Showing posts with label obstructive sleep apnea. Show all posts
Showing posts with label obstructive sleep apnea. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Two easy ways to treat sleep apnea

Having sleep apnea may cause sleeplessness, memory problems, severe headaches, and fatigue throughout the day, awareness difficulties, anxiousness, negative mood, and problems during work due to bad concentration. Sleep apnea may also be able to lead to a greater possibility of getting an automobile accident or an accident at work. The truth is, apnea sufferers have a 3 times greater possibility of having an accident, brought on by sleepiness.

If sleep apnea remains without treatment, it can cause other health issues, for example cardiovascular failure, hypertension, diabetic issues, liver damage, kidney failure, heart problems, strokes, as well as death. Central sleep apnea could possibly be brought on by medication, strokes, heart failure, as well as high altitude. Obstructive sleep apnea may be brought on by narrow airway passages, nasal congestion, vocal cord injury, enlarged tonsils, upper respiratory infections, obesity and extra weight, treatment, utilization of alcoholic beverages, and smoking.

An easy thing to increase your sleep is attempting to sleep in your, rather than lying on your back. Also, try not to eat far too late, particularly prior to going to sleep. Don't consume a lot of alcohol, because alcohol will relax the muscles inside your throat more than ever before. For a similar reason don't use drugs before bedtime. Do not smoke because smoking reduces oxygen levels inside your blood stream and strains your heart, and definitely will give rise to sleep apnea.

In case you are obese, you need to lose fat simply because it has proved to be essential in treating apnea. The fact is, your excess fat can be the cause of your sleep apnea. Reducing weight and quit smoking are the 2 most significant steps you can take to avoid sleep apnea. Physical exercises will get a lean body but should be avoided late in the evening. Raising bedroom a bit more incline can assist you to maintain your airways open. Studies have confirmed that individuals with sleep apnea have worse symptoms every time they sleep flat with their back.

Monday, August 22, 2011

Available treatment for sleep apnea


Sleep apnea is a common condition characterized by brief interruptions of breathing during sleep. This causes serious disturbances in sleep patterns can last ten seconds or a little more. These episodes also occur through the night, leaving the person feeling tired from lack of sleep. Those who suffer from sleep apnea usually wake up frequently in his struggle to breathe. There are two types of sleep disorder: obstructive sleep apnea and central apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common of the two. This is due to relaxation of soft tissues in the back of the throat. This blocks the free passage of air and cause an obstruction of breathing. Central sleep apnea is due to irregularities in the brain as signals are not clean to breathe.

Most often people who have this disorder will have a combination of obstructive and central apnea. The most noticeable symptoms of this disorder are increased daytime sleepiness. The other symptoms of this sleep disorder are loud snoring, restless sleep, morning headaches, falling asleep during the day, trouble concentrating, forgetfulness, irritability, mood alterations, behavioral changes, depression, and anxiety etc. However, not everyone who has these symptoms suffer from apnea. People who have one or more of these symptoms must visit the doctor and get evaluated to get to know the underlying cause. This is more common in men than in women, as well as in obese or overweight individuals. 

There are various types of sleep apnea treatment available to treat this problem but it would depend on the person's medical history as well as the severity of the disorder. The first thing that is suggested to those who have apnea disturbing their sleep is to make certain lifestyle changes such as avoidance of alcohol, losing weight, as well as quitting smoking. Apart from this, they are put on medications to relax the muscles as well as sedatives to help relax the central nervous system. 

Sometimes, special pillows or devices are given to prevent people from sleeping on their backs, or other oral appliances that help to keep the airways open during sleep. However, these are all conservative treatment methods and if this doesn’t help, then doctors will recommend other methods. Continuous positive airway pressure or CPAP as it is often called is another sleep apnea treatment technique where a facemask is attached to tube and a machine pumps pressurized air into the mask in order to keep the airways open. There are also machines which offer variable positive airway pressure also known as VPAP, and automatic positive airway pressure or APAP. 

In addition, there are surgical options which are used in which soft tissue is removed to expand the airways. Among the treatment may be a combination of treatments for sleep apnea successfully. Left untreated, sleep apnea can be life threatening. Sometimes a person may fall asleep while driving and that people with sleep apnea are at increased risk of transient ischemic attacks, heart disease, hypertension and stroke. Successful treatment of sleep apnea can prevent the associated risks.

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Controlling sleep apnea

One of the most common forms of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea means the airway is collapsed or blocked while you sleep. Air that passes around the blockage causes you to snore and makes it difficult for someone sleeping beside you to get rest. If someone you know has excessive snoring, tell him or her about it and suggest him or her see a doctor for obstructive sleep apnea.

Obstructive sleep apnea occurs more in people who are overweight. However, obstructive sleep apnea can occur in anyone including children.

Another form of sleep apnea is central sleep apnea. Snoring does not usually occur with central sleep apnea. It usually happens with obstructive sleep apnea, but it can happen alone.

If sleep apnea is left untreated, you may have an increase in high blood pressure, stroke, obesity, diabetes and heart attack. By leaving sleep apnea untreated you also run the risk of it becoming worse and having heart failure. Irregular heartbeats or arrhythmias are likely to occur more often. Leaving sleep apnea untreated also runs the risk of have a driving or work related accident due to lack of a good nights sleep.

There are many ways to control sleep apnea because after all it will take long care management to control sleep apnea. One way to control sleep apnea is lifestyle changes. Change the way you do things. Get more rest and visit the doctor for regular check-ups. Breathing devices that force you to breathe while you are sleeping is another option you can consider. Talk to your doctor about this form of treatment for sleep apnea.

Friday, July 29, 2011

CPAP as sleep apnea treatment

Sleep apnea literally means "sleep without breath" and can result from respiratory muscle weakness (known as central sleep apnea) or a blockage of the trachea, or airway (known as obstructive sleep apnea.) Obstructive sleep apnea is much more common than central sleep apnea and can be caused by a variety of factors including obesity, congestion in the throat, tonsillitis or mononucleosis.

First, you will be asked for your medical history as well as those of your family members. This is because it seems to run in families, thus, this information is valuable towards making a final diagnosis and determination of the appropriate treatment. Toronto doctors will ask exhaustive questions so it is better to come prepared with basic family medical histories.

There are many people that suffer from Obstructive Sleep Apnea. This can make not only their life hard, but it can infringe on the lives of those around the sufferer. Sleep apnea treatments come in many ways. They can be done through self help. The simple act of not taking the sedatives or not drinking the alcohol can, in fact give you a better nights rest. Any substance that may lead to overly relaxed muscles, especially of the neck, jaw and tongue, can cause one to suffer from obstructive sleep apnea. 

Many devices have had no medical studies conducted at all and you should stay away from these or you may be taking a chance as to whether they will be a successful form of treatment for you or not. Remember, client feedback and comments are NOT accepted as proven medical test/study results so be sure to ask for medical test evidence rather than just believing user comments and statements. 

Lifestyle and behavioral changes are a must in the treatment of sleep apnea. Mild cases of the disorder respond well to such changes as decreases in alcohol consumption, smoking and sleeping medications. Losing weight is a treatment option recommended for obese individuals. Episodes can also be reduced by using special devices that keep individuals on their side during sleep.

Once these symptoms have been detected, it is important to immediately have children undergo a polysomnography or a sleep test. The sleep test is the most effective tool used to properly determine and diagnose any sleeping disorder that the child might have. 

One of the most simple sleep apnea treatment is to used CPAP is the use of positional therapy as a non-invasive treatment. This is simply the act of changing the sleeping position of the sufferer to provide relief. There are a number of products that can help, from foam wedges, to special pillows and shirts that adjust the position that the sufferer can sleep in.

The medically necessary and accepted treatment for clinically significant OSA is continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). CPAP is the only treatment for OSA in adults. Unless the patient is intolerant of CPAP which means the patient went through at least a three-month CPAP trial supervised by a sleep medicine specialist.

Sleep specialists use CPAP - and CPAP mask in Toronto or elsewhere - to provide constant air pressure. This keeps the collapse-dilation mechanism of the different sets of throat muscles working. In simpler terms, this sleep apnea treatment procedure prevents your throat muscles from blocking the airway.

According to statistics, there are more than 1.4 million Canadians who suffer from sleep apnea. If you are one of them, you will experience physically debilitating symptoms like excessive daytime sleepiness that can result in driving and work accidents, intermittent headaches morning till night, painful heartburn, leg swelling, chest pains when asleep, and most disturbing to your bed mate.

Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder characterized by breathing difficulty during sleep. This happens when the brain mixes up the signals to the muscles that facilitate breathing or when the airway at the back of your throat gets blocked. Symptoms of sleep apnea include snoring, feeling tired and sleepy during the day, and waking up with a headache.

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Sleep apnea treatment options

If you suffer from sleep apnea, you may notice that you are often tired and groggy throughout the day. Sleep apnea affects typical sleep patterns, as it is a sleep disorder that occurs when normal breathing stops during sleep and causes you to wake up repeatedly during the night. Many people with sleep apnea are not aware that they are constantly awoken, yet they experience the tiring consequences during waking hours.

Obstructive sleep apnea is a common type of the disorder that involves the muscles relaxing during sleep, blocking the airways and disrupting the flow of oxygen to the lungs. Treatment options range from sleeping devices that help keep the airways clear to simple lifestyle changes and home remedies.

A common and preferred method for treating sleep apnea is continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), which involves wearing a mask that delivers air pressure through a machine to help keep airway passages open. The CPAP device should be worn every time you go to sleep, even if you are just lying down for a short nap. Although a CPAP device cannot cure obstructive sleep apnea, and it may take some time to get used to wearing, it can very effective in treating sleeping problems caused by sleep apnea.

For mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea, a dental device can also help clear the airways and allow for proper breathing while you sleep. Dental devices include a tongue retaining device, which can help treat sleep apnea if your tongue obstructs air from getting through properly. The tongue is held in place with a splint or suction bulb, allowing for air to pass through. Another type of dental device is a mandibular advancement device (MAD), which looks like a mouth guard and keeps the lower jaw in a forward position in order to keep the tongue from blocking airways. Speak with your dentist about dental devices if you suffer from sleep apnea.

There are many cases in which certain lifestyle changes and home remedies can be effective methods of treating sleep apnea. Being overweight, for example, can lead to additional fat around the neck that narrows the airways, making it harder air to get through when you sleep. Losing weight can help you widen the airways and sleep better at night. Drinking alcohol or taking certain medications can relax muscles even more, so reducing your consumption of these substances can also be effective in treating sleep apnea. You can also try sleeping on your side or stomach when you sleep, instead of your back, and keep your nasal passages clear with saline nasal spray before bed.

Because surgery can often be ineffective or even worsen the condition, it is usually only recommended in severe cases of sleep apnea in which no other treatment has worked. Types of surgery that treat sleep apnea include removing the uvula or adjusting the position of the jaw.