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Could TENS pads replace CPAP masks for treating sleep apnea?

Could TENS pads replace CPAP masks for treating sleep apnea?
Portable TENS setups like the one pictured here (being used to treat a problematic knee) may offer an alternative to CPAP masks
Portable TENS setups like the one pictured here (being used to treat a problematic knee) may offer an alternative to CPAP masks
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Portable TENS setups like the one pictured here (being used to treat a problematic knee) may offer an alternative to CPAP masks
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Portable TENS setups like the one pictured here (being used to treat a problematic knee) may offer an alternative to CPAP masks
A conventional CPAP system
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A conventional CPAP system

One of the most common treatments for sleep apnea involves wearing an air mask while sleeping, which can be awkward and uncomfortable. A new study, however, suggests that a simple TENS muscle-stimulating system may actually work better.

While many people may think that obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is just a fancy term for snoring, it's actually a condition in which people stop breathing multiple times throughout the night.

It typically occurs when muscles in the head and neck relax, causing the surrounding tissue to press on the windpipe. Not only do sufferers tend to snore loudly, they also experience daytime fatigue and have a heightened risk of heart disease.

OSA is commonly treated with a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine, which keeps the patient's airway open by pumping air into it via a mask that covers their mouth and nose. Sleeping while wearing such an apparatus can be difficult, though, causing many people to stop using it over time.

A conventional CPAP system
A conventional CPAP system

Led by Prof. Joerg Steier, scientists at King's College London recently looked to a much less intrusive alternative – transcutaneous electrical stimulation (TENS) machines.

The portable battery-powered devices are frequently used to alleviate muscle pain and stiffness, by delivering a pulsating mild electrical current through electrode pads adhered to the skin in the affected area. That current causes the muscles to repeatedly contract and relax.

In the TESLA (Transcutaneous Electrical stimulation in obstructive SLeep Apnea) trial, Steier and colleagues set out to see if TENS could reduce OSA by stimulating the genioglossus muscle, which is the strongest dilator muscle in the upper airway. A total of 56 test subjects were involved, all of whom had previously exhibited "a documented lack of adherence to CPAP therapy."

The participants were randomly divided into two groups, one of which self-administered TENS treatment every night via two electrode pads adhered to the underside of their jaw. The other group stayed with conventional CPAP therapy.

After three months it was found that people in the TENS group showed marked improvements in nocturnal breathing along with a significant reduction of daytime fatigue, as compared to the CPAP group. A larger multi-center trial is now being planned.

"A TENS machine is non-invasive, has little side effects, and is cheap," said Steier. "The TESLA trial shows us the potential of a new therapeutic option, transcutaneous electrical stimulation, and it will be interesting to see how the method can be used in clinical practice."

A paper on the research was recently published in the journal The Lancet.

Source: King's College London

11 comments
11 comments
Eggbones
It doesn't seem as though sticking pads to one's jaw would be less invasive than a mask. Having used a CPAP for 15 years, I don't even know whether I'm wearing it - I often have to check.
soundnado
Zolpidem works for me. 😊
mopinwil
I would prefer pads
TechGazer
Simple pads with wires might be uncomfortable, but given today's batteries and wireless communication, I think a comfortable solution is possible. It would be much more difficult to make a mask and hose comfortable. I typically toss and turn for maybe 1.5 hrs before falling asleep, so a hose would be a problem.
MarkSompel
You can teach yourself to breathe normally through your nose, like you used to when you were young.

Get rid of machines, doctors, drugs.

Read Breath by James Nestor.

Both my wife and I are going through the exercises to learn to breathe again and they are working wonders.
PAV
I have my pads and a tens, exactly how do I use it?
gjonko
This off topic somewhat but the TENS unit is also a life/sleep savor for me because of my horrible four decades of struggle with RLS ( restless leg syndrome ), using the tens units for 30 to 45 minutes on the back of my calf and thighs before getting into bed each night has been a game changer for me. It is no cure by any means but it really helps hold off the RLS so I get 4 to 6 hours of sleep a night. I hope this can help others who have also gone through life sleepless, knowing the only true RLS relief will be death.
Wombat56
gjonko, have you tried low dose gabapentin for your RLS? If not, talk to your doctor.
Nostradamus
Lose weight. One of the main components contributing to sleep apnea is obesity
FrankHodges
Gjonko, Have you tried a high dose of CBD oil? I find I get better sleep at night, and what little restless leg syndrome that I do have goes away.
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