My Doctor Told Me I Have Sleep Apnea

Sleep Apnea Treatment

As more people with sleep problems are being diagnosed with sleep apnea, the search for an appropriate and effective sleep apnea treatment, continues.

It is important to define exactly what sleep apnea is, in order to better understand the sleep apnea treatment options. Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that is a condition in which you actually stop breathing while sleeping. For the most part, these episodes are brief in nature and last no more than 10 seconds. Sometimes, perhaps a little longer for the severe sleep apneic patient.

How will I know if I stop breathing? In many cases it is the spouse of the sleep apnea patient that becomes aware of your condition. This is due to the loud snoring which wakes up your partner and then they notice that you stop breathing for brief intervals.

Other symptoms may include: irritability, constant sleepiness, inability to focus, and headache. You may find yourself suddenly falling asleep while driving your car.

Are there different types of sleep apnea? Yes, there are two main types. These are Obstructive Sleep Apnea syndrome and Central Sleep Apnea.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea is caused when the tissues in the back of the throat block the airway. This usually involves the tongue and or uvulea. It is confined to the blocking or obstructing of the airway by an actual object.

Now, Central Sleep Apnea is different. It is the type of apnea that is neurologically-based. This disease is characterized by the brain's signals to breathe being disrupted.

Typically, many people suffer from a combination of both Obstructive Sleep Apnea syndrome and Central Sleep Apnea.

What types of Sleep Apnea Treatment are available? As with most treatments, the type of treatment available depends on such factors such as medical history coupled with the overall severity of the disorder. Your doctor will usually order a Sleep Study to document your sleep and apneic breathing patterns.

Based on the findings, the doctor may recommend changes in lifestyle that included quitting smoking, weight loss and avoiding any drugs that may interfere with the central nervous system. Also the use of CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) device that uses air to keep your airway open may be recommended. The CPAP requires a written prescription from your doctor as it is considered a medical device.

Although there is no known cure, Sleep Apnea Treatments can be successfully used to decrease the symptoms of Sleep Apnea. These include decreasing blood pressure, increase in focus, increase in mood and longer-lasting sleep patterns.

The first step is to go see your doctor if you think that you have any of the symptoms of Sleep Apnea.

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By: Paul Conway

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Labels: apnea, apnea symptoms, apnea treatment, sleep apnea, sleeping disorder, treatments

Understanding Sleep Apnea
By Rudy Watkins

Sleep apnea is a condition in which a person will stop breathing for ten seconds or more periodically while they sleep. There are two different types of sleep apnea, the most common being obstructive sleep apnea, or OSA. OSA is characterized by an obstruction causing the stoppage of breath. Your anatomy can cause you to be predisposed for sleep apnea. For instance, if you have an extremely large tongue it may interrupt your breathing while you sleep. The other type of sleep apnea is central sleep apnea which is caused by a problem with brain signals.

Many people with sleep apnea will awaken throughout the night, gasping for breath. This is usually a clear indication that something is wrong. Other people will have no idea that they have sleep apnea at all. However, almost all sleep apnea sufferers find they are tired throughout the day and never feel fully rested. Most people with sleep apnea snore.

Since any type of snoring is typically the sign of some other type of health issue you should see your doctor to ensure it isn't something more serious. Some other symptoms which may be caused by sleep apnea include sore throat, morning headaches, irritability, anxiety, forgetfulness, and inability to concentrate. If you have one or more of these symptoms see your doctor. They can schedule you for a polysomnography test which monitors sleep patterns and can determine if you have sleep apnea and to what degree.

There are several different treatment options for sleep apnea sufferers. The most common are the CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine and surgery. Surgery doesn't work for everyone, only those with a significant anatomical cause to their sleep apnea. For instance, one type of surgery removes excess tissue in the upper throat if it is found to be an obstruction to the breath. The CPAP machine forces air in and out of the lungs, prevent any obstructions to occur. This requires the patient to wear some type of face mask, but most report that after a few nights they don't notice the mask anymore.

Left untreated sleep apnea can lead to some serious conditions such as heart attack and stroke. Sleep apnea is treatable and the faster you receive attention the better off you will be in your day to day life.

Rudy Watkins writes about sleep apnea symptoms, treatments and other related topics for the Apnea Guide website. Read more and sign up for our free newsletter at http://www.apneaguide.com.

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Labels: apnea, apnea treatment, insomnia, sleep apnea, sleeping disorder, snoring apnea