Posts Tagged ‘sleep-disorders’

Sleep Disorder Diagnosis for sleep apnea and other breathing disorders during sleep

Your partner snores loudly every night. His own dream is interrupted and tries everything to get it to stop even elbowing them and having to give his side. Even nasal strips and other methods do not seem to make the noise stop. Snoring can be a sign of a more serious condition called sleep apnea. Someone with apnea are loud snoring and regular methods often fail. Treatment of this condition can be fatal and care is necessary to correct it.

Pay attention to how your partner is sleeping and all that accompanies snoring. Results respiratory apnea between the nose and lungs is restricted. Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome can lead to a completely blocked air passage and the victim stops breathing for several seconds or minutes. When your body realizes that not breathe, wake up gasping for air. This can happen many times every hour and puts stress on your body. They will be tired during the day and their health condition may deteriorate if not treated.

Treatments for sleep apnea include medical interventions, support for positive pressure airway positioning therapy, weight loss, and therapy with oral appliances. Treatment is determined by the needs of patients depending on the disorder and what therapies are comfortable. Medical therapies to help improve muscle activity in the upper airway during sleep. The drugs are normally used in combination with other treatments.

Positive pressure therapy of the respiratory tract or PAP is one of the most widely used treatments for sleep apnea. A nasal or face mask is used during sleep. It has a long hose that is connected to a PAP machine with delivery pressure, heated, and humidified air to the upper airway. This helps keep the airway open eliminates snoring. Pap therapy has been used for over twenty years, has been successfully tested and is preferred by most patients.

Oral Appliance Therapy oats or uses a device that functions as a mouthguard or retainer. The device is placed in the mouth and molded to each patient. It is designed to hold your lower jaw slightly forward giving the support muscles. Muscle tone is maintained by the device as well. OAT has proved a very effective treatment for apnea, snoring, and other disorders.

Surgical treatment may be used for children who suffer from apnea due to enlarged tonsils or adenoids. Positioning of sleep can be effective in mild cases. This includes the use of soft wedges and positioning of the head and body so that it allows better air flow. Weight loss is recommended because being overweight can increase the pressure on the airways that causes the disorder to be worse.

When untreated, this condition can cause chronic illnesses and other health conditions. If someone you know is experiencing sleep apnea, encourage them to make an appointment with your regular doctor. They will do their own review, and then consult a specialist if more if one of the above treatments is needed.

Snoring and Sleep Disorders Explained

Studies have shown that approximately 40% of adults living in the U.S. snoring. Because snoring is so common that many people do not think twice about it or realize that it might be a sign of something much more serious. Snoring can really be a precursor to some sleep disorders can be very serious.

One of the most common but potentially serious sleep disorders often characterized by snoring is sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a condition in which a person regularly stops breathing during sleep, at intervals of ten seconds or more. As the person starts breathing again this causes a lack of oxygen reaching the body which can lead to heart problems and potential mild brain damage. Some signs other than sudden loud snoring include morning headaches, feeling tired during the day, insomnia, and the need for frequent naps.

Most people with sleep apnea have obstructive sleep apnea. This means that sleep apnea is caused by something blocking the airway. This is usually caused by soft tissue in the throat which falls shut for periods of time causes the person to stop breathing. Obstructive sleep apnea can be caused by jaw and throat anatomy, or can be caused by obesity. Sleep apnea can cause many serious heart problems, so if you suspect you may have sleep apnea you should see your doctor immediately.

There are several different treatment options when it comes to obstructive sleep apnea. If you have a mild case of sleep apnea (you will need special sleep tests to determine the severity of your situation) you may only need to lose weight or try sleeping on your side. However, if your doctor has determined that sleep apnea is a more serious nature may need a CPAP. CPAP continuous positive pressure means is a device that forces the airway remains open. Another possibility is a Bi-PAP, which supplies air to two different pressures for exhalation and inhalation.

Another possibility is surgery. The goal of surgery is to increase the size of the upper air passage to prevent closure during sleep. However, due to the anatomy of this type of surgery is not always possible or entirely effective.

If you think you may have sleep apnea see your doctor and can help you determine the right course of action for you.