Provent Therapy – A New Sleep Apnea Treatment: It’s CPAP Therapy Without The Mask Or Machine

Always sleepy because of your sleep apnea symptoms, but hate wearing your CPAP? The options for sleep apnea treatment and snoring sufferers has evolved significantly in the past ten years. A quick online search for snoring and sleep apnea treatment options will yield results that range from simple diet modifications and special pillows through nasal strips, different surgical procedures as well as the use of devices such as the CPAP (continuous positive air pressure) machines. All of these sleep apnea treatment options have one main objective: to keep the airway passages in your throat open so that they do not vibrate against each other as they relax during sleep causing the snoring sound.

What is Provent Therapy? How Will it Treat My Sleep Apnea Symptoms

A newer entry into the field is something called Provent Therapy or EPAP (expiratory positive airway pressure). Like CPAP Therapy, its goal is to keep the throat passages open. Provent Therapy uses the power of your own breathing to hold the airway open and enable normal airflow. While CPAP Therapy increases the pressure on both inhalation and exhalation, Provent Therapy increases the pressure only during exhalation.

If you’ve ever blown up an air cushion and noticed that there is a flap on the inside of the cushion blocking the air you’ve just blown in from escaping, this is the concept behind Provent Therapy. The device attaches over the nostrils with a hypoallergenic adhesive. During inhalation, the valve opens, allowing the user to breathe in freely. When exhaling, the valve closes and air passing through the nose is directed through two small air channels. This increases the pressure in the airway to help keep the airway open until the start of the next inhalation. Provent is designed as a disposable one-time use device which is placed just inside your nostrils. It is small, discreet and does not require the use of electricity or any external wires. Provent Therapy has been cleared for use by the FDA for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and requires a doctor’s prescription. Provent Therapy cannot be used in conjunction with a CPAP machine.

Of course, the next question is; does Provent Therapy work? Clinical studies have shown that 83% of patients experienced a snoring reduction and less severe sleep apnea symptoms with Provent Therapy. Among OSA patients that snore, Provent Therapy virtually eliminated snoring in 58% of patients and that it had some effect on 72% of patients. Provent Therapy may not be as effective for some individuals who tend to breathe through their mouths.

As a new device, Provent may not be covered by your insurance carrier. At this time, Provent Therapy is only available in the United States, Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand.

For more information about sleep apnea treatments read our articles about CPAP and Sleep Apnea Surgeries.