Obstructive sleep apnoea (adjunctive care)
Also known as: obstructive sleep apnoea, sleep apnea, osa, snoring with pauses
Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is repeated breathing pauses during sleep from a collapsing airway, causing loud snoring, unrefreshing sleep and daytime sleepiness. A sleep study and CPAP or dental devices are standard care, and untreated OSA raises heart and stroke risk. Chinese medicine sees it as Phlegm-Damp obstruction, often with Spleen deficiency.
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Lifestyle & Diet
- •Get a sleep study if you snore loudly with pauses — diagnosis guides treatment.
- •Use CPAP or dental devices exactly as prescribed; acupuncture does not replace them.
- •Lose weight if overweight — even 5–10% can significantly improve OSA.
- •Sleep on your side rather than your back.
- •Avoid alcohol and sedatives before bed.
Cautions & Contraindications
- •OSA is a medical diagnosis — a sleep study and CPAP/dental care come first; Chinese medicine is adjunctive only.[,]
- •CV22 must be needled by a trained practitioner, directed downward behind the sternum — never deep or upward.[]
When to reassess or seek care again
Track daytime sleepiness (e.g. Epworth score) monthly; sleep study follow-up stays with the sleep clinic.
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Sources & Further Reading
Clinical guidance, red flags and safety notes on this page draw on the following current sources alongside the classical references above.
- NHS · 2024
- Sleep Health Foundation Australia · 2024
- AHPRA / Chinese Medicine Board of Australia · 2024
Educational reference for licensed practitioners. Not a substitute for individual clinical assessment. Refer to conventional care for any red-flag or undiagnosed presentation.