Sleep Apnea
In The News
Treating Sleep
Apnea
- July 18,
2006
Stopping breathing or
shortness of breath
causes sleep apnea.
It is a very risky
syndrome and if you
feel you are
suffering from this
disorder you should
immediately seek
medical attention. It
can be dangerous to
not get proper
attention for sleep
apnea. If the problem
persists and you are
not getting any
treatment, it could
result in serious
health hazards like
heart attack, stroke,
an irregular heart
beat, impotency, high
blood pressure and
other heart related
diseases.
When a person is
suffering from sleep
apnea, the upper
airways become
obstructed. They can
be blocked by
tissues, large
tonsils, or a large
tongue. The most
common factor behind
sleep apnea is the
structure of jaw and
airway.
Common symptoms of
sleep apnea are
extreme daytime
sleepiness and
recurring periods of
interrupted
breathing. There may
be other symptoms of
sleep apnea like loud
snoring, headaches,
being overweight,
having high blood
pressure and
suffering from
irritability or a
change in
personality.
Sleep apnea is
dangerous, and it can
be fatal in many
cases. You should not
ignore sleep apnea
and get treatment
immediately. Weight
loss, surgery, dental
appliances, and
breathing assistance
devices are various
ways you can treat
sleep apnea. The use
of a breath
assistance device is
the most popular and
most effective
treatment of sleep
apnea. These
breathing assistance
devices help in
increasing the air
pressure in the
airways, which
prevents the airways
from collapsing. You
have to wear this
device in the form of
a mask that has a
small air blower
connected through a
pipe to the nose, and
you must wear this
mask when you go to
sleep. There is also
another type of
device which will be
useful for those
whose tongue is the
main source of
obstruction. This
device is a suction
cup that is used to
assist the teeth and
tongue from closing
the airway.
There are different
types of surgeries
available as
treatment for sleep
apnea. With surgery,
the uvula, the
dangling flesh at the
back of your mouth,
is eliminated and
soft palate and
pharynx are made
tighter. There are
also nasal surgeries
which are used to
improve sleep apnea.
There are several jaw
surgeries that can
treat sleep apnea as
they can help in
reducing airway
blockages.
It is definitely
advisable that you
seek professional
treatment if you are
suffering from sleep
apnea. There are also
several ways in which
you can help
yourself. If you are
overweight, work
towards losing some
weight. Quitting
smoking can help
reduce instances of
sleep apnea. You
should eliminate all
alcohol if possible
since alcohol worsens
sleep apnea. If you
maintain a healthy
lifestyle you can
make living with
"sleep apnea" easier.
If you
think you or a
loved one may
have
symptoms of a
sleep disorder,
please
contact us
today.
Help
is available!
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