An effective night of restful, uninterrupted sleep is crucial to our overall health, helping regulate hormones, manage emotions and keep us feeling our best. Sleep disorders may result in symptoms like snoring, interrupted breathing or loud gasping during sleep or morning irritability – making a restful rest impossible to achieve!
Prepare to advocate for yourself when visiting doctors as they may not know about MSA. Bring along a list of your medications and medical history!
Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) occurs when your throat muscles relax and close off the airway during sleep, most commonly among overweight individuals who sleep on their backs. OSA symptoms include snoring and daytime sleepiness which interfere with work, school, relationships and life in general; in extreme cases it can increase risk for stroke and heart attack and could even result in diabetes, depression and high cholesterol levels as well as leading to increased irritability or memory problems. It affects people both men and women equally!
Persons may first become aware of issues with their sleeping pattern when family or roommates report interruptions in breathing during sleep. A medical provider will collect medical history, perform a physical exam, and refer them for a diagnostic sleep study which monitors them while sleeping at a lab and measures when and how often breaths stop, their duration and their severity.
Doctors typically treat obstructive sleep apnea by making lifestyle changes, taking medication or using appliances like CPAP. Common medications used include steroids or sedatives to ease congestion; antidepressants and antihypertensives to lower blood pressure; antibiotics to combat sinus infections; as well as weight loss and smoking cessation to lower risk.
Surgery may be used in some instances to lower the risk of obstructive sleep apnea. One procedure called Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) may remove excess tissue in the throat or rearrange tonsils; or alternatively tracheostomy may create permanent openings in the windpipe through which tubes may be inserted – though this should usually only be attempted as a last resort if other therapies fail to help.
Central Sleep Apnea (CSA) may be less common than its more serious counterpart, obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), but can have serious repercussions. This occurs when your brain fails to send normal signals to your chest muscles that tell them when to breathe resulting in lack of oxygen reaching the brain and brain cells. It may be caused by severe heart disease, neurological diseases or medications like certain narcotics as well as being side effects from other medications you take during the night.
Its primary symptom is daytime sleepiness. Left untreated, this disorder may lead to memory problems, poor concentration and decreased quality of life – as well as negatively impact relationships with family and coworkers. In some instances, chronic stress-associated anxiety (CSA) can also increase risk factors such as high blood pressure, heart failure and diabetes. People living alone might find it challenging to keep up with household chores and obligations or participate in social activities; driving can become problematic which increases accident risks. Treatment for CSA involves treating its source as well as taking appropriate medication such as for heart or lung conditions as well as stopping any addictive painkillers such as narcotics.
Central Sleep Apnea
Central sleep apnea occurs when short pauses in breathing occur during sleep, leaving you waking up short of breath and feeling like you’re choking. Daytime fatigue or lack of energy are other symptoms; unlike with obstructive sleep apnea, which typically involves snoring; its symptoms often mirror heart disease, high blood pressure, depression and diabetes symptoms; it’s also possible that those affected with central sleep apnea develop cyanosis if brain cells are not receiving enough oxygen – another sign that your breathing pattern needs attention!
Central Sleep Apnea (CSA) stems from issues in the respiratory control center in the brain, where breathing muscles should receive signals to breathe deeper and faster in order to clear out carbon dioxide from their bodies; but in cases of CSA this signal fails properly resulting in poor ventilation, choking episodes, and frequent awakening.
CSA can arise suddenly or slowly over time and have far-reaching implications on all areas of your life, leading to severe health concerns if left untreated.
Central Sleep Apnea (CSA) affects both men and women, though older people are at an increased risk. People living with certain health conditions are at an increased risk for this condition, including heart disease, obesity, diabetes, nerve damage, stroke and heart failure. Furthermore, medications like opioids, benzodiazepines, antidepressants or anticonvulsants may exacerbate it further.
Your doctor will conduct an in-depth physical exam and run tests to rule out health conditions linked with this condition, such as high blood pressure. If the tests yield positive results, your physician will refer you for a sleep study.
At a sleep study, your physician will look for any abnormalities in your breathing patterns and will record and analyze any apneas that occur while sleeping in order to assess its severity.
Serious central sleep apnea can have serious repercussions, such as reduced brain blood flow, irregular heart rhythm and even heart failure. Additionally, severe central sleep apnea can decrease mental functions like memory and attention span significantly.
Your doctor can treat CSA using the same treatment options used to manage other forms of sleep apnea, including CPAP therapy. This therapy entails breathing through an inflatable tube attached to the end of a tube running down your throat in order to keep the windpipe open, with an air delivery mask placed over this device to distribute air into your respiratory system. Your doctor can recommend various styles of devices and masks that are both comfortable and effective for you, including lifestyle modifications and medications to decrease your risk of CSA. Treatment options may include weight loss, foregoing alcohol and sleeping in an upright position during sleep. While these strategies may help manage their CSA symptoms, others will require treating their underlying health conditions to control CSAs.
Mixed Sleep Apnea
Mixed Sleep Apnea occurs when both obstructive and central forms of sleep apnea coexist, in some cases leading to abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmias). Such arrhythmias can cause blood to pool too long in your heart before leaving it directly for your brain – potentially leading to stroke, or stopping it entirely leading to sudden cardiac death.
Sleep apnea symptoms typically include daytime sleepiness, irritability, poor concentration, memory problems, and morning headaches. Depending on its severity, people might even fall asleep while driving or when stopped at red lights – leading to accidents and injuries; otherwise it can reduce quality of life by leaving people too sleepy to work or care for family or engage in social activities.
If you suspect you may have sleep apnea, consult with your physician immediately. He or she may ask about your symptoms and may suggest an overnight polysomnogram test in which sensors monitor heart rate, breathing rate, oxygen levels and brain activity – the gold standard in diagnosing sleep apnea.
Your doctor can assist in diagnosing sleep apnea by learning more about your symptoms and family history of this condition. Bring any videos or audio recordings you may have of yourself sleeping; these may prove invaluable in recognizing signs and symptoms.
Your doctor is likely to recommend one or more treatments for sleep apnea, such as snoring devices, oral appliances, surgery or continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). Ultimately, which one works best will depend on your symptoms and the severity of your condition. Some individuals experience improvement almost instantly after beginning treatment, while for others it takes longer. Your doctor can help determine how long it will take before you see improvements in your symptoms. It’s essential that you stick with your treatment plan in order to start feeling better quicker rather than later – with proper medical intervention you should be able to avoid serious health complications and lead a more productive and fulfilling lifestyle! Good luck!
