Those with severe obstructive sleep apnea could face death at any moment while they are sleeping. This condition is life-threatening if not treated.
When the condition is diagnosed it is important the person receives proper medical treatment right away. There are many risks for a person with obstructive sleep apnea besides death if it is not treated.
Some of these resultant conditions include heart attacks, strokes, irregular heartbeats, high blood pressure, heart disease, and decreased libido. In addition, obstructive sleep apnea can cause daytime drowsiness.
This drowsiness can make it very difficult for a person to function normally in daily life. Occasionally this drowsiness is so severe that it will cause accidents and a decrease in a person's ability to be productive.
This drowsiness makes it difficult for people with obstructive sleep apnea to interact with people from day to day. The inability to be completely social able results in interpersonal relationship issues.
Obstructive sleep apnea comes in three varying degrees. These degrees are mild, moderate, and severe.
Sleep apnea is surprisingly common. Over one-fifth of adults have some form of sleep apnea.
One in every 15 adults has a moderate form of sleep apnea. This condition also afflicts one to three percent of all children in the United States.
Obstructive sleep apnea can be caused by extra tissue such as big tonsils or tongue blocking the upper airway. This condition can also be caused by the relaxation of the airway muscles which allows the airway to collapse during sleep which hinders the ability to breathe properly.
The word "apnea" means that breathing has stopped. When this happens, an impulse is sent from the brain to wake up the person enough to start breathing again.
This process may happen repeatedly throughout the night. If the condition is severe enough the apnea will completely wake up a person resulting in sleep deprivation.
Severe obstructive sleep apnea is considered to include periods where the person does not breathe for 60-90 seconds for as many as 500 times during one night.
People who have obstructive sleep apnea are often unaware of their problem because they feel like they sleep well. However, the condition is often discovered when visiting a doctor and complaints are made by the patient about drowsiness. A bed partner may report excessive snoring and a cessation of breathing.
The bed partner may also observe gasping or choking during sleep, restless sleep, struggling with mental functions, poor judgment, inability to focus, memory loss, anger management issues, high blood pressure, nighttime chest pain, depression, excess weight issues, airway crowding, headaches, reduced libido, and/or many trips to a bathroom throughout the night.
As the doctor listens to the various problems, he or she will look at the medical history of the patient and examine their head and neck. He or she may also continue to ask the bed partner questions.
If the condition is considered to be potentially serious, the doctor will refer the patient to a polysomnography. A Polysomnography is a special doctor's clinic that deals with sleeping issues.
At a polysomnography clinic, they will require you to sleep overnight at the clinic under camera surveillance and other monitors that will allow the doctors to know how often you are breathing. They will be able to prescribe a treatment for you from the information gathered from this test.
If the condition is mild, they will suggest non-medical treatments. These treatments may include oral appliances that will hold the lower jaw in the correct position and bring the tongue forward.
Those who are diagnosed with a moderate to severe condition may uses C-PAP, or Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, and Bi-PAP treatments. A C-PAP treatment simply involves placing a fitted mask on the face that will apply certain air pressure to keep the airway and throat open throughout the night.
Bi-PAP treatment is very similar, but may use two varying pressures throughout the night. However, these treatments only treat the condition and do not solve the problem.
To remove the problem, surgery will have to be undergone. Remember that surgery is not always successful, but it is a more permanent solution.
A doctor and dentist should be consulted before surgery is undergone to make sure that nothing goes wrong. Obstructive sleep apnea is a potentially life-threatening condition, but it can be treated.
Author Resource:-
Tommy Greene is a former dental assistant and has authored hundreds of articles relating to oral health and Salt Lake City Dentist. He has been a guest dental lecturer for over 15 years.
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