Sleep Apnea: Causes and Symptoms

Sleep apnea is a condition that usually consists of abnormal breathing while you are sleeping. People who suffer from this condition generally have multiple extended periods of time while there sleeping then their breath stops. These temporary breathing pauses then result in lower quality of sleep and can also affect the overall blood supply an oxygen supply to the body. As a result, it can have very serious health.

Problems Sleep apnea Melbourne is a very common disorder and it can affect children as well as adults. It can also affect people of both sexes, but it is more common in men. Because of the potential health consequences and the increased prevalence of sleep apnea in Melbourne, it is important that people should be aware of this disorder and know what its symptoms, causes, types, and treatments are.

What are the types of sleep apnea?

There are three different types of sleep apnea

1. Obstructive sleep apnea, which happens when the airway at the back of your throat is physically blocked. This obstruction results in temporary lapses of breath
2. Central sleep apnea happens when there is something wrong with the brain system that is capable of controlling your muscles that are involved in the process of respiration. This results in shallow and slow breathing
3. Mixed sleep apnea happens when a person has both obstructive sleep apnea as well as central sleep apnea at the same time.

Because there are distinct differences between the causes of each of these disorders, and the symptoms, treatments, and other relevant markers will also be different for each of these disorders.

What are the symptoms of sleep apnea?

All the three different types of this disorder have some symptoms that are common to each of them. They are:

1. Disturbed breathing in which in the respiration of the person becomes labored. It can even stop for up to a period of one minute at a time.
2. Excessive sleepiness during the daytime
3. Headaches in the morning
4. General irritability
5. Difficulty in thinking clearly
6. Limited attention span

Many of these symptoms are a result of poor sleep and decreased levels of oxygen that usually occur because of interrupted breathing. Some additional symptoms that may happen in patients of obstructive sleep apnea are:

1. Snoring, especially snoring that is really loud and may involve snorting, choking, gasping. This may also result in the person waking up briefly.
2. Sore throat or dry mouth in the morning.
3. Frequently waking up in the middle of the night for urination

Snoring is one of the most common symptoms of will sleep apnea will stop but that does not mean that every single person who suffers from snoring has sleep apnea. Moreover, patients who suffered from central sleep apnea do not often exhibit snoring.

For the most part, a person who is suffering from sleep apnea may not be aware of their breathing problems at night. For this reason, they may only be able to find out about the problem from a roommate, family member, or partner. People who live alone and have sleep apnea are more likely to notice the symptom of excessive sleepiness during the daytime.

What are the causes of sleep apnea?

Obstructive sleep apnea happens when the airway on the person becomes physically blocked while they're sleeping. There are many reasons for this to happen:

Not Michael characteristics such as the size and the position of the tongue, tonsils, jaw, and neck near the back of their throat can affect the airflow. Obesity is another important factor will stop it has been found that being overweight is one of the leading causes of obstructive sleep apnea. In up to 60% cases, it is the biggest underlying risk factor come on because obesity can lead to the anatomical narrowing of the airway.

Sedative medications, alcohol, and other types of drugs can also lead to the relaxation of the tissue at the back of the throat. This results in the airway becoming obstructed as well. People who have family history, smoke cigarettes, sleep on their back, have nasal congestion, or hormonal abnormalities can also suffer from obstructive sleep apnea.

On the other hand, central sleep apnea is mainly caused by the inability of the brain to communicate with the muscles that are responsible for breathing. Specifically speaking, the brainstem may not be able to adequately figure out the levels of carbon dioxide in the body, which leads to slower breathing. Central sleep apnea is also connected to some medical conditions. For instance, an infection of the brain, brain too much, or a stroke can also damage the brainstem. Pain medications like opioids may also disrupt the normal breathing process of the body.

What are the treatment options for sleep apnea?

If someone is suffering from sleep apnea, they should make sure that they talk to a doctor. Without figuring out what the root cause of the disorder is, it is difficult to treat it. The doctor or the dentist will be able to recommend an overnight sleep study in order to analyze the sleep of the person, including their breathing.

Moreover, with someone else diagnosed with obstructive or central sleep apnea, treatment will generally include improvement of sleep and reduction in the long-term health complications will stop your dentist will be able to address any kinds of risks and benefits of the treatment.

Besides lifestyle changes, like weight loss, reduction in use of sedatives, your dentist may also be able to recommend a continuous positive airway pressure machine. They may also create specific types of mouth pieces for you that will hold the jaw and the tongue in a lee that will help you breathe visit Holistic Dental Melbourne.