Sleep plays a crucial role in your overall health. When you get enough sleep, you will be energized and appear fresh and rested and even undertake your daily life with zeal. However, some disorders can deny you quality sleep. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is one of the most common sleep problems that interrupt and affect sleep for many people. So, what is OSA?
What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea?
This is a chronic disorder where the muscles along the airway relax when you sleep, causing the soft tissues along the airways to collapse and block airflow. This causes pauses in your breathing and reduces oxygen levels in your body. The interruption in your breath can disturb your sleep, and you may experience repeated waking throughout the night.
Signs of Obstructive Sleep Apnea
The following are common signs of OSA:
Snoring
Choking feeling
Gasping
People at Risk of Suffering from OSA
This disorder is common among men. However, women can also suffer from the disorder, particularly during or after menopause. People with misaligned jaw or excess body weight are also at a higher risk of being affected by this condition.
Health Problems Posed by OSA
If OSA is left untreated, it can pose the following risks:
Fatigue
High blood pressure
Loss of memory
Erectile dysfunction
Stroke
Heart problems
Chronic acid reflux
Death in a severe situation
Diagnosing Obstructive sleep apnea
A sleep expert should give a diagnosis of whether you are suffering from obstructive sleep apnea. They study your sleeping pattern and give you a test on your condition. Based on the data they collect during the study, they will do an analysis and give you a conclusive result whether you have OSA.
Obstructive sleep apnea Treatment Options
Based on the seriousness of your OSA case, a sleep specialist can recommend any of the following treatment options:
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) Therapy
This treatment option entails wearing a face mask with tubing that is connected to a running machine. CPAP ensures you are supplied with air with enough pressure during sleeping to ensure muscles don’t collapse.
Oral Appliance Therapy
This device acts as a mouthguard and is worn during sleep to support your jaws and keep your airway open. This ensures there is no air obstruction as you sleep.
Surgery
This treatment option is used when the other treatment options fail to resolve the OSA problem. It is mainly used when you have enlarged parts of your body, such as tonsils blocking airflow and causing OSA.
These treatment options have varying side effects and success rates. The treatment option that you will undergo will depend on doctor recommendation. Oral therapy is good when you are snoring, and your jaw is the main cause triggering it. The device will keep the jaws held in position as you sleep. Always seek professional advice before undergoing treatment to ensure it will work for you and will not cause severe adverse effects. Call us today!