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How do you know you have sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea is when you stop breathing while you sleep . Sleep apnea is divided into two variants: OSAS or obstructive sleep apnea, which is the more common variant of sleep apnea, and central sleep apnea .
OSAS is caused by narrowed airways. The patient is temporarily unable to breathe because the airways are blocked and there is a pause in breathing. During this phase, the body cannot absorb oxygen, causing carbon dioxide to build up in the blood and tissues. This in turn triggers an alarm in the body, which wakes up the person concerned.
With central sleep apnea , the brain no longer sends commands to the control center of the respiratory muscles. This stops breathing until the brain gives the command to continue breathing. However, this form of sleep apnea is rather rare.
Nocturnal pauses in breathing: what causes sleep apnea?
The causes of sleep apnea can be varied. They range from obesity to excessive drug consumption, alcohol, cigarettes and lower jaw problems. Respiratory infections or allergies can also promote sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea is largely associated with the symptom of snoring. Often the affected person does not even notice the sleep apnea themselves, but the partner draws his or her attention to the nocturnal breathing pauses. These breathing pauses can be of different lengths – starting from about 10 to 30 seconds up to breathing pauses lasting several minutes. The result: no matter how long the person concerned sleeps, the next morning he is restless, exhausted and tired. At worst, an untreated sleep apnea cannot lead to a stroke or a heart attack.
Which doctor helps with sleep apnea?
If you think you are suffering from apnea, talk to your ear, nose and throat doctor. They will give you a device to record your sleep. This device measures your breathing, oxygen saturation, snoring, chest and abdominal movements and heart rate while you sleep. The results provide your doctor with important information about the sleep apnea. The ENT doctor can also refer you to a sleep laboratory, where you stay for 1-2 nights. Here, too, all measurements are taken while sleeping. This is also called polysomnography. Similar to the measuring device for at home, brain waves and heart rhythm are also recorded here.
What can you do about sleep apnea?
There are now good methods of treating sleep apnea. It helps obese, affected people to get rid of the extra pounds . Eating a healthy diet and avoiding alcohol, cigarettes and sleeping pills also help to alleviate it. If enlarged tonsils or nasal polyps are to blame for the sleep apnea, they can possibly be surgically removed.
Elevate your torso and avoid sleeping on your back. Certain tricks like a tennis ball sewn into your pajamas can help. In milder cases of sleep apnea, custom-made bite splints can be useful. The most effective way to treat obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is with a special breathing mask .
Depending on the type of sleep apnea, your doctor will discuss with you which mask is the right solution for you. All breathing masks are put on the nose before going to bed. The masks are connected to a device that blows air into the mouth and nose via the mask part with slight overpressure. This is to prevent the airways from narrowing and instead remain free for breathing.
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