Best TCM Doctor Treat Sleep Apnea
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Obstructive Sleep Apnea is not uncommon, although not many people suffer from Obstructive Sleep Apnea.
Sleep apnea is a
condition that makes you stop breathing while you’re sleeping. This happens either because of blockage of
your airway (obstructive sleep apnea) or because your brain doesn’t control
your breathing as expected (central sleep apnea).
A lack of oxygen
activates a survival reflex that wakes you up just enough to resume breathing.
While that reflex keeps you alive, it also interrupts your sleep cycle. This
prevents restful sleep. It can also put stress on your heart that may be life-threatening
if untreated.
What are the types of sleep apnea?
There are three types of
sleep apnea:
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)-- In this condition, the muscles
in your throat relax while you’re asleep, causing surrounding tissue to
press on your windpipe. This blocks air movement.
- Central Sleep Apnea (CSA). With this condition, your brain
doesn’t send signals to keep breathing-related muscles working while you
sleep.
- Mixed/complex sleep apnea. This type is a combination of
both obstructive and central sleep apnea types.
How common is sleep
apnea?
Study estimates that
about 1 billion people (between ages 30 to 69) around the world have
obstructive sleep apnea. Central sleep apnea is less common than OSA but it’s
not a rare condition.
Sleep apnea causes
symptoms that affect you at night and during the day.
What are the symptoms
of sleep apnea?
Common symptoms of sleep
apnea include:
- Waking up repeatedly in the middle of the night
- Breathing pauses while asleep (a sleeping partner may
notice this)
- Unusual breathing patterns (fast breathing that gets deeper,
then shallower again until breathing stops before starting again)
- Snoring
- Waking up feeling short of breath or like you’re choking
- Daytime fatigue, sleepiness or exhaustion when waking up
Other symptoms you might
experience may include:
- Headaches, especially when waking up
- Night sweats
- Mood changes (depression and anxiety)
- Feeling restless at night
- Sexual dysfunction
What causes sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea happens
because of:
- An airflow blockage in your upper airway during sleep
- A problem with how your brain regulates your breathing during
sleep
Anyone can develop this
condition. It affects children and adults. Some common risk factors of sleep
apnea include having:
- A biological family history of sleep apnea
- Heart conditions, a stroke or elevated blood pressure
- Large tonsils
- Obesity
Your risk increases as
you get older. Males are more likely to receive a diagnosis before age 50.
Also, while you have a
higher risk of sleep apnea with obesity, anyone of any body size can develop
this condition.
Sleep apnea may cause
several different complications, many of which are severe or life-threatening.
These include:
- Excessive daytime sleepiness or “microsleeps” where you fall
asleep for very brief periods during the day (dangerous while driving or
operating machinery)
- Arrhythmias (atrial fibrillation or left atrial appendage);
- High blood pressure
- Heart damage and heart failure
- Sudden cardiac death
How is sleep apnea
diagnosed?
A healthcare provider
will diagnose sleep apnea by asking you questions about your symptoms and
medical history. If they suspect the condition, they’ll recommend testing to
confirm a diagnosis.
The most common tests for
sleep apnea include:
- Polysomnogram --This is an overnight test that involves wearing
sensors that monitor your heart rate, breathing, blood oxygen levels,
brain waves and more.
- Home sleep apnea testing. This is the at-home version of a sleep study, but it doesn’t involve brain wave monitoring. There are some limitations to this test; for example, it can’t diagnose central sleep apnea.
What organ does sleep apnea affect?
Sleep apnea isn’t limited to only one organ in your body. In fact, it affects many different body systems. The two most affected include your circulatory system (heart) and nervous system (brain).
How is sleep apnea
treated?
A healthcare provider
will recommend different treatment options based on the type of sleep apnea and
the severity. These may include:
- Using a breathing device like a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP)
machine
- Managing any underlying conditions that cause or increase your
risk of sleep apnea
- Changing your sleeping position (not on your back) to avoid
putting pressure on your airways
- Wearing an oral appliance (mouthpiece) to keep your airway
open
- Using a neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES)
device to prevent your tongue and upper airway muscles from blocking your
airway during sleep
- Taking medications
- Undergoing surgery
Surgeries on your nose,
mouth and throat may help prevent airway blockages during sleep. These
surgeries include:
- Jaw surgery-- Different procedures can change the position of
your jaw so soft tissue can’t press back on your airway.
- Nasal surgery. One common form of nasal surgery is septoplasty. This straightens the soft tissue in your
nose, making it easier for air to travel through your nose and nasal
passages.
