Inspire Sleep - Gwinnett Sleep

Inspire Sleep

Inspire Sleep Can Cure Your Sleep Apnea

The Inspire Program is an innovative new technology that, unlike CPAP machines which simply manage symptoms, works to actively cure your obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). OSA, like other sleep disorders, can cause chronic snoring and other symptoms that disrupt both you and your partner’s sleep. Thankfully, the Inspire Program works to reduce snoring and provide clients with a good night’s sleep.

How Does It Work?

Inspire Sleep is a small device that is placed under your skin in a same-day outpatient procedure that takes about 2 hours. When implanting the device, your doctor will make 2-3 small incisions under your chin, below your collarbone and possibly on the side of your ribcage. This device stops snoring by delivering mild stimulation to the muscles in your airways which allows the airway to remain open during sleep.

The Inspire device is controlled by a handheld remote that is turned on before sleep. When the device is on, it sends mild stimulation to your motor nerve, which gently pushes your tongue out of the way to facilitate easier breathing. This stimulation should not feel uncomfortable or painful, nor should it disrupt your sleep. The Inspire device is designed to be practically invisible and unable to be felt during the day.

How To Join The Inspire Program

To begin the Inspire Program, you must first go through an airway exam to see if you qualify for the device. Part of the qualification is that you have already tried using CPAP to treat your sleep apnea and it did not work for you. During this exam, you will be put to sleep and doctors will use a small camera to observe how your airway opens and closes. The airway exam process takes about 20 minutes, and once it is complete you’ll know if Inspire is right for you.

Once you have qualified for the device, you can set up your Inspire procedure to receive the implant. After the procedure, you can take over-the-counter medication during recovery and resume non-strenuous activity within a few days, although you should wait to begin strenuous activities after a few weeks.

What Is The Cost Of The Inspire Program?

The cost of Inspire Sleep varies depending on each insurance plan, although most insurance providers will cover at least a portion of the cost. Whether your plan has a high or low deductible rate will also play a factor in how much you must spend out of pocket, although typically it will range from $1000-$2000.

How To Prepare For Your Appointment

To prepare for your appointment, you should bring your most recent sleep study along with any questions you may have for the sleep specialist. You should also be ready to discuss your struggles when using CPAP masks and any other sleep related topics. These include sleep anxiety, insomnia, and prescription sleep medications.

What Are The Benefits Of The Inspire Program?

With Inspire Sleep, you can get the restful sleep that you deserve with the simple click of a button. Unlike CPAP machines, there is no clunky or noisy equipment to distract you from falling asleep. The Inspire device is so small and unnoticeable that you may even forget it is there. The incisions made to implant the device are tiny and leave minimal scarring, so getting the procedure done is not only quick and painless, but also won’t create any lasting blemishes.

The Inspire device also will not limit your daily activities, so once the short recovery period is complete, you can go right back to participating in any activity you normally would. The Inspire device also will not affect your ability to undergo an MRI test on your head, neck, or extremities, provided that you tell your doctor about the device and follow specific instructions for testing.

The Inspire Program helps patients and their partners achieve restful sleep due to the easier breathing it facilitates, as this process lets the patient sleep without any disruptions and reduces snoring that may negatively affect their partner’s ability to sleep. With Inspire, patients are able to be cured of their sleep apnea instead of simply treating the symptoms of this sleep disorder.

 

When To Get Your Device Replaced

The battery in the Inspire device is designed to be long-lasting to limit the amount of replacement procedures you will need in your lifetime. The battery can last for up to 11 years, and when the battery runs low all it requires is another quick outpatient procedure to replace the device.

What this means for the patient is that other than pressing the activation button at night, they are not required to think about the device until it is time for a replacement, except for when receiving a checkup on the device. The device should be checked 1 to 2 times a year to ensure it is working properly to manage your sleep apnea.

The Importance Of Inspire

The Inspire Program is important as it effectively stops sleep apnea from occurring. Untreated sleep apnea can lead to adverse effects such as an increased risk of stroke, heart attack, and diabetes. The sleep deprivation caused from sleep apnea can also lead to workplace or automobile accidents.

Sleep deprivation has a negative effect on your overall health, so managing sleep apnea and achieving restful sleep is an important factor in staying healthy and reducing your risk of developing other medical conditions. With the Inspire device, sleep apnea becomes a thing of the past and patients who have undergone the procedure are able to achieve the restful sleep they need to stay healthy.

FAQ's

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How does inspire work for sleep apnea?

The Inspire Sleep Program is an FDA approved small device designed to treat obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) by allowing your airways to stay open during sleep. The device is implanted during a quick outpatient procedure that takes about 2 hours. Inspire is inserted with two to three small incisions, one under the chin and one below the collarbone. Some patients will require a third incision on the side of their ribcage.

When the device is inserted, it is activated before sleep with a handheld remote. During sleep, Inspire will send mild stimulation to muscles in your airways that keep them open. This involves gently pushing your tongue out of the way to facilitate easier breathing without blockage of the airway.

Before you can receive the Inspire device, you must first discover if you qualify for the program. The qualifications for Inspire include being diagnosed with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea, trying CPAP machines without satisfactory results, and conducting the Inspire airway exam.

The Inspire device does more than manage the symptoms of sleep apnea, instead it works to treat the sleep disorder itself by ridding the body of chronic snoring and providing patients with a good night’s sleep. Besides working to end sleep apnea for good, Inspire has many other added benefits.

The Inspire program has very little recovery time, so receiving the Inspire device will not limit your daily life. In fact, patients who undergo the Inspire procedure can resume non-strenuous activities within a few days, and strenuous activities within a couple of weeks.

Another benefit of the Inspire device is that it is almost impossible to feel during the day, and even when the device is activated before sleep, the stimulation it sends out is barely noticeable. The feeling it provides to move your tongue forward during the night is also not uncomfortable or painful.

The Inspire Program is also designed to be a long lasting solution, so it will help stop snoring and other problems caused by sleep apnea for many years. The battery included in the device is meant to last for approximately 11 years, and once the battery life is running low, the device is simply replaced during another quick procedure.

If you’ve tried other sleep apnea treatment options such as lifestyle changes, CPAP masks, oral appliances, or even surgery, and did not get the results you wished for, then the Inspire Program may be the next step for you. Figuring out what works for managing your sleep apnea is crucial, as untreated sleep apnea can greatly increase your risk of workplace or automobile accidents, diabetes, heart attacks, or stroke.

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Does medicare cover inspire for sleep apnea?

The Inspire Program strives to be accessible for everybody, so most insurance plans are able to cover at least some of the cost of the device. The cost of Inspire depends on which specific insurance plan each client has, although even out of pocket the Inspire device will only be about $2000.

Although this may seem daunting, it is an investment for your future since the battery life of the Inspire device is approximately 11 years and can be replaced during a simple outpatient procedure. This means that a one time fee will grant you at least a decade of sleep apnea treatment.

For traditional insurance providers, the cost of the Inspire system is either fully or partially covered, with most patients only having to pay a small deductible fee. Medicare also provides coverage for the Inspire Program for patients who qualify and meet the eligibility requirements.

Medicare is a government national health insurance program, so the coverage it provides reaches nationwide. This means that no matter where you are located in the United States, Medicare will cover at least part of the cost of your Inspire device.

If you have questions about how to meet eligibility requirements, your doctor can discuss what the qualifications for receiving coverage from Medicare are. The best way to get informed about the details of the Inspire program is to schedule an appointment with your doctor and figure out the next steps with their help.

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How much does inspire sleep cost?

The Inspire Program is a method of treating obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) that uses upper airway stimulation to fix breathing patterns and keep your airway open during sleep. The Inspire device is controlled by a handheld remote that is turned on before sleep.

When the device is on, it sends mild stimulation to your motor nerve, which gently pushes your tongue out of the way to facilitate easier breathing. This stimulation should not feel uncomfortable or painful, nor should it disrupt your sleep. The Inspire device is designed to be practically invisible and unable to be felt during the day.

To begin the Inspire Program, you must first go through an airway exam to see if you qualify for the device. Part of the qualification is that you have already tried using CPAP to treat your sleep apnea and it did not work for you. During this exam, you will be put to sleep and doctors will use a small camera to observe how your airway opens and closes. The airway exam process takes about 20 minutes, and once it is complete you’ll know if Inspire is right for you.

Once you have qualified for the device, you can set up your Inspire procedure to receive the implant. After the procedure, you can take over-the-counter medication during recovery and resume non-strenuous activity within a few days, although you should wait to begin strenuous activities after a few weeks.

The cost of Inspire Sleep varies depending on each insurance plan, although most insurance providers will cover at least a portion of the cost. Whether your plan has a high or low deductible rate will also play a factor in how much you must spend out of pocket, although typically it will range from $1000-$2000.

The Inspire Program strives to be accessible for everybody, so most insurance plans are able to cover at least some of the cost of the device. The cost of Inspire depends on which specific insurance plan each client has, although even out of pocket the Inspire device will only be about $2000.

For traditional insurance providers, the cost of the Inspire system is either fully or partially covered, with most patients only having to pay a small deductible fee. Medicare also provides coverage for the Inspire Program for patients who qualify and meet the eligibility requirements.

Whatever the cost ends up being for your Inspire procedure, your doctors will work with you to find the most affordable option, including beginning a payment plan if necessary. Your doctor’s priority is treating your sleep apnea, so be sure to discuss payment options to find what works best for you.