A chinstrap alone will treat Snoring and Obstructive Sleep Apnoea = FAKE NEWS!

Medical and health information is easily available online for the general population and the wider community. Most people access this information from social media, which isn’t a bad thing, but when the information is incorrect and people are misinformed this can be dangerous when receiving treatment for medical conditions.

A CPAP machine is the gold standard treatment for obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) and as most people know having to wear a CPAP mask every night can be cumbersome. For some people adhering to CPAP therapy is an issue and they are continually searching for an alternative treatment method. An advertisement for a very popular chinstrap (not naming anyone) can be found on social media sites such as Facebook and Instagram. Their claim is that using a chinstrap alone is a miracle solution to a CPAP machine and will not only stop you from snoring but treat your OSA. In fact their selling point is that their chinstrap is better than a CPAP device and other treatment options.

THIS IS FAKE NEWS!

The makers of this product have based this information on ONE case study that was conducted on ONE patient in 2007¹. The result of this study was unique and did find that the chinstrap was effective, for that patient, however, they recommended further scientific investigation as to the beneficial effect of a chinstrap as treatment. Further investigation into trialling a chinstrap to treat OSA was conducted in 2014² and this clinical trial found that a chinstrap alone was not an effective treatment for OSA and snoring. The authors of the 2007 study actually acknowledged that they were being cited and incorrectly referenced in the online advertising of this chinstrap in 2014³. They claim that their intention was never to recommend using a chinstrap alone to treat snoring and OSA.

So please consult with your specialist before purchasing a product online that makes unsubstantiated claims regarding the treatment of your sleeping disorder.

1. Vorona RD, Ware JC, Sinacori JT, Ford ML, Cross JP, authors. Treatment of severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome with a chin strap. J Clin Sleep Med. 2007;3:729–30. [PubMed Central][PubMed]
2. Bhat S, Gushway-Henry N, Polos PG, et al., authors. The efficacy of a chinstrap in treating sleep disordered breathing and snoring. J Clin Sleep Med. 2014;10:887–92. [PubMed]
3. Vorona RD, Ware JC, authors. Use of a Chinstrap in Treating Sleep Disordered Breathing and Snoring. J Clin Sleep Med. 2014; 10;(12);1361 [PubMed]