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Sleep apnea is one of the commonest of all sleep disorders and affects approximately eighteen million people in the United States. A sleep disorder which is characterized by interrupted breathing during sleep, it is also unquestionably the most dangerous of sleep disorders because it starves the brain of essential oxygen and can sometimes prove to be fatal.

It’s a little-known fact that the severity of a person’s sleep apnea determines what kind of treatment they need. In this article, you will learn which treatment you need – whether you have mild, moderate, or severe sleep apnea.

Treatments for Mild Sleep Apnea

Many people with obstructive sleep apnea will experience only mild symptoms. The obstructions in breathing are due to physical blocks and restrictions in the airway. This is often caused by problems in the throat, or the tongue falling back.

Those who suffer from this form of sleep apnea are advised to make simple lifestyle changes. Excess fat around the neck can restrict the airflow in the throat. Losing even a small weight of 10 pounds can remove the symptoms.

Another lifestyle change prescribed is stopping the intake of central nervous system inhibitors or relaxants. This includes alcohol and certain medicines like pain killers, sleeping aids and the like. They tend to relax the jaw and throat more than usual.

Studies also show that staying off the back during sleep also treats mild sleep apnea. This can be done by using deterrents that prevent the sufferer pain from rolling on their back. Specially designed pillows make it more comfortable for people to sleep on their sides or backs. They typically cradle the head and provide additional space for the arm to be stretched upward.

Treatments for Moderate Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea treatments for moderate cases usually involve devices that help keep the breathing normal during sleep. One of the most popular is the CPAP, or Continuous Positive Airway Pressure. It fits over the mouth and nose to provide a constant stream of air. It makes sure that even if the wearer has a restricted passage, the oxygen intake remains steady.

Other CPAP alternatives include mouth guards and head gears. Instead of pushing air in, they try to make sure the passageway is clear. It readjusts the jaw or keeps the tongue from falling into the throat. These devices can be altered according to the wearer’s specifications.

Treatments for Severe Sleep Apnea

For severe cases, sleep apnea treatments become more complicated. A different form of the disorder may cause these symptoms. Central sleep apnea is caused by lapses in the brain. Treatment of this neurological problem may be necessary to remove the problem.

Severe cases of obstructive sleep apnea can be treated via surgery. Most of these change the position of the mouth and the airway to permanently reduce the probability of restrictions. Examples of surgical procedures for severe sleep apnea include: 

The Maxillomandibular Advancement procedure, which moves both the upper and lower jaws forward.

The Hyoid Suspension procedure, which reduces the size of the hyoid bone. This bone is found at the neck, and is attached to the tongue, muscles and soft tissue of the throat.

Uvulapalatopharyngoplasty (UVVV) is performed only when the problem is caused by a collapse in the soft palate. It involves the removal of the uvula and a reduction in the edge of the palate.

The Genioglossus Advancement procedure adjusts and tightens the front tongue tendon and is often performed in tandem with the other sleep apnea surgeries.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea affects approximately 20 million people in the U.S. alone, and millions more are affected worldwide.

Over the last 10 years, significant research has been performed and now there is overwhelming evidence of the connection between Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) and cardiovascular disease. Specifically, people affected by sleep apnea are at increased risk for hypertension (also known as high blood pressure), coronary artery disease (AKA atherosclerosis), heart attacks, strokes, cardiac arrhythmias, heart failure, diabetes, and even death.

The video showed the correct way to use the pillow mask and its drawbacks.

“Apnea” in sleep apnea is a Greek term which means “without breath”. Individuals who are afflicted with sleep apnea repeatedly stop breathing during sleep, which occurs often for a minute or more, and many times each sleep time. This disorder can be caused either by complete blockage of the airway or by partial obstruction. Both of these causes may wake up a person who suffers from sleep apnea. The three types of sleep apnea are obstructive, mixed and central, and of these types, the most common is OSA or obstructive sleep apnea.
The location of the obstruction in the airway for most patients is in the soft palate, which extends to the site at the tongue’s base. There are no firm structures like bone or cartilage in this region to hold open the air’s passageway. At daytime, the muscles in this area keep the airway open. But when a person who has obstructive sleep apnea sleeps, these muscles become relaxed until the airway collapses and become blocked.
Breathing stops when this airway is blocked. The person then wakes up abruptly to breathe and open the air passageway. This may only last a few seconds, however, this single waking up actually disrupts continuous sleep. This sleep disturbance may prevent a person from reaching the deeper stages of sleep like REM sleep or rapid eye movement. REM is important because this helps the body replenish its energy and strength. As soon as the one who suffers from obstructive sleep apnea restores his normal breathing, he falls asleep again only to undergo the same process throughout the night.
The major risk for obstructive sleep apnea is weight gain. Because the fat on the sides of the upper airway is accumulated, the air passageway becomes narrower, which may eventually close when there is muscle relaxation.
Another risk of having obstructive sleep apnea is age. The most common result of aging is loss of muscle mass. If the muscle mass in the air passageway of a person is diminished, it may eventually be replaced with fat. This will then leave the air passageway soft and narrow.
The most common symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea are restless sleep, loud snoring and daytime fatigue or sleepiness. It is very important for one who is diagnosed with OSA to have this disorder treated right away. Some natural forms of treatment like lifestyle change, working out for weight loss and quitting smoking may help a lot.
When a person considers options in treating OSA, he may be tempted to back out. It is therefore important to remember that there are even more serious consequences if obstructive sleep apnea is not cured. People who have obstructive sleep apnea who refuse treatment are only putting themselves to risk. If you are suffering from OSA, consult your doctor about the best way to treat this sleep disorder. Some antidepressants such as Prozac and Protriptyline were used to treat obstructive sleep apnea. However, these medications only have mild effects to cure obstructive sleep apnea. They could improve this disorder by increasing the tone of the upper air passageway and also by reducing REM sleep. These are only mild effects. Besides, antidepressants are not considered as effective cures for obstructive sleep apnea.
Therefore, it is best to consult your doctor first as to what treatment to consider. Moreover, it is a good practice to have a healthy lifestyle to have better sleep. Not only are you relieving yourself from OSA, you are also helping yourself avoid other possible diseases by becoming healthy.
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Obstructive Sleep Apnea affects approximately 20 million people in the U.S. alone, and millions more are affected worldwide.

Over the last 10 years, significant research has been performed and now there is overwhelming evidence of the connection between Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) and cardiovascular disease. Specifically, people affected by sleep apnea are at increased risk for hypertension (also known as high blood pressure), coronary artery disease (AKA atherosclerosis), heart attacks, strokes, cardiac arrhythmias, heart failure, diabetes, and even death.

Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder that occurs when a person stops breathing repeatedly while sleeping.  Sleep apnea can affect anyone at any age, including children.  Risk factors include being overweight, male gender, being over forty years of age, having a family history of sleep apnea, having a larger neck size, or having larger tonsils.  If left untreated sleep apnea could lead to hypertension, stroke, or heart problems such as a heart attack, heart failure, or irregular heart beat.  Sleep apnea can cause you to be less productive at work or school and increases your chances of having a car accident because of your sleep loss.  There are two types of sleep apnea: obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea. 

Before diagnosing sleep apnea you must understand what it is.  Sleep apnea occurs when someone has completely stopped breathing for 10 seconds or more while they are sleeping.  Sometimes these apnea episodes completely wake a person, other times they just bring someone to a shallow level of sleep from a deep level.  This interrupted sleep may not be noticed by the person with the sleep apnea, instead it may alert your bed partner.  There are two types of sleep apnea: central sleep apnea and obstructive sleep apnea.  Central sleep apnea occurs when the brain doesn’t send the signal to breathe to the breathing muscles.  This is more common in people with brain injuries or heart diseases.  Obstructive sleep apnea means the airway has actually been obstructed by your tongue going backwards or enlarged tonsils.  Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder. If you have symptoms of sleep apnea your doctor may ask you to have a sleep apnea test done at a sleep disorder center.  This test would be done after a physical exam and medical history.  People who have sleep apnea in their family history are at a higher risk for sleep apnea themselves.  A sleep study (polysomnogram) is a multiple-component test that electronically transmits and records specific physical activities while you are sleeping.  In a polysomnogram an EEG is used to record brain wave activity, an EMG records such things as teeth grinding, an EOG to record eye movements which tells the sleep stage you are in, an EKG for your heart rate, a nasal airflow sensor to record airflow, and a snore microphone records your snoring activity.  All of these results are then read by a sleep specialist and given to your doctor to determine if you have sleep apnea. If you have a mild case of obstructive sleep apnea you may be able to fix the problem by doing some behavioral changes.  These changes include changing your position while sleeping; sometimes apneas occur only in a certain position which is usually lying flat on your back.  Obesity is a contributive factor to obstructive sleep apnea.  Losing 10% of your body weight would improve your sleep apnea.  Some people with sleep apnea find this hard to do because the sleep loss leaves them too tired to exercise; in turn making them gain more weight which worsens the sleep apnea.  If the apnea is treated a different way it usually leads to people being able to lose weight since they won’t be as tired.