Sleep Apnea - Diagnosis and Treatment

Diagnosis and treatment of sleep apnea are two very important steps in bringing sleep apnea under control.

Some think that loud snoring is indicative of sleep apnea but this isn’t always true. Snoring does accompany some cases, but not all. If you think you are suffering from sleep apnea and you have a sleeping partner, that partner can help you make an initial diagnosis.

With paper and pen, your partner should record the number of times there is a disruption in your breathing. It’s easy to tell because you’ll either stop breathing, or you’ll make gasping, choking or snorting sounds as you attempt to get your breath back. Making notes about your snoring is also helpful. You can also get a tape recorder and put it on ‘Record’ while you sleep.

The majority of sleep apnea occurs in men aged 40 or older who are also overweight. If you fall into this category and you know you’ve experienced sleep apnea symptoms, your doctor likely will suspect sleep apnea. If in doubt, your doctor can look for obstructions in the nose and mouth and examine your throat and nose using either an endoscopy or an X-ray. A CT scan of the neck and head is another diagnosis tool.

Should more information be needed, an absolute diagnosis can easily be confirmed by spending a night in a sleep center so that your sleeping pattern can be monitored.

The most common treatment option for individuals diagnosed with sleep apnea is Read more

Sleep Apnea - Symptoms and Causes

Sleep apnea is a very serious sleep disorder affecting over 18 million American sleepers. It’s a condition in which a person’s breathing is continuously interrupted during sleep. Breathing can be interrupted for as few as 10 seconds to as many as 60 seconds or longer.

In order to get breathing to resume, the brain has to awaken the individual each time breathing halts. The cycle of breathing disruption/brain awakening can repeat hundreds of times during a single sleep period.

Sleep apnea deprives the body of sleep and also of oxygen. If left untreated it will get worse. High blood pressure can develop as can other types of cardiovascular disease. Sleep apnea can become so severe that it could endanger your life.

The most obvious symptom of sleep apnea is a constant feeling of grogginess throughout the day. Many people with this disorder will frequently fall asleep during daytime hours. This makes sense since a person with sleep apnea does not ever fall into a deep sleep.

There are other symptoms associated with sleep apnea. Those associated with sleeping including profusely sweating during sleep, gasping or choking, unusually loud snoring and waking suddenly and/or frequently to catch breath.

When you are awake you may experience an inability to focus, concentrate and/or remember. Sleep apnea can also cause morning headaches and a sore throat or dry mouth upon awakening. Your attention span may be Read more