Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Video courtesy www.resmed.com
87 million Americans snore. 40 million Americans are chronic sufferers of sleep disorders. But only 10% have been treated or diagnosed.
Snoring occurs when the airway through which you breathe becomes partially blocked. This can happen when your tongue falls back as you sleep. As the size of the airway passage decreases, throat vibrations begin, and snoring ensues.
In many cases, this is minor and your body continues to get adequate amounts of oxygen, causing little or no harm. However, it could also be a sign of “Obstructive Sleep Apnea” (OSA). In fact, 40% of snorers have been shown to have OSA. Most sleep apnea sufferers snore in between bouts of apnea, or oxygen interruption.
OSA sufferers have a rough night, and don’t even know that it’s happening to them. In any given night, these apneic events (when a patient stops breathing) can occur more than 30 times an hour! These individuals awake exhausted each morning, as they’ve been fighting for oxygen all night.
Should you be worried? To answer that, first let’s analyze some signs and symptoms of OSA sufferers. Common side effects of OSA include:
- heart attacks or irregular heart beats
- high blood pressure
- stroke
- morning headaches and dry mouth
- gastroesophageal reflux disease ( GERD, or heartburn )
- depression and decreased quality of life
- impotence and/or decreased libido
- irritability and family discord
- impaired concentration and poor job performance
and of course, chronic sleeplessness.
OSA can also cause learning or memory disabilities, as well as periods of nodding off while on the phone or at work. Sleep apnea patients also have a much greater risk auto accidents.
Unfortunately, there is not yet a cure for sleep apnea, but there are treatments. The type of treatment for sleep apnea depends on the severity of the disorder as assessed by a sleep specialist. The goal of treatment is to keep the airway open during sleep, leading to improved sleep, better oxygenation and enhanced daytime alertness.
First, the patient should undergo a sleep study to determine the extent of any sleep apnea. Depending on the results, the recommended treatments will vary. A CPAP machine is often indicated in moderate to severe cases, while an oral appliance (airway orthotic) is usually indicated if the OSA is slight, or if the snoring is not a part of OSA at all. There are also surgical options, and patients are encouraged to seek advice from their physician for these.
