Sleep Apnea Treatment

What is sleep apnea

Sleep apnea is a condition in which your breathing pauses for a few seconds or minutes during sleep. This occurs mainly because of narrowed or blocked airways. ( apnea – stoppage of breathing)

Symptoms

Symptoms of Sleep Apnea

Most people associate sleep apnea with snoring although it’s important to note that not everyone who snores has sleep apnea.

Most common symptoms of sleep apnea include:

• Stoppage of breathing during sleep
• Making gasping, snorting or choking noises
• Waking up a lot
• Loud snoring
• Increased frequency of urination
• Early morning headache

Daytime symptoms of sleep apnea:

• Feel very tired/lethargic
• Difficult to concentrate
• Have mood swings

Types

Types of Sleep Apnea

• Obstructive sleep apnea – most common
• Central sleep apnea (Problem from the center, brain)
• Mixed sleep apnea

Treatment

Treatment for Sleep Apnea

Obstructive Sleep Apnea is diagnosed by doing a sleep study ( polysomnography). It is a study that measures a person’s breathing, heart rate, oxygen levels, brain activity, and eye and leg movement during sleep.

The treatment of Sleep Apnea can dramatically improve outcomes, reduce the risk of complications and improve the quality of life in Sleep Apnea patients.

The treatment depends on the specific case and the severity of Sleep Apnea and the Options include:

• Lifestyle changes
• CPAP (a device that keeps your airway open while sleeping): CPAP is the gold standard in treating obstructive sleep apnea
• Surgery