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Updated November 7th, 2019 at 19:46 IST

Sleep Apnea: Symptoms, causes and treatment - All you need to know

Sleep Apnea is a disorder which can be cured with proper treatment. Here's all you want to know about sleep apnea be it causes, symptoms and treatment. Read.

Reported by: Akanksha Ghotkar
Sleep Apnea
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Sleep apnea is described as a sleep disorder in which an individual's breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep. This means that the brain and the rest of the body may not get enough oxygen. Sleep apnea is of two types - Obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea.

Symptoms

The common symptoms of sleep apnea are snoring, disrupted sleep and fatigue A common symptom of sleep apnea is daytime sleepiness due to interrupted sleep at night. Other symptoms include occasionally waking up gasping, morning headaches, feeling sleepy while driving, mood changes and forgetfulness. 

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Additional symptoms include:

  • Restless sleep or insomnia
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Loud snoring
  • Waking up several times a night to urinate
  • Waking up with a dry mouth or sore throat
  • Irritability
  • Heartburn
  • Decreased libido and erectile dysfunction

Causes

There are various factors can contribute to the blocking or collapse of the airway. Some of them are mentioned as follows

  • Muscular changes: When people sleep, the muscles that keep the airway open relax, along with the tongue, causing the airway to narrow. Normally, this relaxation does not prevent the flow of air in and out of the lungs, but in sleep apnea, it can.
  • Physical obstructions: Additional thickened tissue or excessive fat stores around the airway can restrict the airflow, and any air that squeezes past can cause the loud snoring typically associated with OSA.
  • Brain function: In central sleep apnea (CSA), the neurological controls for breathing are faulty, causing the control and rhythm of breathing to malfunction. CSA is usually associated with an underlying medical condition, such as a stroke or heart failure, recent ascent to high altitude, or the use of pain relief medication.

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Treatment

Depending on the cause and the level of apnea, there are different methods of treatment. The goal of treatment is to normalise breathing during sleep. People opt for surgery only after all other treatments have not worked.

Normalising breathing has the following effects on apnea:

  • It eliminates daytime fatigue.
  • It removes unwanted mental health changes from apnea or lack of sleep.
  • It prevents cardiovascular changes caused by the excess strain of improper breathing.

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Other treatment options include:

  • Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy: This is the frontline treatment for sleep apnea. It keeps the airway open by gently providing a constant stream of positive pressure air through a mask.
  • Surgery: There are various surgical procedures for OSA that can widen the airway. Surgery can be used to stiffen or shrink obstructing tissue, or remove excess tissue, or enlarged tonsils. Depending on the extent of the surgery, procedures can be carried out in a doctor's office or a hospital.
  • Mandibular repositioning device (MRD): This is a custom-made oral appliance suitable for individuals with mild or moderate OSA. This mouthpiece holds the jaw in a forward position during sleep to expand the space behind the tongue. This helps keep the upper airway open, preventing apneas, and snoring.

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Published November 7th, 2019 at 11:37 IST

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