Apnea

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Do you ever think that snoring is bad for your health? Well, it is sometimes bad since the partner will not like it and hence the trouble.

But there is a condition in which the loud, frequent and disruptive snoring can be a sign of underlying disease which is harmful and needs immediate treatment. It could be a sign of sleep apnea, which is a common and serious disorder. In this disorder, the breathing repeatedly stops and starts while you are sleeping. Sleep apnea is treatable. The bad news is people are not able to diagnose this illness and it often remains untreated. There are ways in which this can be distinguished from normal snoring.

Types of Sleep Apnea

1. Obstructive sleep apnea – This is the common type of apnea. In this condition, the soft tissue in the throat relaxes while we are sleeping and then they block the airway causing us to snore loudly.
2. Central sleep apnea – This is not common and it involves the central nervous system. The brain signal does not reach the muscles controlling the breathing. These people do not snore.
3. Complex sleep apnea - It is the combination of above two types of sleep apnea.

Cure and Changes for Sleep Apnea

1. Leave smoking. Smoking increase the inflammation of the throat and causes the upper airway to block.
2. Reduce alcohol and sedatives before bedtime. They tend to relax the throat muscles causing the trouble to aggravate.
3. Say no to caffeine and heavy meals at least 3 hours before going to bed.
4. Maintain a regular sleep pattern.
5. Do not sleep on your back or front, rather, sleep on your side.
6. Do the tennis ball trick to stop yourself from rolling over to your back or front.
7. Prop your head up. Elevate the head of your bed by four to six inches or elevate your body from the waist up by using a foam wedge. You can also use a special cervical pillow.

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) treatment is a common treatment for sleep apnea. It constitutes a mask which is worn over the nose while sleeping. The mask is connected to a machine which delivers a continuous flow of air into the nose, causing the airway to always open.

Surgery for Sleep Apnea

There are different surgical procedures which can cure sleep apnea. The most common surgery for sleep apnea:

1. Nasal surgery to cure deviated septum
2. Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP): Removing the tissues from the throat causing more space to be available for breathing.
3. Mandibular maxillar advancement surgery