Sleep Apnea Symptoms And Treatment
Sleep apnea is much more common than we might think. Today we will discover the symptoms that people who suffer from it present and how it is treated.
Do you know someone who suffers from sleep apnea? There are several people who deal with this respiratory disease that prevents them from enjoying a good quality of sleep. For this reason, they tend to suffer great drowsiness during the day due to the lack of a good night’s sleep. Keep reading and you will discover the symptoms and treatment of this disorder.
Sleep apnea
Sleep apnea causes the person suffering from it to stop breathing at times when they are sleeping. This is something very notorious, since those who suffer from this disease snore very loudly and, suddenly, they stop doing it. When we realize it, they have stopped breathing. Apnea usually manifests itself when the person is in the REM phase. Without really knowing why, the pharynx collapses and prevents the passage of air. This can happen several times in the same night. In the most severe cases, people can suffer up to two apneas every hour.
Sleep apnea symptoms
As we have seen, snoring is one of the symptoms of sleep apnea. The funny thing is that people who suffer from this pathology start to snore very loudly as soon as they have fallen asleep. When the person suffers from apnea there is silence, followed by some gasping that is nothing more than an attempt to breathe again. At the moment in which this happens the person wakes up or is taken out of the deep sleep in which he was submerged.
Other symptoms that you may suffer are the following:
- Dry mouth : This is usually caused by snoring.
- Headache : apneas usually have this side effect, since when you stop breathing, the brain is not able to oxygenate well.
- Fatigue : this pathology prevents the person who suffers from having a good quality of sleep. As a result, she is very tired during the day.
People with sleep apnea often have problems with their work performance. Sometimes they can fall asleep in any unexpected place. For example, in a business meeting or while you are driving.
Sleep apnea treatment
If a person has all of the above symptoms, it is necessary to see a doctor. He will perform a series of specific tests to determine whether or not you have this disorder. Once the diagnosis is confirmed, the doctor will establish the best treatment for your case.
1. Eliminate bad habits
This is the first treatment for sleep apnea. It has to do with the elimination of bad habits and the inclusion of others that will improve our health. No drugs or any aggressive method are used. It is suitable for people suffering from mild sleep apnea. Some habits that should be modified are the elimination of tobacco, the practice of physical exercise or making changes in diet to lose weight. In many cases, this treatment usually improves sleep apnea.
2. Wear a mask
This second treatment is the one that is usually given, in general, to patients suffering from sleep apnea. It is a mask (known as CPAP, continuous positive airway pressure ) that is provided to the person who suffers from apnea and with which they must sleep. This mask exerts pressure on the upper airway preventing it from paralyzing. In addition, it makes snoring disappear and does not usually have side effects.
3. Undergo surgery
This last of the treatments for sleep apnea is used in very specific cases. For example, if the person suffers from polyps, which can make the use of the mask not solve the problem. Also, if there is any injury to the upper airway, this type of treatment may be required. However, the most frequently used treatment option is the use of a mask.
There is not a cure for this disease
At present, a cure for this disease has not yet been discovered. In fact, all the treatments we have seen are intended to combat or reduce symptoms. However, if the treatment is stopped, the sleep apnea will return, because we cannot get rid of it. The treatments help a lot to improve the quality of life of people who will see how they sleep much better and feel more energetic during the day. Likewise, the people you live with will also be grateful not only for the reduction in snoring, but for the fear they feel when the person stops breathing.
Has someone around you ever suffered from sleep apnea? How have you lived it if the one who has had it is you?
