Treatments For Sleep Apnea

The purpose of treating sleep apnea (obstructive) is to allow the patient to be able to breathe regularly as they sleep. The treatment also helps to get relief from snoring loudly and being chronically sleepy during the day.

Treatment of sleep apnea also helps to reduce medical problems, such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and other medical conditions.

Types of Treatments

There are different types of treatments to use for sleep apnea. Here are some of the more common ones:

· Lifestyle changes
· CPAP
· Mouthpiece or oral appliance
· Surgery
· Therapies

With treatment, you can get more sleep and get rid of being tired and sleepy during the daytime. Your overall health will improve along with you being happier that you are able to get more sleep without being interrupted at night.

It can also help your mate get more sleep as well. You won’t be disturbing them by getting up at different times of the night making snorting and gasping noises.

Lifestyle Changes for Sleep Apnea

If you sleep on your back, you are subject to develop sleep apnea. The way you position yourself as you lie down on the bed can make or break you. It can determine how many times you experience obstructive sleep apnea. It also determines how mild or severe the sleep apnea can affect you.

Sometimes it has to do with gravity. Gravity can cause your throat not to get enough air when you are lying on your back. For those who sleep on their back can experience up to 80 apneas per hour. They can get rid of this dilemma is they change and sleep on either their left or right side. However, if you are overweight or obese, this may not help much.

You can make some lifestyle changes in order to deal with obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea:

· If you are overweight or obese, losing weight can help. Weight loss can help your throat to be less restrictive. Eat more healthy fruits and vegetables. Be more physically active. If you are not sure how to go about losing weight, consult with your physician.

· Leave the sleeping pills and related medicines alone. Also, don’t drink alcohol as a sedative to get you to sleep.

· The passageway of your nasal area should not be blocked. If you have trouble keeping them open, use a nasal spray or stick. You can also use decongestants, but it’s not for long-term use.

· If you are used to sleeping on your back, that can pose a problem. Try sleeping on your side or your stomach. If you sleep on your back, your tongue and soft palate of your throat will sit on the back. This creates a blockage of the throat’s airway. One unique idea is place something like a small back in the back of your nightgown or pajamas.

· Elevate the head of your bed to improve your level of oxygen that you’re taking in.

· If you smoke cigarettes, you will have to kick the habit as soon as possible.

Alternative medicine treatments, such as acupuncture have been used to treat sleep apnea, but there is more research to be done. Because of this, do not use this method as a means to get rid of this condition. Consult with your physician before considering any alternative treatment for sleep apnea.

How To Diagnose Sleep Apnea With Sleep Studies?

Sleep studies are normally performed in a sleep center or a sleep lab. This may or may not be in a hospital. If the study is conducted in the sleep center, you may have an overnight stay. However, this is not always etched in stone.

The good thing about sleep studies is you will not endure any pain. The only thing that may affect you is skin irritation from the sensors. When the sensors are removed from your skin, you will not experience any more irritation.

If your sleep study is during the day, bring a book or a magazine to keep you from getting bored. Although the risks of sleep studies are minimal, these studies take time (at least several hours).

There are different tests for sleep studies. One of them is called a polysomnogram (poly-SOM-no-gram) or PSG test. This test is conducted in a sleep center or sleep lab. More than likely with this test, it will require an overnight stay.

You will have electrodes and monitors on your scalp, face, chest, limbs and fingers. As you are sleeping, the following items will be monitored:

· The movement of your eyes

· The activity in your brain

· The activity in your muscles

· The rate of your heart

· The rhythm of your heart

· Blood pressure

· Air movement in and out of your lungs

· How much oxygen is in your blood

As you sleep, the staff on duty will use sensors to check on your as you sleep during the night. After the PSG is complete, the sleep specialist will go over the results with you. They will be able to determine whether or not you have sleep apnea and if it is serious or not. From the results, they will be able to chart a course of treatment.

A Multiple Sleep Latency Test or MSLT, is used to determine how sleepy you are in the daytime. This test is usually performed after a PSG. You will have devices placed on your scalp for monitoring purposes.

With this test, you will have to take a nap at least five times at 20 minutes for each one. This is supposed to be done every 2 hours during times that you would be alert. The testers will check how long it will take you to go to sleep and how long you napped.

For those people who take less than five minutes to get to sleep are more likely candidates for a sleep disorder. When the testing is completed, the sleep specialist will provide you with the results and consult you about treatment options.


Where To Find A Sleep Specialist

If you need assistance finding a sleep specialist, there are several organizations that can assist you with that, such as:

· American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM)
· American Board of Sleep Medicine (ABSM)
· American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine (AADSM)

These organizations are made up of physicians, researchers and dentists that work with people affected with this sleep disorder. They work to further the advancement of sleep medicine and sleep research.

The physicians and researches that serve on the related boards are noted as “Board Certified” in the specialty of sleep medicine. The ABSM keeps an updated listing of sleep specialists. They can be located by state or by their name. The AADSM keeps and updated listing of dentists that specialize in treating sleep apnea patients by using oral devices.

Diagnosis Of Sleep Apnea

The way that physicians diagnose sleep apnea hinges on medical and family histories. They will also conduct a physical examination. They will study your symptoms. If they feel that the signs, symptoms and patterns fit this condition, then you will be referred for a sleep study.

Sleep studies are measurements that show your sleeping pattern. The results show how much and how well you sleep. If you have any problems with your sleeping, the studies will show the results of that.

If you are referred for a sleep study, it is important that you get one. The study can determine if you have been diagnosed with a sleep disorder, such as sleep apnea. Sleep apnea and other sleep disorders can increase your health risk for strokes, high blood pressure and heart attacks.

Physicians who are experienced in reading sleep studies can easily diagnose sleep apnea and provide treatment so that you can sleep better at night. The important thing is to let your physician know about any adverse sleeping habits you have experienced.

They would include fatigue and chronic sleepiness during the day. Also, advise your physician if you’ve had difficulty getting to sleep or waking up in the middle of the night and can’t go back to sleep.

You could be suffering from a sleep disorder that you are unaware of. Physicians experienced in sleep disorders will ask you about your sleep schedule. They will also ask your family members about any chronic snoring that they have dealt with.

Physicians who are experienced with sleep disorders are known as sleep specialists. They can easily diagnose and provide treatment for those who are experiencing problems sleeping.
In order to help the specialists pinpoint what’s going on, you should create and keep a sleep diary for no more than two weeks. This is the prelude to the sleep study. Here are some questions that you may see on a sleep diary:

· The time you went to bed the previous night

· The time you woke up in the morning

· How many hours you slept the previous night

· How many times you woke up during the night

· How long did it take you to fall asleep the previous night

· What medications you took the previous night

· If you were you wide awake when you woke up in the morning

· If you were you awake and tired when you woke up in the morning

· If you were you sleepy when you woke up in the morning

· The number of drinks with caffeine did you have during the day

· The number of alcoholic drinks did you have during the day

· The time that you consumed the alcoholic drinks

· The number of naps you had

· How long the naps lasted

· If you were very sleepy during the day

· If you were a little tired during the day

· If you were somewhat alert during the day

· If you were you wide awake during the day

Your physician may also inquire with you to ask the following:

· Snorting

· Gasping

· Headaches in the morning

If the results of the diary determine:

· Frequent naps

· Wake up more than a few times during the night

· Takes you more than a half hour to get to sleep

· Constantly sleepy in the daytime

Physical Exams To Check For Sleep Apnea

During the physical exam, your physician will check the areas of your throat, nose and mouth. They will be looking for enlarge or additional tissues. For children who are diagnosed with sleep apnea, they usually have enlarged tonsils. With them, it doesn’t take much to provide a diagnosis other than an exam and medical history.

For adults, the physicians look for an enlarged uvula, which is a piece of tissue that sits and hangs from the middle of the back of your mouth. They also look for a soft palate, which is in the back of your throat and is known as the roof of your mouth in that area.


How Family Members Can Help To Detect Sleep Apnea

Because most people don’t know that they’re suffering from sleep apnea, it’s important that there is someone that can detect abnormalities while you sleep. The person doesn’t know that their breathing can start and stop at any time during the night. They also don’t take into consideration when someone tells them that they are a chronic and loud snorer.

There are things that family members can do to help out:

· Let them know that they have a chronic case of loud snoring.
· Ask them to consult their physician.
· If they are diagnosed with sleep apnea, advise them to follow the instructions, including any post-op follow up and treatments.Be there for them emotionally. This can be a trying time for them, and they need all of the support that they can get.

Signs And Symptoms of Sleep Apnea

The most obvious sign of sleep apnea is snoring that is loud and consistent. You may pause while you are snoring. You may also choke or gasp after you have paused. When you sleep on your back, the snoring gets louder. If you sleep on your side, the snoring may not be as loud.

You may or may not snore every night. Eventually, the snoring may increase and it may get louder as you sleep.

Since you’re sleep while you’re snoring or gasping, you may not know that you’re having breathing issues. Others will see the signs before you and will let you know if it becomes a pattern. Be aware that just because you may be a chronic snorer, it doesn’t mean that you have sleep apnea.

Signs And Symptoms of Sleep Apnea

If you are fighting sleep during the day, that could be a sign that you have sleep apnea. If you’re not engaged in any activity, you may end up falling asleep very quickly. If this happens while you’re at work or you’re driving, the chances are greater that you may end up in a work-related accident or an accident while you’re driving.

There are other signs and symptoms that people may not associate with sleep apnea. They are:

· Headaches in the morning

· Frequent urination in the evening or night hours

· Moody or experiencing a change in your personality

· Can’t concentrate, focus or loss of memory

· Dry throat in the morning as you wake up

The muscles in your throat are used to keep the airway open so that you can get air into your lungs. However, when you’re sleeping, your throat muscles are relaxed. This means that your airway can be blocked and air won’t get into your lungs.

With obstructive sleep apnea, you can also experience the following:

· If you have a tiny structure at the head and neck, the size of the airway may be smaller in your mouth and throat.

· The muscles in your throat and your tongue are more relaxed than they should be.

· Being overweight or obese, you will have additional soft fat tissue. This tissue can get thick in the windpipe wall. There is not much of an opening and what is available may not stay open.


· If you are an older adult, the signals of your brain may not keep the muscles of your throat stiff like they should.

· With the blocked airways, you may end up snoring loudly as you sleep.

Low oxygen levels cause you not to be able to get a good night’s sleep. The muscles in the upper airway get tight and your windpipe is open. You are able to breathe normal again, until you start snorting or choking.

Along with the frequent low levels of oxygen and less hours of sleep, your stress hormones are released. This can cause you to have high blood pressure, a stroke, heart attack and abnormal heartbeats. The stress hormones can also cause you to have heart failure.

If your condition is not treated, you could be at a greater risk of obesity and diabetes.

Categories Of Sleep Apnea

There are three types of sleep apnea, however only two are discussed the most. There is obstructive sleep apnea, which is the most common type for this condition. With obstructive sleep apnea, your throat muscles collapse while you’re sleeping.

The other type of sleep apnea is called central sleep apnea. This type happens when your breathing muscles do not receive the right signals. The third one, which most people don’t experience, is called complex or mixed sleep apnea. This type is a combination of both conditions.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea, or OSA, blocks the air passage in your throat. Some other things that happen with this type of sleep disorder are:

· While you’re sleeping, the throat muscles collapse inward as you’re breathing.

· Air will go through the upper airway. This includes the nose, mouth and throat areas.

· As the muscles get wider, they block the collapse in order for the airway to remain open.

· You will have less oxygen in your blood. This causes your lungs to absorb air from the outside.

· Apnea happens when the back throat tissues are temporarily blocked. You stop breathing and if you wake up you may have to gasp for breath.

· Even if you do gasp for air or make snorting sounds, you may not necessarily wake up.

If you experience five or more apnea episodes per hour, it is considered to be part of obstructive sleep apnea.


Central Sleep Apnea

Central sleep apnea is not as common as obstructive sleep apnea. This type of sleep apnea starts in the brain (central nervous system). The brain will not send a signal to the airway muscles so that they can breathe.

The level of oxygen decreases and you will probably wake up. With this type of sleep apnea, people usually remember waking up. If you have heart disease or heart failure, then you are experiencing central sleep apnea.

Complex or Mixed Apnea

As mentioned earlier in this post, this is the combination of obstructive and central sleep apnea. With this type of sleep apnea, you will deal with obstructive sleep apnea, or OSA. In addition to that with good pressure from the airway, you will have constantly central sleep apnea.

If you are using CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure), the central sleep apnea will be acknowledged. This happens after the obstruction has been cleared.

What is Sleep Apnea ?

Sleep apnea is a condition when you temporarily stop breathing while you’re sleeping or the breaths that you take are shallow. The temporary breathing can last from a few seconds and go on for a few minutes. These breathing interruptions can happen so many times an hour, even more than 30 times within that 60 minute time span.

Afterwards, you would breathe normal again. It may be accompanied by loud snorting or choking. This condition can interrupt you from getting a good night’s sleep. It causes you not to get as much sleep as you need to. Sleep apnea causes you to be tired and sleepy during the day.

This condition is not one of those that are easily diagnosed. Also it is usually not detected during a regular exam with your physician. Because it happens while you are sleeping, you probably would not know that you had it unless someone notice an unusual pattern in your sleeping.

The way that you may find out about it is if someone notices it while you’re sleep. Even then, they probably won’t know that you may have sleep apnea.

Millions of adults are suffering from sleep apnea and don’t know it. The majority of them are overweight or obese. Men suffer from this condition more than women. The older a person is, the more likely they can inherit this condition. With women, they can develop sleep apnea in the post-menopausal stage of their life.

More minority groups, such as African-Americans, Hispanics and Pacific Islanders develop sleep apnea more than other ethnic groups. It can also be inherited from a family member. If you have small airways in your throat, mouth or nose, you are more likely to have this condition.

Young children that have larger than normal tonsil tissues can also develop sleep apnea. You can also be at risk for sleep apnea if you:

· Smoke

· Have high blood pressure

· Potential for having a stroke

· Heart Failure