Sleep apnea treatment available online today

Obstructive sleep apnea is a very complicated process, but in the simplest terms it is caused by blockage of the upper airway during sleep. The blockage happens when the muscles supporting the soft palate in the back of your throat relax. Due to the airway obstruction, your body is deprived of oxygen. The brain detects the lowering oxygen level in the blood and wakes you up briefly by engaging the muscles in the throat, to get you to breathe consciously and forcefully.

The following risk factors affect your chances of getting obstructive sleep apnea:

• Weight: Obesity tends to be linked to obstructive sleep apnea. According to the American Sleep Apnea Association, an obese individual is about 7 times more likely to get sleep apnea than a normal weight individual.

• Tonsils: Patients with large tonsils have a higher risk.

• Age: Older people tend to be at higher risk than younger people.

• Sex: Men tend to be at higher risk than women.

• Smoking: Smoking increases your risk of getting sleep apnea.

In some people, the body simply stops breathing for a short period of time, and there is no airway blockage. This cessation of breathing is due to the failure of the brain to send signals that regulate the breathing muscles which control the breathing patterns. For some people, the brain may send the correct signals, but the breathing muscles are unable to respond as they should due to chronic disease or the unwanted effects of certain medications.

Central sleep apnea is observed commonly in patients with central nervous system dysfunction due to the following medical conditions:

• ALS

• Stroke

• Heart, kidney or lung disease

Other risk factors for this type of sleep apnea include:

• Age: Older people tend to be at higher risk than younger people.

• Sex: Men tend to be at higher risk than women.

For mild sleep apnea, one of the preliminary treatment options includes lifestyle adjustments that can involve the following:

• Weight loss

• Exercise

• Alcohol: Limit or stop alcohol consumption, since alcohol is a depressant and can cause the airway to collapse during sleep.

• Smoking: Quit smoking to improve lung condition and reduce chances of developing nasal conditions and infections.

• Sleep position: Some people only develop sleep apnea when sleeping on their backs. As such, one way is to use a wedge pillow to help them sleep on their sides. Use of positional therapy has also been known to be effective to keep patients sleeping on their backs. 

• Fix sinus problems/nasal congestion: Use breathing strips or nasal sprays.

This is also known as orofacial therapy. These designed exercises strengthen the muscles that control the tongue, upper airway, and lips, so they are in the correct position to keep the airway open and promote normal breathing.

Breathing devices that provide positive airway pressure can be used to help patients with obstructive sleep apnea. At bedtime, patients simply put on a mask over their nose and/or mouth that is connected by a long flexible tube to a machine. The machine pushes forced air gently through the nose and/or mouth, maintaining air pressure within the upper airway and keeping it open during sleep. There are several types of positive airway pressure breathing devices: 

• Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP): This is the most common positive airway pressure device. In the continuous positive airway pressure therapy, the machine is set at one single air pressure. 

• Bilevel positive airway pressure (BiPAP): Unlike the continuous positive airway pressure device, this device uses a higher air pressure setting during inhalation, and a lower pressure setting during exhalation. 

Aside from positive airway pressure breathing devices, some devices that you wear in your mouth can also help to keep the airway open during sleep.

• Mandibular advancement devices: These are mouthpieces that hold the jaw in the correct position to keep the upper airway open.

• Tongue retaining devices: Unlike the mandibular advancement devices, these are mouthpieces that hold the tongue in a forward position, thus preventing it from obstructing the upper airway.

Surgical procedures are often used when all other treatment options are ineffective. Below are some surgeries that aim to increase the size of the upper airway:

• Adenotonsillectomy: This procedure removes the tonsils and adenoids.

• Maxillary/mandibular advancement surgery: Thisprocedure moves your upper jaw (maxilla) and lower jaw forward to increase the size of the upper airway.

• Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP): This is a procedure to remove soft tissue on the back of the throat and palate.