How does eXciteOSA work?

The world’s first clinically proven daytime therapy for mild obstructive sleep apnoea & primary snoring

Reduced tongue endurance: a common root cause of OSA

Apnoeas and hypopneas are caused by collapse of the upper airway. Studies have demonstrated that patients with OSA have reduced tongue muscle endurance. eXciteOSA promotes the endurance of the tongue muscles to prevent the collapse of the upper airway during sleep3.

Targeted therapy

eXciteOSA delivers targeted Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES) to tone the upper airway muscles and tongue to prevent them from collapsing in the airway3.

Free the airway

Reduce sleep apnoea severity with the world’s first clinically proven daytime therapy used during the day for night-time results. Therapy with eXciteOSA is associated with increased tongue muscle endurance, improved mild sleep obstructive apnoea and improved quality of sleep1-3.

The science

NMES applied to the tongue: a new, FDA-cleared and patient-friendly daytime therapy helping to treat a common root cause of mild obstructive sleep apnoea and snoring.

Combining two established concepts has led to a revolutionary daytime therapy

1. The tongue

Research has shown that individuals with OSA have impaired genioglossus (tongue) endurance compared to those without OSA6.

2. NMES

Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) of skeletal muscles is associated with an improvement of muscle endurance4-5.

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) machines stimulates the sensory nerves (the nerves that send signals from the body to the brain) with the purpose of disrupting the pain signal.

Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) also uses electrical stimulation, but targets the motor nerves (the nerves that send signals from the brain to the body) in order to stimulate the muscles directly.

Sensory and motor nerves fire at different frequencies, which is how TENS and NMES devices are able to impact them differently.

eXciteOSA® is a user-controllable neuromuscular electrical stimulator (NMES) that delivers a mild electrical current with defined frequencies to stimulate and improve muscle function in the mouth and tongue.

Unlike traditional sleep apnoea treatments, eXciteOSA® targets the tongue to promote endurance of the muscle, thereby reducing airway collapse and snoring during sleep.

A daytime therapy with no night-time wearable necessary for a better night’s sleep.

There are several options for treating sleep apnoea.

Manudibular advancement devices (MADs) work by temporarily moving the jaw forward, in order to create more space in the airway.

CPAP delivers air pressure through a mask to open up the airway.

Surgery is usually an option to consider after other treatments have failed. Examples include removal of soft tissues from the airway, or procedures designed to stiffen the airway.

NMES physiologically retrains the upper airway and tongue to maintain the tongue’s natural position while you sleep, effectively helping your body help itself. eXciteOSA for sleep apnoea is the only device that delivers NMES.

NMES (eXciteOSA®)
NMES
MAD / CPAP
MAD / CPAP
surgery
SURGERY
Treats a root cause of snoring true false true
Nothing to wear at night true false true
Evidence based true true true
Low cost trial period true false false
Helps your body to help itself true false false

Using eXciteOSA

Its quick, easy, comfortable and it works

Sits on the tongue

Once a day the medical grade silicone mouthpiece is placed in the mouth to sit around the tongue.

NMES therapy

During the 20-minute therapy session, gentle electrical pulses stimulate the tongue to improve muscle endurance.

Sleep freely

The result, after the initial 6-weeks, is a “retrained” tongue that holds its position at night, letting you sleep soundly.

Backed by evidence

Multiple studies have been conducted with over 140 patients and more are on the way.

90%
of users experienced a reduction in their snoring1
89%
of bed partners noticed a difference in snoring1
78%
of sleep apnoea patients achieved a reduction in sleep apnoea severity2

Try today with our sleep guarantee*

Use for just 20 minutes a day, every day for six weeks, to help maximise long term results.

Risk-free trial

* Terms and Conditions of the Sleep Guarantee: You must start using the exciteOSA For Sleep Apnoea within 1 x calendar week of receiving your eXciteOSA. For optimal results, you should use it every day for 6 weeks. However, we know that we are all only human and people forget things – so we ask that you use it for a total of 6 weeks (a total of 42 days) within an 8 week period (56 days). A session is equivalent to 20 minutes. In addition, it is recommended that you increase the therapy intensity gradually over the treatment period to ensure that you give the treatment every chance of being effective. Please note that once the initial therapy is finished and to maintain the treatment you need to use the device at least twice a week forever.

The mouthpiece is a precision piece of engineering responsible for delivering neuromuscular electrical stimulation targeted primarily at the tongue. It needs to be replaced every 3 months and therefore will not be refunded as part of the ‘try before you buy offer’. We will deduct £70 + VAT from the final refund amount. Signifier will send you a return label for the device to be returned. Please contact Signifier Medical to arrange this.

References

  1. Baptista PM, Martinez Ruiz de Apodaca P, Carrasco M, Fernandez S, Wong PY, Zhang H, Hassaan A, Kotecha B. Daytime neuromuscular electrical therapy of tongue muscles in improving snoring in individuals with primary snoring and mild obstructive sleep apnea. J Clin Med 10(9):1-11 (2021).
  2. Nokes B, Baptista PM, Martínez Ruiz de Apodaca P, Carrasco-Llatas M, Fernandez S, Kotecha B, Wong PY, Zhang H, Hassaan A, Malhotra A. Transoral awake state neuromuscular stimulation therapy for mild obstructive sleep apnea. Sleep & Breathing (in-press; 2022).
  3. Nokes B, Schmickl CN, Brena R, Bosompra NN, Gilbertson D, Sands, SA, Bhattacharjee R, Mann DL, Ow ens RL, Malhotra A, Orr JE. The impact of daytime transoral neuromuscular stimulation on upper airway physiology in snoring and mild OSA. Physiological Reports (in-press; 2022).
  4. Nuhr M, Crevenna R, Gohlsch B, Bittner C, Pleiner J, Wiesinger G, Fialka-Moser V, Quittan M, Pette D. Functional and biochemical properties of chronically stimulated human skeletal muscle. Eur J Appl Physiol 2003;89:202-208
  5. Gondin J, Brocca L, Bellinzona E, D’Antona G, Maffiuletti NA, Miotti D, Pellegrino MA, Bottinelli R. Neuromuscular electrical stimulation training induces atypical adaptations of the human skeletal muscle phenotype: a functional and proteomic analysis. J Appl Physiol 2011;110:433-450.
  6. Eckert DJ, Lo YL, Saboisky JP, Jordan AS, White DP, Malhotra A. Sensorimotor function of the upper-airway muscles and respiratory sensory processing in untreated obstructive sleep apnea. J Appl Physiol 2011;111(6):1644-1653.