Having a good quality sleep is crucial for your overall health and well-being. It helps elevate your energy and activity levels. But what if you experience disturbed sleep with several episodes of wakefulness? This can negatively impact your routine life. Persistent sleep disturbances may be due to an underlying medical condition such as sleep apnea.
The dentist in Fresno and their team offer a comprehensive approach towards sleep apnea by providing timely medical help to improve the quality of your sleep.
Sleep apnea-overview
Sleep apnea is defined as a chronic (long-lasting) medical condition that results in disturbed sleep due to cessation of normal breathing.
The word “apnea” means breathless, which results in the lack of oxygen, which, in turn, activates a survival reflex in your body that wakes you up from sleep. This can help you resume breathing but can greatly interrupt your normal sleep cycle. Over a while, untreated sleep apnea can have other debilitating consequences like increased strain on your heart.
There are three types of sleep apnea:
- Obstructive
- Central
- Complex
Causes of sleep apnea
Depending on the type of sleep apnea, it can be caused by the following factors:
- Obstructive sleep apnea
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- Airway obstruction due to relaxation of the muscles of the head and neck while you are asleep.
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- Central sleep apnea
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- Heart failure
- Hypoxia (low blood oxygen levels)
- Nervous system damage
- Complex sleep apnea
- Due to a combination of any of the causes of obstructive and central sleep apnea.
Signs and symptoms of sleep apnea
Sleep apnea can be manifested by any of the following signs and symptoms:
- Loud snoring while sleeping
- Waking up frequently at night
- Fatigue on waking up
- Daytime sleepiness
- Headaches, especially when waking up
- Poor concentration levels
- Short-term memory loss
- Unusual breathing pattern
- Insomnia (inability to sleep at night)
- Night sweats
- Heartburn or acid reflux
- Sexual dysfunction, especially in men
Sleep apnea management
Consult your doctor if you notice any of the above symptoms. Depending on the type and severity of the symptoms, your doctor may help manage sleep apnea by the following treatment options:
Non-surgical approach: For mild to moderate cases
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- Conservative treatment
- Weight loss
- Altering your sleep positions
- Nasal sprays
- Adopting sleep stimulation techniques like aromatherapy or light soothing music
- Medications
- Positive airway pressure (PAP) and adaptive ventilation
- Oral appliances
- Conservative treatment
- Nerve stimulators
Surgical approach: For severe cases
- Somnoplasty
- Nasal surgery
- tonsillectomy/ adenoidectomy
- Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP)
- Jaw surgery
Keynote
Sleep apnea has been a prevailing condition among millions that disrupts your breathing while asleep. If left untreated, it can lead to serious complications like high BP, heart failure, stroke, diabetes, and behavioral disorders. Thus, early diagnosis and treatment are crucial.
