Despite what you may think, sleep apnea is not uncommon. In fact, 1 in every 5 people struggles with this problem. And one in 15 shows signs of severe issue.
What’s more serious here is that most of the people suffering from this disorder do not even know that they have this issue.
Therefore, it is worth discussing what sleep apnea is and what your options for treatment are.
What is sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea is mainly a sleeping disorder which involves trouble breathing. There are three different kinds of sleep apnea:
- Obstructive sleep apnea is the first and most common type of sleep apnea. It happens when the flow of air is obstructed in throat due to expanded tongue.
- Another kind is more complicated. It is called central sleep apnea. This problem occurs due to brain’s lack of capability in sending proper signals to the muscles related to breathing.
- Complex sleep apnea syndrome is the third kind which is the mix of both conditions mentioned above.
Here, you may think of it as just a sleeping disorder. But it’s much more than this. Sleep apnea can affect overall health in pretty bad way. Since obstructive sleep apnea is more common than any other condition, let’s talk about it.
The reason sleep apnea is talked about more than before is that it has been found linked with certain health problems which can turn out to be dangerous and, sometimes, fatal. For instance, problems like heart disease, diabetes, insomnia, hypertension, obesity, and stroke are found linked pretty closely with sleep apnea.
Recognizing sleep apnea
Since this problem is related to night sleep, many people do realize that they actually suffer from it. However, there are some signs which can help you understand whether you have this issue. Sleep apnea usually causes following problems.
- Loud snoring
- Gasping during sleep
- Feeling out of breath while waking up
- Trouble sleeping
- Headache in the morning
- Lack of concentration during daytime
- Dry mouth in the morning
Treatment
There are a few treatment options which offer definite solution to sleep apnea. You can get recommendation for the appropriate one from your dentist.
One of the ideal solutions to sleep apnea is the use of CPAP Machines. This machine consists of a device which blows air into your nose. The pressure of air makes it easy for you to breathe during night sleep. You will have to wear a mask in order to receive air this way.
Sometimes, you may get rid of sleep apnea with proper repositioning of your jaw. In that scenario, the device you can use is known as Mandibular Repositioning Device. The main function of this device is to reposition your oral cavity in perfect position so that it could receive adequate oxygen for breathing.
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