Sleep Apnea: A Full Guide
Sleep apnea is a serious condition that causes you to stop breathing during sleep and gasp for air. You may wake up somewhat and not entirely enough to realize what is going on. This is why this problem may go undiagnosed for quite some time. You may be suffering from it and not realize what is happening.
What is Sleep Apnea?
There are two types of sleep apnea: 1) obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and central sleep apnea (CSA). Some people experience a more complex problem where the treatment for OSA causes the development of CSA. This is treatment-emergent sleep apnea.
Causes of Sleep Apnea
What causes sleep apnea depends on the type. For OSA, the muscles of your throat relax too much, and this collapses your airway, leading to gasping or choking. This may happen up to 30 times per hour while sleeping. For CSA, your brain does not send the proper signals to breathe properly while sleeping.
Causes of OSA
Here are the contributing factors for OSA:
- Obesity
- Having a Wider Neck
- Having a Narrowed Airway
- Middle Age or Older
- Genetic Traits and Family History
- Smoking
- Alcohol Use
- Taking Sedatives
- Nasal Congestion
- Other Diseases (heart disease, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes)
Men are three to five times more likely to have OSA when compared to women.
Causes of CSA
Here are the contributing factors for CSA:
- Having a Stroke
- Using Opioids
- Having Heart Problems
- Being Middle Age or Older
- Being Male
How do you know if you have sleep apnea?
Common symptoms include chronic fatigue, irritability, bad moods, depression, and lack of energy for doing anything. Other symptoms include gasping for air during the night and waking with a dry mouth or a headache.
Sleep Apnea Treatments and Solutions
First and most significantly, before assuming your apnea condition, get a proper diagnosis via a sleep clinic or having your sleep monitored. Then, your health practitioner can give you recommendations.
How to Treat Sleep Apnea
Treatments depend on the confirmed type of sleep apnea. For OSA, treatments include making lifestyle changes such as losing weight, stopping smoking, and not drinking alcohol. You may also need treatment for allergies if they cause nasal congestion. Additionally, oral appliances are available that help keep your airway open. Using a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device, meanwhile, is a solution, while surgery may be an option for more severe cases.
Treatment for CSA-specific sleep apnea includes treatment for related diseases and disorders, medication changes, using supplemental oxygen, and using an adaptive servo-ventilation (ASV) device to measure your breathing and record it.
Common Sleep Apnea FAQs
Below are the most frequently asked questions about sleep apnea:
Is Sleep Apnea Genetic?
Yes, your family history and genes can influence whether you get this condition.
Is Sleep Apnea a Disability?
Sleep apnea can absolutely be considered a disability, and depends upon the severity. Contact your primary care physician to confirm such a diagnosis.
Does Sleep Apnea Go Away?
Without proper treatment, the condition is not likely to go away on its own. However, there are many treatments that help alleviate the symptoms of sleep apnea.
Can Sleep Apnea Be Cured?
Although not entirely curable, sleep apnea can be greatly improved as a result of lifestyle changes, technological advances, and new resources.
Does Snoring Mean Sleep Apnea?
Although deep snoring is one indication that you may have the condition, it is not entirely indicative of sleep apnea. To get a proper diagnosis, visit a sleep doctor or sleep clinic.
Can a Deviated Septum Cause Sleep Apnea?
A deviated septum does not by itself cause the condition, but it can be a contributing factor that makes the symptoms worse.
Does Sleep Apnea Cause High Blood Pressure?
Although it can certainly be a variable, sleep apnea does not in and of itself cause high blood pressure.
Be sure to talk with your health practitioner about your symptoms and the potential treatments that are available.