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Posts Tagged ‘obstructive sleep apnea’

Sleep apnea is just one of several common sleep disorders and the most widespread form of sleep apnea is known as obstructive sleep apnea and is a condition marked by periods in which breathing ceases while sleeping. On occasions this disorder is called obstructive sleep apnea syndrome or sleep apnea syndrome.

In healthy people the muscles which work the upper part of the throat ensure that the air flow in and out of the lungs is steady and continuous. During sleep these muscles relax a little but still do their job properly. However those people who have sleep apnea often have airways which are narrowed so that when the throat muscles relax the airway partially or completely closes thereby no longer allowing for the passage of air to the lungs. Snoring and labored breathing resulting in a sleep apnea episode will then result.

In some individuals breathing can also cease completely during periods of deep (or REM) sleep and medical experts and researchers are nor clear about just why this happens. These periods during which breathing ceases can last for ten seconds or more in severe cases and are referred to as apneic events or sleep apnea episodes.

These apneic events result in a degree of awareness that you have ceases breathing and you subsequently struggle to breath again which is normally accompanied by choking, gasping or even snorting.

Thereafter it is normal to settle into a period of light sleep before the cycle of sleep apnea episodes starts again.

The effect is that an individual suffers from fragmented sleep which does not allow them the amount of rest that they require on a nightly basis. This in turn leads to a number of health problems including excessive daytime tiredness. One of the reasons for this daytime symptom is simply that the level of oxygen in the blood stream falls tremendously during an apneic event leading to a condition known as hypoxia.

It is most important to realize that a lot of individuals with sleep apnea are unaware that they have a problem and often it must be left to others to point out the problem. Sufferers are generally aware of being very tired throughout the day but do not always know why this is so.

The commonest warning signs of sleep apnea include loud snoring, waking in the morning and still feeling tired, headaches in the morning, problems with memory, alterations in personality, falling asleep at inopportune times, hypertension, excessive levels of activity (in children only) and swelling of the legs in severe cases. The symptoms ought not to be disregarded because the danger of sleep apnea is very real.

The first step in diagnosing sleep apnea ought to a visit to the doctor who will read through your medical history and examine your mouth, throat and neck for signs of any growths or abnormalities. If your doctor suspects that you have sleep apnea he will refer you for a sleep study and what is called a polysomnogram (or PSG). This test records eye movement, brain waves, breathing rate, muscle activity, oxygen levels in the blood, heart rate and the quantity of air that is being both exhaled and inhaled during sleep.

Sleep apnea is an all too common sleep disorder which frequently goes unrecognized but which can be very dangerous and which can also normally be effectively treated.

Never feel rested no matter how much sleep you get? Does your partner frequently complain about your loud snoring? Besides being irritating, these could be signs of obstructive sleep apnea. This sleep disorder occurs when the upper airway is blocked by the narrowing of the respiratory passages. However, sleep apnea can do far more than leave you tired. Without the right treatment, the condition can result in hypertension, depression and even heart trouble. In this article, we’ll explain how this sleep disorder works and what you can do to get a better night of rest.

Patients who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea repeatedly go through cycles of sleep, snoring, obstruction, waking up and then falling back to sleep again throughout the night. Some patients with severe apnea may have episodes of upper airway obstruction a hundred or more times in one hour. Some patients have airway obstruction because of a small or receding jaw that results in insufficient room for the tongue. The size of the individual’s neck can also be a contributing factor, as it can affect air flow.

Sleep apnea can come with other health conditions. Cardiovascular disease is common in patients. Hypertension and obesity increase the risk of cardiac disease and are frequent findings in patients with this sleep disorder. Patients with apnea who are smokers may also have coronary artery disease and obstructive airway disease. Psychosocial problems are common in patients who have sleep apnea. These patients often have depression, mood changes, poor memory, irritability and impaired concentration. Nocturnal panic attacks have also been associated with this sleep disorder.

Sleep medicine isn’t enough to treat apnea. Specialists usually recommend weight loss, and dental devices that modify the position of the tongue or jaw. Some doctors may prescribe the use of a CPAP mask. With this method, straps hold the mask firmly over the nose and the CPAP machine that generates the positive airway pressure sits on a table next to the bed. CPAP treatment is used in most patients who have sleep apnea. Jaw surgery is the most invasive surgical procedure used to treat this malady. The surgical procedure may be limited to pulling the tongue forward. An extensive procedure may entail moving both the mandible and maxilla. Extensive jaw surgery has a higher complication rate and a longer recovery time.

Sleepiness during the day is perhaps the least worrisome of all the side effects. It is a potentially life-threatening condition that requires immediate medical attention. The risks of undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnea include heart attacks, strokes, impotence, anxiety disorders, irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure and heart disease. The severity of the symptoms may be mild, moderate or severe but it’s best to consult a sleep clinic as soon as possible for the appropriate apnea treatment.

Do not let sleep disorders destroy your health as well as your relationships. Many couples have been driven to sleep in separate bedrooms since one of the partners had serious snoring problems. Snoring is a sign of a health problem and if it is severe enough, it also can be a threat to your life. There are some people who need to sleep with special breathing machines to push oxygen into their lungs. Problems resulting from lack of sleep has the potential to be very serious. If you have chronic trouble sleeping, feel excessively exhausted no matter how many hours of sleep you have gotten or have individuals complaining in regards to your snoring, you must get information. Find that information by clicking here:

Alcohol And Insomnia and more information at Anxiety Sleep Disorder Treatment and Treat A Sleep Disorder

An ancient myth told of the plight of Undine, a nymph condemned to a life of sleeplessness out of fear she would stop breathing while asleep and die. Modern science calls it sleep apnea.

The ailment — an interruption of breathing during sleep — also is known as ”Undine’s Curse,” and it afflicts a large number of middle-aged, overweight men, many who unknowingly suffer the condition.

Sleep apnea goes all the way back to Greek mythology. We’re finally getting the upper hand on it by diagnosing those who didn’t even know they were affected.

The condition also has been diagnosed in infants who can be aroused from lapses in breathing by being shaken, an action that doctors say awakens the baby and forces the brain to message the lungs to begin functioning again. Sleep apnea in the case of infants is the cause of sudden infant death syndrome, for which there is no known cure.

The condition now is being diagnosed with the help of a computer and electrodes that monitor patients at home while they sleep. The computer, in use at several medical centres around the country, is among the most accurate of devices capable of monitoring the sometimes life-threatening disorder, Johns explained.

The system uses a mesh halter to which electrodes are fixed and stuck on the chests of patients to measure a series of vital functions, including the length of time between breaths.

The halter and electrodes are placed on the patient at the clinic and worn home. At night, while the patient sleeps, the electrodes are plugged into a small box that records the patient’s sleep patterns.

The system measures heart rate, lung function, oxygen saturation in the blood and paradoxing which is the opposite movement of chest and abdomen.

He said the monitoring box is brought back to the clinic the next morning, at which time the data collected during the night is fed into and analyzed by a computer.

If the patient is apneic, the computer might show decreased respiration during sleep, a decrease in heart rate and a desaturation of oxygen in the blood stream.

The operation is similar to a tonsilectomy and involves removal of tissue at the back of the throat, which enlarges air passages to enable unobstructed breathing. Other surgical methods also successfully treat sleep apnea caused by nasal deformity or nasal polyps.

The computerized diagnostic method also helps determine if the patient suffers from other types of sleeping and breathing disorders, primarily central nervous system dysfunction in which the brain is not telling the lungs and diaphragm to move.

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