FactsYou Should Understand About Sleep Apnea

by feedme on May 21, 2009

When breathing of a person during sleep is reduced or stops, this condition could be diagnosed as sleep apnea.Ordinary examination by the doctor, however, is usually insufficient to detect this disorder and sleep apnea often goes undetected. Because the condition manifests only while sleeping, most patients would not be able to tell first-hand if they have symptoms of sleep apnea. This condition could only be noticed if a patient’s family member or bed partner calls attention to the problem.

Diagnosis may reveal any of three types of sleep apnea. These apnea types include central apnea, obstructive apnea, and a combination of the two.

Central apnea occurs when the brain of a person asleep fails to activate the muscles for breathing. Obstructive apnea, on the other hand, happens when the person’s airway collapses during sleep. This is the most common type of sleep apnea and occurs mostly in overweight patients. Obstructive sleep apnea has several possible complications. Such possibilities that could occur are high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, sleepiness during the day resulting in concentration and thinking difficulties that may lead to accidents while driving. Diagnosis and evaluation of obstructive sleep apnea is done through physical examination, medical history and polysomnography on the patient. If you think you might be suffering from sleep apnea you should see a doctor for sleep apnea treatments.

It is very important for a person with obstructive sleep apnea to undergo treatment. It is tempting for most people afflicted with this disorder to forego treatment. Treatment could be inconvenient as it may entail wearing masks and dental appliances every night. Using a sleep apnea dentist is uncomfortable at first but you can get used to it. A chin strap for sleep apnea is slightly less uncomfortable, but is very unattractive. Surgical treatment is painful and is not guaranteed to be successful.Due to these inconveniences, painful treatment and uncertain results, only an estimated 10% of obstructive sleep apnea patients undergo treatment.

It is therefore important to educate the rest of the 90% of those patients of the consequences of non-treatment of their disorder.r Putting themselves at risk is bad enough and what is worse is that they pose a risk to others when they are driving. To the patient, the non-treatment of obstructive sleep apnea carries the increased risk of strokes, heart attacks, high blood pressure, poor work productivity, reduced attentiveness, and in extreme cases, untimely death.

Treatment of patients suffering from obstructive apnea should be discussed with the doctor as soon as possible. Other than surgery, wearing mask and dental appliances, there are more palatable treatments of patients. An apnea patient may have the choice to undergo behavioral theraphy, or treatments involving airway pressure.

Changing a patient’s lifestyle could also help treat sleep apnea. These include refraining from taking alcoholic drinks or muscle relaxants, weight reduction and stopping smoking. Sleeping at a 30-degree elevation of the body could also help by preventing the collapse of the airway due to gravity. Sleeping on a sideways position may also beneficial in reducing the gravitational cause of sleep apnea.

For those who want surgery, several procedures may be undertaken. Procedures that may be suggested include, nasal surgery, tongue reduction surgery, palate implants, bariatric surgery, maxi-mandibular advancement and uvulopapatopahryngoplasty.

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