In my last post, I discussed some of the treatment options available for obstructive sleep apnea. Central sleep apnea is much less common; however some of the treatment options available for central sleep apnea are the same ones used for obstructive sleep apnea.
For instance, continuous positive airway pressure is used to treat both central and obstructive sleep apnea. Continuous positive airway pressure involves placing a mask over your nose. The mask is connected to a device that increases the air pressure above the air pressure around you. This helps prevent breathing troubles in individuals with sleep apnea.
Auto-adjusting positive airway pressure is another type of treatment for central sleep apnea that increases air pressure automatically when one's breathing stops and decreases the pressure when breathing begins again.
Other times, individuals with central sleep apnea have an underlying medical condition, such as lung or heart problems. Sometimes, treating an underlying problem stops sleep apnea.
Central sleep apnea is often treated based on what is causing the breathing difficulties.
For more information about central sleep apnea treatment, I encourage you to visit Mayo Clinic at: www.mayoclinic.org.
Showing posts with label sleep apnea. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sleep apnea. Show all posts
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Treatment Options for Obstructive Sleep Apnea
There are several ways to treat obstructive sleep apnea, both surgical and non-surgical.
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure: Continuous Positive Airway Pressure or CPAP is one method used to treat sleep apnea. This is a machine that gives you air pressure while you sleep through a mask you wear over your nose. The machine keeps airways open while you sleep by providing slightly higher air pressure than its surrounding air pressure. This prevents snoring and sleep apnea.
Oral appliances: Dentists can supply different oral devices that can keep airways open during sleep. People suffering from obstructive sleep apnea may need to try more than one mask to find one that is effective.
Maxillomandibular advancement: This is one of the surgical options available for obstructive sleep apnea. Basically, in this procedure, the jaw is moved forward, making the space between the soft palette and the tongue wider, which makes obstruction of the airway less likely.
Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty: This surgical procedure may or may not be successful in treating one's sleep apnea. In a uvulopalatopharyngoplasty the surgeon removes tissue from the top of your throat and the back of your mouth. Additionally, the tonsils and adenoids are also typically removed. The procedure is usually successful for stopping snoring.
Tracheostomy: This surgical procedure is performed if other treatments have failed to treat your sleep apnea and/or your sleep apnea is life-threatening. In this procedure, a surgeon makes a hole in your neck in which a plastic or metal tube is placed. You keep the hole covered during the day, but uncover it at night to allow air to pass through to your lungs; you breathe through the tube in order to bypass the obstruction in your throat.
The specific treatment or treatments you receive will depend on your specific circumstances, which you should discuss with your doctor.
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure: Continuous Positive Airway Pressure or CPAP is one method used to treat sleep apnea. This is a machine that gives you air pressure while you sleep through a mask you wear over your nose. The machine keeps airways open while you sleep by providing slightly higher air pressure than its surrounding air pressure. This prevents snoring and sleep apnea.
Oral appliances: Dentists can supply different oral devices that can keep airways open during sleep. People suffering from obstructive sleep apnea may need to try more than one mask to find one that is effective.
Maxillomandibular advancement: This is one of the surgical options available for obstructive sleep apnea. Basically, in this procedure, the jaw is moved forward, making the space between the soft palette and the tongue wider, which makes obstruction of the airway less likely.
Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty: This surgical procedure may or may not be successful in treating one's sleep apnea. In a uvulopalatopharyngoplasty the surgeon removes tissue from the top of your throat and the back of your mouth. Additionally, the tonsils and adenoids are also typically removed. The procedure is usually successful for stopping snoring.
Tracheostomy: This surgical procedure is performed if other treatments have failed to treat your sleep apnea and/or your sleep apnea is life-threatening. In this procedure, a surgeon makes a hole in your neck in which a plastic or metal tube is placed. You keep the hole covered during the day, but uncover it at night to allow air to pass through to your lungs; you breathe through the tube in order to bypass the obstruction in your throat.
The specific treatment or treatments you receive will depend on your specific circumstances, which you should discuss with your doctor.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Sleep Apnea
Do you know someone who stops breathing several times an hour for the duration of several seconds to a minute or longer? If you do, you may know someone who suffers from sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder in which an individual either stops breathing many times during the night or has shallow breathing while he or she sleeps. Sometimes a person who has stopped breathing will give a noisy choking sound or snort when he or she resumes breathing again.
While individuals with sleep apnea may feel very tired during the day due to poor sleep quality, they often do not know they stop breathing during sleep. Rather, it is typically a family member, spouse, or partner who notices the shallow breathing or breathing pauses that occur during sleep.
Three types of sleep apnea exist:
Obstructive sleep apnea: Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when something either blocks the airway or the airway collapses during sleep, causing a person to stop breathing. This is the most common type of sleep apnea.
Central sleep apnea: Central sleep apnea occurs when a person's brain does not send the right signals or messages to the breathing muscles in the body. According to the National Institute of Health, snoring does not usually occur with central sleep apnea.
Mixed sleep apnea: In mixed sleep apnea, both obstructive and central sleep apnea are present and account for breathing difficulties during sleep.
If left untreated, sleep apnea may lead to any of the following, according to the National Institute of Health: irregular heartbeat, increases the risk for heart failure, increases the risk of suffering from diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure, obesity, and/or stroke, and increases the likelihood of having a driving or work-related accident.
Fortunately, sleep apnea can be treated. I will discuss the treatment options for sleep apnea in my next post.
Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder in which an individual either stops breathing many times during the night or has shallow breathing while he or she sleeps. Sometimes a person who has stopped breathing will give a noisy choking sound or snort when he or she resumes breathing again.
While individuals with sleep apnea may feel very tired during the day due to poor sleep quality, they often do not know they stop breathing during sleep. Rather, it is typically a family member, spouse, or partner who notices the shallow breathing or breathing pauses that occur during sleep.
Three types of sleep apnea exist:
Obstructive sleep apnea: Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when something either blocks the airway or the airway collapses during sleep, causing a person to stop breathing. This is the most common type of sleep apnea.
Central sleep apnea: Central sleep apnea occurs when a person's brain does not send the right signals or messages to the breathing muscles in the body. According to the National Institute of Health, snoring does not usually occur with central sleep apnea.
Mixed sleep apnea: In mixed sleep apnea, both obstructive and central sleep apnea are present and account for breathing difficulties during sleep.
If left untreated, sleep apnea may lead to any of the following, according to the National Institute of Health: irregular heartbeat, increases the risk for heart failure, increases the risk of suffering from diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure, obesity, and/or stroke, and increases the likelihood of having a driving or work-related accident.
Fortunately, sleep apnea can be treated. I will discuss the treatment options for sleep apnea in my next post.
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