Sleep is a crucial component of your well-being. Patients with sleep problems like Valhalla sleep apnea cannot rest to rejuvenate their brain and muscles. Sleep apnea is a condition that causes patients to wake up in the middle of the night because they cannot breathe. Consequently, sleep apnea causes these patients to wake up feeling groggy and unable to focus on the ahead tasks. It is essential to seek medical intervention if you experience loud snoring and daytime tiredness because these are serious problems that develop due to untreated sleep apnea.
What are the signs of sleep apnea snoring?
Although snoring is a common condition affecting most patients, it is essential to get an accurate diagnosis so that you begin treatment as soon as possible, especially if your condition is sleep apnea. Primary snoring happens when patients sleep in certain positions. For example, back sleeping can cause vibration in the tissues in the back of the nose. However, sleep style is not the only risk factor of primary snoring. Being overweight and substance abuse are other common risk factors that can make you susceptible to developing primary snoring.
Sleep apnea shares many characteristics with primary snoring, including the risk factors. The definitive signs of sleep apnea are:
- Pausing during breathing
- Restlessness
- Choking
- Snoring louder than regular snoring
What are the different types of sleep apnea?
Suppose you suspect that you have sleep apnea. In that case, you should see a physician as soon as possible to receive emergency care that will manage your condition and prevent adversities from occurring. Your doctor will perform specific diagnostic tests to understand your situation and categorize your sleep apnea. The type of sleep apnea you have will influence the treatment plan your doctor will develop. The three main types of sleep apnea include:
- Obstructive sleep apnea
According to its name, this type of sleep apnea occurs due to a blockage in the airways. Usually, a patient will experience this sleep problem when the soft tissues in the throat collapse, causing the diaphragm and chest muscles to work harder to open the airways and push oxygen out of the lungs. As a result, patients may gasp aloud, and their bodies may jerk suddenly.
- Central sleep apnea
This sleeping problem occurs due to issues in the respiratory control center. The central nervous system fails to send signals to the respiratory muscles; thus, patients do not breathe.
- Complex sleep apnea
This type of sleep apnea occurs when a patient exhibits obstructive and central sleep apnea signs. The symptoms are usually more severe, and treatment should address the underlying causes to prevent future complications.
What is the treatment of sleep apnea?
Your physician should complete a comprehensive diagnosis to understand the seriousness of your condition. Patients with mild symptoms may get better sleep upon making lifestyle changes like losing weight and avoiding alcohol. If you have nasal allergies, your doctor may treat this to prevent the airways from blockage. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is a prevalent treatment of sleep apnea involving wearing a mask connected to a machine that continuously sends in the air into the lungs to assist a patient in breathing during sleep.
If you want to eliminate your symptoms and improve your sleep, contact Advanced Surgeons to book a consultation to develop an ideal treatment plan for your sleep apnea.