Facts Regarding Treatment For Sleep Apnea

By Diane Rogers


Sleep apnea is a medical condition that occurs when the airways get obstructed when one is sleeping. The obstruction usually results in one stopping breathing and then starting again. The stopping and starting of the breathing process can happen several times in a single sleep session. This process is involuntary, which means that one has no control of it. Treatment for sleep apnea depend on the cause.

The condition can also be as a result of a problem with signals being transmitted or received in the brain. In such a case, signals which control breathing are not correctly transmitted or received in the brain. The most common type of sleep apnea is the obstructive sleep apnea which results from obstructed airways. On the other hand, central sleep apnea is the least common and is as a result of a signaling problem.

One usually stops breathing for some time until brain receives breathing signals or the airway is reopened. A snort or a deep breath is usually used to signify one has resumed normal breathing. There are times when one will totally be awakened with the feeling of gasping, choking or smothering. If the condition is not treated, it may result in a number of conditions including depression and heart attack among others.

Treatment for this condition is usually chosen based on the level of severity and its cause. The goal of any treatment method is to normalize the process of breathing as one sleeps. When breathing is normalized, it usually has several effects on the patient, including eliminating daytime fatigue. Normal breathing also prevents cardiovascular changes that occur because of excess strain caused by improper breathing.

Necessary changes in lifestyle are the first stride towards treating this condition. The type of life lived by one has been indicated by research to be the major cause of this problem. Side sleeping, weight loss, and smoking and/or alcohol cessation are some of the adjustments one should make in their lives. For some people, this condition may occur when sleeping on their backs. For these kind of people, normal breathing is attained when they sleep on the sides.

Such people need to make sure they always sleep on their side. This can be achieved through putting on a special device on the back or around the waist to keep one sleeping on the side. Those who cannot wear these devices can opt for positional therapy which has been proved to be effective.

The blocking of airways that lead to sleep apnea is caused by extra tissue in the throat that collapse as one sleeps. These extra tissues can be removed through surgery to eliminate this problem. The surgery usually targets various areas, which include upper and lower jaws, tongue, tonsils and adenoids, and soft palate and uvula.

There are a number of things one needs to understand before they undergo the procedure. The first thing is to inquire from the surgeon the levels of success the procedure has. One should also inquire on the available options they have for treatment and also why they are not qualified for those options. There are a number of side effects associated with the procedure and one should also inquire about them from the dentist.




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