Sleep Apnea: Life Threatening and Highly Treatable

Sleep apnea is a common and dangerous health problem that affecting both adults and children that stop breathing during sleep.

According to the National Institute of Health, more than 12 million Americans suffer from sleep apnea and the majority of them go undetected or misdiagnosed. Overweight, middle-aged men are at the highest risk for sleep apnea, a potentially life threatening disorder. There are three types of sleep apnea: obstructive, central, and complex. If you suspect that you suffer from obstructive apnea a visit to your dentist may be the solution.

Obstructive sleep apnea is caused by an airway blockage due to genetics like excessive tissue in the throat, tongue or nose and is the most common form of sleep apnea. Obstructive apnea can often be corrected by a dental appliance that is worn at night and prevents the tongue from resting on a patient's airway.

A similar device placed in the mouth during sleep can also be used to prevent apnea caused by the incorrect positioning of the jaw during sleep, although in some cases the device should be strapped around the head to correct the jaw's position. If the root cause of the apnea is excessive tissue growth, it can be treated by surgically removing the tissue to clear the airway, most often by an ear nose and throat doctor.

Central and complex sleep apnea are far less common but still very prevalent forms of the disorder. Central sleep apnea is neurological and occurs when the brain fails to signal your muscles to breathe during sleep. Complex, also known as mixed, sleep apnea is the combination of obstructive and central sleep apnea.

If you suffer from either of these forms you will most likely need to see a sleep specialist to find a solution to the problem. Antidepressants and asthma medication have proven helpful in many cases because they are respiratory stimulants.

Signs of sleep apnea include (but are not limited to) loud snoring, snorting, gasping for air, frequent nighttime urination, morning headaches, irritability, daytime sleepiness, poor memory, weight gain, depression, stroke, and high blood pressure. If sleep apnea is untreated it can affect your overall well-being and can actually be life threatening.

Every time breathing stops oxygen levels decrease and the heart has to work much harder to pump blood through your body. Apnea has been linked to both high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. Sleep apnea reduces sleep quality and contributes to memory and concentration loss.

If you or a loved one suffer from these symptoms you should make an appointment with your doctor or dentist for further screening.