What you need to know about sleep apnea!
When a person has sleep apnea, their breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep. Symptoms include daytime sleepiness, loud snoring, and restless sleep.
Most people with sleep apnea have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). This happens when there is a physical blockage in the upper airway. Another type, central sleep apnea (CSA), is due to a signaling problem in the nervous system.
When the airway closes, or the signal is held up, the person will stop breathing. This will happen temporarily but repeatedly during sleep. When they breathe again, they may snort, take a deep breath, or awaken completely with a sensation of gasping, smothering, or choking.
Untreated sleep apnea may lead to complications such as heart disease and depression. It can also leave a person feeling drowsy, increasing the risk of accidents while driving or working.
Here, learn more about the symptoms, causes, when to see a doctor, and treatment options.
A person with sleep apnea may be unaware of their symptoms, but another person may notice that while sleeping the person:
stops breathing for a while, followed by a noisy breath
gasps for air
snores loudly
The individual may notice that they experience:
restless sleep or insomnia
difficulty concentrating
waking up several times a night to urinate
awakening with a dry mouth or sore throat
irritability
decreased libido and erectile dysfunction
Click here for more detail on the symptoms, complications, and tests for sleep apnea.
Treatment
Treatment aims to normalize breathing during sleep and address any underlying health problems. The options will depend on the cause and severity of symptoms.
Lifestyle changes
Lifestyle modifications are essential to normalizing breathing and are critical first steps in treatment.
They include:
following a heart-healthy diet
developing healthy sleeping habits
limiting alcohol consumption
Can home remedies help with sleep apnea? Find out here.
Other options
Other treatment options include:
Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy
This is the main treatment for sleep apnea. It keeps the airway open by gently providing a constant stream of positive pressure air through a mask.
Some people have trouble using CPAP and stop the treatment before achieving any lasting benefit. However, many measures can help make the equipment more comfortable, and the adjustment period smooth.
A person can adjust the mask and its settings. Adding moisture to the air as it flows through the mask can relieve nasal symptoms.
Surgery
Various surgical procedures can widen the airway in people with OSA. Surgery can stiffen or shrink obstructing tissue, or remove excess tissue or enlarged tonsils.
Depending on the extent of the surgery, the person may undergo the procedure in a doctor’s office or a hospital.
Mandibular repositioning device (MRD)
This is a custom-made oral appliance suitable for individuals with mild or moderate OSA.
The mouthpiece holds the jaw in a forward position during sleep to expand the space behind the tongue. This helps keep the upper airway open, preventing apnea and snoring.
Side effects of an MRD may include jaw or tooth pain, and potential aggravation of temporomandibular joint disease.
Medication
Some drugs may help with CSA but should only be used after consultation with a sleep specialist. Examples include:
acetazolamide
zolpidem
triazolam
However, these may have severe adverse effects and may not be suitable for everyone.
