that it is difficult to relax when wearing a mask.

The Inspire Medical Systems device is like a pacemaker that is used for heart patients. The device would sent electrical shocks through the tongue at random intervals which causes the person to continue breathing throughout the sleep cycle.

Inspire told reporters that the device is still in the early testing phase but it is showing great promise. They plan to apply to the FDA for approval next year