Living With Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a very common and serious sleeping disorder that happens when your routine breathing is interrupted during sleep. Snoring is common among patients with sleep apnea, although not all snorers suffer from this disorder.

There are basically two types of sleep apnea:

Obstructive - The more common form, it's the consequence of obstructed air flow through sleep, usually when the soft tissue at the back of the throat collapses while you’re sleeping. Health factors, like obesity, might contribute.

Central – This results from an issue with how our brain signals the breathing muscles. The airway isn't blocked, instead the brain fails to signal the muscles to breath. This type of sleep apnea may happen with conditions like heart failure, brain tumors, brain infections, and stroke.
Sleep apnea may influence anyone at all ages, though men are more prone to develop the disease.

The risk is also higher for those who:

Are over 40
Are overweight
Have large tonsils, large tongue or a little jaw
Have a family history of snoring
Have a nasal obstruction because of sinus problems, allergies or a deviated septum.

If left untreated, sleep apnea can result in a number of health problems, such as:

High blood pressure
Stroke
Heart failure, irregular heartbeat, and myocardial infarction
Diabetes
Depression
Worsening of ADHD.

Sleep apnea patients in Bellflower can be medicated, and there are various options:

Adjusting sleeping habits - This might imply just not sleeping on your back

Continuous positive air pressure (CPAP) - This is a system that improves breathing as you sleep. The device supplies air throughout the nasal passages and the air pressure keeps the airway open while sleeping.

Oral appliances - Certain devices can shift and support the jaw to prevent blockage in the airway. Research demonstrates that appliances can prevent sleep apnea in some mild to moderate cases.

Surgery - In accordance with the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine, upper airway surgery could be recommended when other treatment alternatives are ineffective in eliminating the signs of sleep apnea. Depending upon the location and nature of the airway obstruction, the procedure can be minimally invasive or complicated. It might be necessary to remove the tonsils or other portions of the soft palate or throat.