- There are two types of sleep apnea. Central sleep apnea is the least common, and is mainly controlled by the brain. In central sleep apnea, the area of your brain that controls breathing stops sending signals, and you cease breathing for short periods of time. Snoring does not usually accompany central sleep apnea. It is not uncommon for central sleep apnea to work hand-in-hand with the other type, obstructive sleep apnea.
With obstructive sleep apnea, your breathing pauses while you are sleep. This pausing can occur up to 30 times during an hour, with normal breathing starting again in tandem with a loud snort of snore. With obstructive sleep apnea, the airway collapses or becomes blocked while the person is asleep, causing the pause in breathing. Many times, a person suffering who is from this condition doesn't realize the pausing is even happening, and is made aware of it by a sleep partner. - When a person is awake, her throat muscles work to keep their airway open so she can breathe. Air is able to flow from her mouth into her lungs. When she is asleep, these muscles relax, which in normal cases doesn't affect the sleeping person's breathing. The airways of a person who is suffering from sleep apnea can become blocked or narrowed, simply because of this relaxation in the throat muscles. The tongue or tonsils can be larger than the windpipe opening, causing pauses in breathing due to the blockage.
Most people who suffer from sleep apnea are overweight, which causes a thickening of the windpipe. This makes it harder for the windpipe to remain open. Even the shape of your head and neck can cause sleep apnea. This sometimes means that the airway into the mouth and throat is smaller than normal, which triggers the sleep apnea. Age can also trigger this condition, because the brain is no longer sending the correct signals to the muscles in your throat.
When any of the above symptoms occur, oxygen in your body is dropping to a dangerous level and your brain snaps into action, triggering your body to wake up. When this happens, the muscles in your airway tighten, opening your windpipe once again to restart the process of breathing. - Studies in the United States estimate that more than 12 million adults suffer from this condition, and most of these people are overweight. It's a condition that seems to affect men more than women, with one out of every 25 men suffering from sleep apnea. This condition tends to become more common as a person reaches middle age.
One out of every 50 women is affected by the condition, with most of them being middle-aged. It's more common for women to develop sleep apnea once they reach menopause and after. In fact, it's estimated that people over the age of 65 develop this condition at a rate of one out of every 10 people.
Compared to Caucasians, Hispanics, African-Americans and Pacific Islanders develop this condition at a much higher rate. It also seems that sleep apnea may be hereditary. It's more likely you will suffer from sleep apnea if family members also suffer from the condition. If the airway in your nose, throat or mouth is smaller than normal, your chances of developing sleep apnea are greater. Allergies are also known to cause the condition. Children may develop sleep apnea due to enlarged tonsils. - The most common signs of the condition are pauses in breathing and the loud snoring or gasping for breath once the person awakes. There are other signs, though. A person suffering from sleep apnea is usually tired during the day, because his sleep has been interrupted during the night. Since sleep apnea seems to occur several nights out of every week, this sleepiness during the day can affect a person's ability to function as he normally would.
Other symptoms include having headaches in the morning, waking with a dry throat, urinating during the night, having difficulty in concentrating and exhibiting irritability or depression. Sleep apnea can also cause a person to have mood swings, thus bringing on changes in her personality due to lack of sleep.
A child who is suffering from sleep apnea can exhibit signs of aggressiveness or hyperactivity. His performance at school may also become affected. He may start wetting the bed, and you may notice that he doesn't breath out of his nose, but instead out of his mouth. - When diagnosing sleep apnea, your doctor will first want to know your symptoms, as well as your medical and family history. He may then recommend that you visit a doctor who specializes in sleep disorders. You may be asked to keep a diary of your sleep patterns for several weeks and note how you feel during the day. You'll also be asked to record how much you snore and how loud it is. Of course, you'll need a family member to note these symptoms for you.
During the exam, your nose, throat and mouth will be examined to check for larger-than-normal tissues that could be causing the blockage. You may also be asked to undergo a sleep analysis in which your sleeping and breathing patterns will be evaluated. This study generally occurs at a sleep lab that is designed specifically for this type of examination. The testing will evaluate your brain activity, eye movement, heart and breathing rate, the levels of oxygen in your blood and the amount of air that is inhaled and exhaled. You will then be offered a course of treatment. - Since there are no medicines on the market to treat sleep apnea, a doctor will suggest other forms of treatment to stop the condition and restore normal sleep. Some of the treatments include changes to your lifestyle, the wearing of mouthpieces and the use of devices to help your breathing. Surgery is also another option, but is a last resort.
In mild cases, you may nearly need to lose weight, avoid alcohol or sleeping medications, change your sleeping position or stop smoking. There are also special mouthpieces that are designed to allow your airway to remain open by adjusting the position of your tongue and lower jaw.
Surgery may be the last resort in treating sleep apnea and restoring proper sleep. The surgery widens breathing passages and shrinks or stiffens the tissue in the mouth. This type of surgery can usually be done in the doctor's office. If excess tissue (such as tonsils) needs to be removed, this will have to be done in a hospital. Recovery from these procedures generally takes several weeks, with soreness or pain in the throat being the worst result. - Sleep apnea is a serious condition that can affect a person's everyday life. It's imperative to have it diagnosed and receive treatment as soon as possible. Continuation of this condition can lead to serious conditions, such as high blood pressure, stroke or irregular heartbeat. Sleep apnea at its worst can even lead to heart failure and death. It's best to take all of these factors into consideration when dealing with this condition, and to talk to a health professional about treating it as soon as possible. Dealing with sleep apnea can lead to a healthier and happier life.
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