What Is Sleep Apnea?
Suffering from sleep apnea? You are not alone, people all across the country are suffered from sleep apnea. People suffering from sleep apnea are often waking up several times a night, feeling tired in the morning, and experiencing fatigue throughout the day.
Sleep apnea, which is a rather common sleep disorder, occurs when the upper airway becomes blocked and airflow decreases or stops completel, therefore the brain and the rest of the body can’t get enough oxygen, and signals are sent from the chest to stimulate breathing until it resumes. Instead of allowing the body to rest, sleep Apnea makes it fight for oxygen.
Answering the question “What is sleep apnea?” can be difficult. Because sleep apnea can be categorized under “sleep disordered breathing,” with many types.
Table of Contents
What are the symptoms of Sleep Apnea
Since sleep apnea symptoms occur while you sleep, it can be difficult to spot them. Unless their spouse alerts them, most people don’t know they have a problem.
Side effects of sleep apnea are quite common throughout the day. These include confusion, headaches, dry or sore throat, excessive sleepiness, daytime tiredness, daytime irritability, moodiness like irritability, decreased focus and insomnia, as well as feeling choking and gasping. Please note that OSA sufferers are most likely to snore.
These are the most common signs of sleep apnea.
- Excessive daytime sleepiness
- A pause in breathing while sleeping.
- Headache in the morning
- Concentration issues
- Insomnia
- Unusual sleeping positio
- Mood changes.
How many people suffered from Sleep Apnea
Americans are currently experiencing a sleep crisis. At the moment, Americans sleep an average of 6.8 hours per night and 40% get six hours less. 37.9% of Americans report falling asleep unintentionally during the day at the least once per month.
Technology like the TV and internet encourage us to be awake all night, but there are some people who have medical conditions that make it difficult for them to get a good night’s rest.
Between 50 and 70 million Americans have a sleeping disorder. Obstructive sleep apnea, which is the most common of all the sleep disorders, affects between 50 and 70 million people. 3-7% of men and 2-5% for women suffer from sleep apnea.
There are More than 100,000,000 suffer from sleep apnea in worldwide.
An estimated 22 million Americans have sleep apnea. The current US population is 326 millions
- 10% suffer from mild obstructive sleeping apnea (AHI>5)
- 3.5% suffer from moderate to severe sleep apnea. (AHI>15).
- 4.4% suffer from severe obstructive sleeping apnea syndrome, which is defined as frequent apnea/hypopnea or functional impairment.
Unidentified cases account for 75 to 80% of all cases. 25% of people with moderate obstructive sleeping apnea are neither subjective nor objective.
What are the risk factors of Sleep Apnea
There are many risk factors that could increase your chances of developing sleep disorder. All ages can suffer from sleep apnea, although it is more common in men than women.
Here are some Risk factors for sleep apnea that could increase your risk:
- Obesity with a BMI (Body Mass Index), of 30 or more.
- Large neck size, 17 inches or more in circumference for men and 16 inches or greater for women.
- A family history of sleep apnea.
- Upper airway for small amounts.
- Recessed chin, small jaw or large overbite.
- Use of alcohol and smoking
What’s the type of Sleep Apnea
Your type of sleep disorder may affect the signs you experience. These are the most common types:
- When your airways get blocked while sleep, which can cause the Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA).
- Central Sleep Apnea (CSA), is when your brain does not send signals to your muscles to breathe while you are asleep.
- Mixed Sleep Apnea, or Complex Sleep Apnea, is when someone experiences both OSA-CSA symptoms.
What are the dangers of untreated Sleep Apnea
Sleep Apnea symptoms should be treate without delaying. You could end up with the following life-altering conditions if your sleep apnea symptoms are not treated.
- Traffic Accidents
- Type 2 Diabetes
- High Blood Pressure
- Heart Disease
- Stroke
- Liver Problems
- Acid Reflux
- Memory Loss
- Confusion
- Depression
What is the cost of sleep apnea?
Your chances of having sleep apnea if you are overweight, have diabetes, or suffer from obesity are high. These health conditions and your outlook on life will be improved if sleep apnea is treated. Good sleep can make the world a better place.
Consider the financial consequences sleep apnea may have. In this instance, how much it can cost to not treat it. If you have high blood pressure, diabetes, or heart disease, then you most likely take medications for these conditions. This is expensive to maintain.To ensure that your liver is healthy, you will need to have follow-up doctor’s appointments as well as lab work. All of this comes at a cost. It’s simple. After the sleep test, which insurance covers more frequently these days, and the CPAP machine are issued (which insurance will pay for once they see that you are committed to using it), you can start to improve your health and limit the number of medications and doctor’s visits you need.
How to treat Sleep Apnea
There are many treatment options for sleep apnea, depending on how severe the condition is and the individual prescriptions. These treatment options range from lifestyle changes to the use of airway devices. You can manage the condition by answering the question “What is sleep apnea?” The most common treatments are:
Self-Remedies and Lifestyle Changes If you’re overweight, you might be asked to change your lifestyle to lose weight. A slight weight loss can help reduce restrictions in your throat. You may also be asked to quit smoking, as it can worsen OSA, or to abstain from alcohol.
It may be beneficial to sleep on your stomach or side, rather than your back. It may also be a good idea to use nasal decongestants or saline sprays to clear your nasal passages.
CPAP device – Treatments that use continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). This is the best and most popular method to treat sleep apnea.
A CPAP mask is used to provide air pressure to the patient while they sleep. It will only deliver enough air pressure to prevent snoring or apnea.
Over the years, CPAP machines have improved to be more comfortable and better suit the needs of patients. Your DME specialist will help you choose the right fit for you.
Other Apnea machines – Sometimes a CPAP may not be the best option. There are also other machines, such as the BiPAP which supplies bilevel positive airwaypressure, oral appliances like retainers to keep your throat open and the expiratory positively pressure (EPAP), which allows air to flow freely into your nostrils but increases the pressure when you exhale through a valve.
Sleep Apnea Surgery– Sometimes, there are surgical options that can be used to treat sleep apnea. To increase the space behind your soft palette, patients may need to have their jaw moved forward. Tissue removal is a common procedure to remove excess tissue from the top and sides of the throat.
Sometimes, a tracheostomy can be performed to make a new passageway. In other cases, nasal surgery may be necessary to correct a deviated Septum. Weight loss surgery and surgery for enlarged tonsils are two other options to treat sleep apnea.
CPAP Machines VS Surgical for Sleep Apnea
The CPAP machine is the most commonly used treatment for obstructive sleeping apnea. This stands for continuous positive pressure. The machine pushes air into the airway during sleep to treat sleep apnea.
This option works for the majority of sleep apnea patients, especially when they have a solid network of resources such as their doctor, nurses and supply representatives from their medical equipment company, others who may be using CPAP machines for sleep apnea treatment, and family who encourage use of the CPAP machine.
Each machine can be set to meet the individual’s specific needs. This improves their ability to receive oxygen while they sleep, which is essential for their bodies to heal and regenerate.
This treatment may not be the best for every patient. Sometimes, patients find it difficult to adjust to this type of treatment and want to learn about other options.
Other non-surgical options include lifestyle changes, weight loss, and dental devices. However, if your sleep apnea becomes too severe, you may need to have the jaw moved forward.
There are surgical options. Transoral Robotic Surgery is available for patients who are unable to tolerate CPAP. Obstructive sleep apnea may occur anywhere in the airway. This includes the nose, base of the tongue and the tip of the tongue. It can be difficult for surgeons to access the smaller obstructions. A robot can remove a small amount of the base of your tongue or soft palate. This is much less invasive for the patient. To determine the extent of the surgery, the surgeon will perform a diagnostic procedure.
This surgery offers advantages over previous surgical methods for improving obstructive sleeping apnea. It is more precise during delicate procedures. It allows the patient to be released from hospital quicker. The patient is freed from the hospital sooner, with less blood loss and scarring. The recovery process is quicker and you can return to your normal activities faster. According to www.harperhutzel.org, this method is less likely to cause infection and has fewer complications after surgery.
When considering the treatment of sleep apnea, it is normal to want to weigh all options. Asking lots of questions is the most important thing. Ask questions about the options and about their accessories. Do your research to ensure you make the best decision. This will help you to treat sleep apnea, and lead a more healthy life.
How a Sleep Apnea Diagnosis Could Save You Money
Many people with sleep apnea don’t realize that it is the reason for their anxiety and fatigue throughout the day. People with sleep apnea are often unaware that it is contributing to high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, and weight gain. That’s right. People are more affected by not getting enough sleep than being tired during the day. Not to mention the fact that sleep deprivation can also cause slow reflexes, poor concentration, and even accidents.
There are ways to fix this. The answer to all your prayers can be found in a visit to the doctor. Sleep apnea is essentially an obstruction of the airway that makes it difficult to breathe while you sleep, especially if you are lying down on your back. Sometimes it can cause snoring and even severe breathing problems. This can lead to people waking up gasping in their sleep. Both the sufferer of sleep apnea and their partner can find it frightening.
After consulting the doctor, you can take a test to determine if you have sleep apnea. These tests are now easier than ever. These tests can be performed at home and may prove to be more accurate than lab tests. American Sleep Apnea Association Dr Michael Coppola says that while it can be distressing, people are more likely to fall asleep in their own beds and be more at ease.
After the test has been completed and the results have been reviewed by a certified sleep physician, you can begin your journey to better health. Maybe oxygen therapy or CPAP therapy (continuous negative airway pressure) is the best option. The CPAP machine forces a person suffering from sleep apnea or hypertension to breathe while they sleep. This increases oxygen intake and improves the risk factors associated with the condition. A quick conversation with your doctor is all that’s required to get started.
Consider the cost of having your sleep apnea tested or treated. When you take into account the costs of treatment and medication for hypertension or chronic pain, diabetes, stroke recovery, or any other conditions, you will quickly realize that treating sleep apnea can also treat these other conditions. Study after study has shown that conditions that are associated with sleep apnea may be treated just like the sleep apnea. One test, one treatment will result in significantly less stress and a substantial break for your pocketbook.
Stop Your Sleep Apnea Now
What is sleep apnea and how can it affect you? Now you understand that the major conditions that affect people of all ages, even children and young adults. Most don’t even realize they have it.If left untreated, it can become more than just a sleep disorder. It can also cause major health problems.
No hesistation, No wait. You can quickly and easily treat your sleep apnea with a simple at home cpap machine or bipap machine. This will greatly improve your quality life. Buy the top rated cpap machines at resjoy.com, we are professional. Respiratory made easy.
