Basics of sleep apnea explained

Sleep apnea is a condition in which your sleep is disturbed due to various reasons like blockage etc.  This can happen mildly or severely depending on the repetitive nature of sleep disturbance. In such cases the patient’s lungs are not getting enough air and this may happen a few times an hour to more than fifty times an hour which necessitates urgent treatment at a sleep clinic near me.

All you need to know about sleep apnea

There are two type of sleep apnea. They are central sleep apnea and obstructive sleep apnea.  People who have succumbed to heart failure, stroke, or brain tumor are likely to have central sleep apnea. In this type of sleep apnea the patient stops breathing repeatedly during the sleep. Treatment for this type of sleep apnea involves treatment for existing conditions and to use a device to help in breathing or providing supplemental oxygen.

Obstructive sleep apnea is a serious disorder which causes stoppage of breathing during sleep.  In this type of sleep apnea the throat muscles intermittently relax resulting   in the blockage of the passage. Snoring is very noticeable in obstructive sleep apnea as per the study of  a sleep apnea doctor .

Different treatments are available for obstructive sleep apnea. In one treatment a device is used to keep the airway open during sleeping. Thrusting a mouthpiece is another option or treatment which helps the sleep to continue without any disturbance.  Surgery is also a common treatment option for obstructive sleep apnea.

 

Symptoms of sleep apnea

Common symptoms shown in obstructive sleep apnea are detailed below.

  • Excessive sleep during day time
  • Cessation of breathing during sleep
  • Loud snoring
  • Abrupt awakening followed by choking or gasping.
  • Morning headache
  • Unable to concentrate in day to day activities
  • Mood changes like depression irritability etc.
  • Blood pressure
  • Decreased libido
  • Night sweating.
  • Decreased libido

When to consult the sleep doctor

If continued sleep problems are experience consult a sleep apnea doctor md

  • Your snoring becomes a disturbance to others.
  • If you wake up with choking or gasping
  • Intermittent stoppage of breathing during sleeping
  • Daytime drowsiness that cause sleepy feeling during working or seeing television or driving the vehicle.

Most often people do not think snoring as a potential problem as many people who do not have sleep apnea snore. So if you experience loud snoring discuss the matter with a doctor in a sleep clinic near me and act as per his advice. Snoring with punctuated periods of silence can be considered as due to sleep problems. Sleep apnea snoring becomes loudest when sleeping on your back and it becomes lesser when you turn your side. Excessive day time sleepiness can be due to problems like narcolepsy also.

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