A medical condition known as sleep apnea occurs when one is sleeping whereby the airway gets obstructed which lead to a stop in the breathing process which is then resumed after sometime. This is an involuntary process which can take place a number of times during a single session of sleep and one cannot control it. Cause is the main determinant of treatment for sleep apnea.
Besides being caused by obstructed airways, this condition is also caused by a signaling problem in the brain. Basically, brain signals that control breathing are not received and/or transmitted correctly. If this problem is caused by obstructed airways, it is called obstructive sleep apnea and it is the commonest. The other variety of this condition is caused by signaling problem and is called central sleep apnea. This one is less common.
When one is experiencing this problem, they stop breathing momentarily until the airways are opened or the breathing signal is received by the brain. When normal breathing is resumed, someone usually snorts or takes a deep breath. Sometimes on may awaken completely with a sensation of choking, smothering, or gasping. If this condition goes on without being treated, the patient is likely to develop depression or heart attack among other conditions.
The cause and how severe the condition is determine the form of treatment to be used. Treatments are aimed at normalizing the breathing process while sleeping. Elimination of fatigue during the day is one of the effects of normalizing breathing in a patient. Cardiovascular changes can also be prevented by breathing normally. These changes occur due excessive working of the heart triggered by improper breathing.
The first step to treating this condition is to necessary lifestyle changes. Research indicates that this problem can be caused in large part by the kind of life one lives. Some of the life modifications that one needs to make include alcohol and smoking cessation, weight loss, and side sleeping. In some people sleep apnea only occurs when they lie on their back, but breathing returns to normal when they sleep on the side.
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.
Airways are usually blocked by excess tissue in the throat which as one sleeps usually collapses thus causing sleep apnea. The problem can also be dealt with through surgery to remove the excess tissue. Areas targeted during the surgery includes the soft palate and uvula, tongue, upper and lower jaw, and the tonsils and adenoids.
Before undergoing the procedure, it is important for one to understand a few things about it. First, one must ask the surgeon about the success fate of the procedure. One must also learn about the various options available to them and why they are not the best for the patient. There are also certain side effects and risks involved in any kinds of surgery, and so one should know about them.
Besides being caused by obstructed airways, this condition is also caused by a signaling problem in the brain. Basically, brain signals that control breathing are not received and/or transmitted correctly. If this problem is caused by obstructed airways, it is called obstructive sleep apnea and it is the commonest. The other variety of this condition is caused by signaling problem and is called central sleep apnea. This one is less common.
When one is experiencing this problem, they stop breathing momentarily until the airways are opened or the breathing signal is received by the brain. When normal breathing is resumed, someone usually snorts or takes a deep breath. Sometimes on may awaken completely with a sensation of choking, smothering, or gasping. If this condition goes on without being treated, the patient is likely to develop depression or heart attack among other conditions.
The cause and how severe the condition is determine the form of treatment to be used. Treatments are aimed at normalizing the breathing process while sleeping. Elimination of fatigue during the day is one of the effects of normalizing breathing in a patient. Cardiovascular changes can also be prevented by breathing normally. These changes occur due excessive working of the heart triggered by improper breathing.
The first step to treating this condition is to necessary lifestyle changes. Research indicates that this problem can be caused in large part by the kind of life one lives. Some of the life modifications that one needs to make include alcohol and smoking cessation, weight loss, and side sleeping. In some people sleep apnea only occurs when they lie on their back, but breathing returns to normal when they sleep on the side.
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.
Airways are usually blocked by excess tissue in the throat which as one sleeps usually collapses thus causing sleep apnea. The problem can also be dealt with through surgery to remove the excess tissue. Areas targeted during the surgery includes the soft palate and uvula, tongue, upper and lower jaw, and the tonsils and adenoids.
Before undergoing the procedure, it is important for one to understand a few things about it. First, one must ask the surgeon about the success fate of the procedure. One must also learn about the various options available to them and why they are not the best for the patient. There are also certain side effects and risks involved in any kinds of surgery, and so one should know about them.
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