Sleep Apnea Information: It's Nature, Prevalence, and Treatment

Sleep apnea is a sudden cessation of breathing during sleep characterized by pauses, or apneas (literally meaning without breath in Greek) that can last anywhere from a few seconds to several minutes. There can be anywhere from 5 to 30 apneas in one hour, depending on the type and severity of the condition.

Sleep apnea affects millions of Americans every year, being as prevalent as adult diabetes in people over the age of 40. Many of these people, unfortunately, have no idea they suffer from this disorder. Although a great deal of information has been made available to the public about this condition, few people are aware that it exists, or that it can strike people of any age, including children.

The seriousness of the problem, sleep apnea causes all types of negative side effects, some of which are life threatening. Its most common side effect is chronic fatigue throughout the day. Many people ignore this warning sign, thinking they simply need more sleep, are suffering from stress, or have chronic fatigue syndrome.

In reality, they are suffering from hypoxia, a condition which results when the frontal lobes of the brain are deprived of vital supplies of oxygen. This, in turn, can affect motor skills and lead to impaired driving and possible accidents.

Information published by the National Institutes of Health also indicates that high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, irregular heartbeat, and an increased likelihood for heart attack, stroke, obesity, and diabetes are all linked to untreated sleep apnea.

There are three types of the condition: obstructive, central, and complex. Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common, and is caused by the throat muscles collapsing and blocking air passages. Central sleep apnea is much less frequent.

It is caused by the brains failure to send a signal to the breathing muscles to inhale. Complex is the rarest form of the disorder, and results from a mixture of brain neurological failure and collapsing throat muscles.

Aside from constant fatigue, there are other symptoms that indicate the probable presence of sleep apnea. Loud snoring is one of these symptoms. It is caused by a small amount of air squeezing past the blocked air passage, resulting in a snorting sound as the air pushes its way through blocked tissue.

A person is often awakened from this noise and drifts out of light and heavy patterns of sleep throughout the night. It is unlikely that a person can tell from symptoms alone what type of apnea they have, or how severe the disorder is.

A person who suspects that she or he probably has this condition needs to immediately seek medical assistance from a specialist who can schedule an overnight observation in a special sleep center. This will provide all the necessary information on the type and severity of the sleep apnea the patient suffers from, and will help the doctor determine the best course of treatment.

Treatment options range from behavior modification to surgery. Normally, surgery is used only for the most rare and severe forms of the disorder. Behavior modifications that doctors almost always recommend are cessation of smoking and drinking, along with an exercise and weight loss program to reduce obesity that is often linked to the disorder.

Special pillows can help elevate the neck to keep the airways more open. A CPAP machine can be used to maintain a constant stream of air to the lungs if this is comfortable and painless to the patient. For people who cannot bear the machines, special dental devices can be made that put tension on the lower jaw and keep the trachea open to allow for normal breathing.

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