FactsYou Need Learn About Sleep Apnea
If there is reduction or stoppage of breathing of a person while asleep, the diagnosis could be sleep apnea.Routine visits to the doctor, however, are usually not enough to detect sleep apnea and this disorder often goes undiagnosed. 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.
A diagnosis of this condition would reveal either of three types of 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. Occurring most often in overweight persons, this is the most common type of apnea. 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. The treatment may involve the inconvenience of wearing dental appliances and masks nightly. Using a sleep apnea dental appliance is uncomfortable at first but you can get used to it. A sleep apnea chin strap 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.
Some lifestyle changes of patients could also help in apnea treatment. Avoiding alcoholic drinks, reducing weight and quitting smoking are some lifestyle change options. Having the body at a 30-degree elevation while sleeping to prevent airway collapse due to gravity could also help in apnea treatment. The reduction in the gravitational cause of sleep apnea could also be achieved by sleeping on a sideways position.
For those who want surgery, several procedures may be undertaken. These involve palate implants, nasal surgery, tongue reduction surgery, genioglossus advancement, uvulopalatopharyngoplasty, bariatric surgery, tracheostomy, and maxi-mandibular advancement.
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