Sleep apnea is a rest problem in which breathing is repetitively disturbed during rest, as well as numerous tools as well as medical methods can be made use of in its treatment.
What is Rest Apnea?
Rest apnea (obstructive rest apnea disorder) is a repetitive decrease or cessation of air movement throughout breathing during sleep. In other words, it is the too much slowing as well as stopping of breathing during sleep. Although there are numerous kinds, the most typical one is caused by tightening anywhere in the upper respiratory tracts (nose, mouth, throat). In our country, rest apnea is much more common in guys than women, and its frequency is enhancing annually in both sexes.
It is not only a constricting of the airways, yet additionally brings various threats. As a result, it is a disease that has to be detected and dealt with.
The dangers of sleep apnea are as adheres to:
- Hypertension
- Atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries)
- Heart failure
- Heart attack
- Rhythm disorders in the heart
- paralysis
- Respiratory problems associated with high blood pressure in the pulmonary vessels
- A constant state of worry ( anxiety )
- post traumatic stress disorder
- Risks due to obstruction of the airways before or after surgery
- Increased frequency of attacks if asthma is present
- Increased risk of dementia
- Sudden death
Sleep Apnea Symptoms
When sleep apnea symptoms are noticed, it is necessary to see a doctor. A family member who lives in the same household may notice that you have sleep apnea.
The symptoms of sleep apnea are as follows:
- Snoring (vibration of the structures through which air passes through the constricted space)
- Shortness of breath witnessed by the person’s close environment (inability of air to reach the lungs due to congestion)
- Waking up from sleep with shortness of breath or feeling of suffocation (it is the body’s alert state)
- Increased sweating during sleep (increased nervous system activity due to low oxygen and increased carbon dioxide)
- Still feeling tired from waking up, unrestful sleep (due to reduced oxygen going to the brain and circulating in the body)
- Frequent fidgeting or turning during sleep at night (to find the proper position for breathing)
- Dry throat (trying to breathe through the mouth)
- Extreme tiredness from work that requires energy during the day
- Lack of focus and attention during the day
- Reflux (burning in the stomach and bitter taste in the mouth)
- Mood changes (irritability, anxiety, depression )
- Morning headaches
- Night frequent urination up
- Decreased sexual desire
What are the Causes of Sleep Apnea?
There are types of sleep apnea that are obstructive (occlusive), due to the involvement of the central nervous system (brain, brain stem, spinal cord) and that these two can be affected simultaneously.
Causes of Obstructive Sleep Apnea
It is divided into structural causes and non-structural causes.
structural reasons
- Short thick neck structure (>43 cm in men, >37 cm in women)
- Craniofacial anomalies ( abnormal structures in the head and face region)
- Small chin or back chin
Non-structural causes
- male gender
- Advanced age (especially after 50 years)
- postmenopausal period
- sedentary life
- lying on back
- Obesity ( body mass index >30 kg/ (m²)
- Smoking
- Alcohol, caffeine use
- Genetic factors (being familial)
Causes of Central Sleep Apnea
- History of diseases or trauma affecting the respiratory center, nerves, muscles (ms, myasthenia gravis , als , sma )
- Secondary disorders due to the respiratory system in the brain due to previous causes such as heart attack, stroke
- With excessive curvature of the spine ( kyphoscoliosis )
- Use of sedative drugs
Other conditions that increase the risk of sleep apnea include:
- Low thyroid ( due to enlargement of the tongue and enlargement of the palate)
- have a neurological disorder
- having had a previous stroke
- Acromegaly (excessive secretion of growth hormone)
- Environmental exposure
- have asthma
- to be pregnant
- Type 2 diabetes ( diabetes related to insulin resistance )
Detecting Rest Apnea
The physician initially takes a history from the individual as well as their prompt surroundings. Laboratory tests are asked for by thinking about the client’s issues and also other illness that might be causative. In clients who are believed to have sleep apnea, an over night hospital keep is requested in rest laboratories or spaces for an examination called polysomnography as a rest apnea test.
Polysomnography (PSG) is an application in which many evaluations are made concurrently during sleep. Mind wave tasks, breathing, heart and also body movements during sleep are assessed. Wires are attached to the head, breast, arm, leg, nose. With the assistance of these cables, the patient is examined in terms of lots of parameters according to the info transferred to the gadgets outside the space.
These assessments include mind activities during sleep, motions in the body and legs, changes in breathing (did the breathing quit at night, the amount of times did it stop, how long did it last, the decline in the amount of oxygen in the blood with this modification), heart features (boost or decrease in heart rate, a resultant rhythmic disorder and their partnership to changes in breathing).
These occasions during rest are evaluated by a physician.
As a result of the assessments made throughout medical diagnosis, the complaints at the time of admission to the health center, coming with danger variables, changes in body features during the dimensions and also their intensity are assessed.
Polysomnography approach is also utilized in the differential medical diagnosis for sleep problems (lack of ability to sleep), rest activity disorders (such as restless legs), other rest problems, and also in some cases psychological reasons (claustrophobia).
Sleep Apnea Treatment
The aim of rest apnea therapy is to keep the tightened air passages of the person open regularly. The therapy will have some positive reflections on the people as well as contribute to their lives.
Here is what the treatment provides to the person:
- Reduction in grievances such as snoring, sleep problems, waking up weary, focus as well as memory conditions
- Protection from illness that the condition might bring along in the long term
- Protecting against other conditions (such as heart, blood pressure) coming with rest apnea disorder from becoming worse in the future
- Reduction in the risk of accidents that might develop because of memory as well as interest problems brought by the disease
Polysomnography is a really vital analysis device made use of for the medical diagnosis of sleep apnea syndrome. After this examination, the disease is classified as simple snoring, light snoring, moderate snoring as well as hefty snoring. The efficiency of the therapy is figured out by the type and severity of sleep apnea, the age of the patient, various other coming with conditions, previous medical interventions for the proper area, adjustment to previously used treatments, and unresponsiveness to therapy.
No matter the intensity of the condition, the primary goal of treatment should be way of life modifications. After some lifestyle changes, other suitable therapy alternatives can be related to the person.
These way of life changes are as adheres to:
Losing weight
Minimizing or quitting alcohol, smoking, caffeine
Exercise
Methods to enhance sleep top quality (rest health, appropriate sleeping position).
Treatment of various other concomitant conditions (continuing drug use for other illness).
- Various other treatment techniques are as adheres to:.Rest apnea device: These are gadgets that apply positive air passage stress (pap). Tools such as CPAP, BPAP, APAP, ASV, AVAPS are generally utilized among these tools.
- Intraoral tools that bring the jaw or tongue forward in abnormalities that create constricting of the airway.
- Surgical methods (such as uvulopalatopharyngoplasty, tonsillectomy) in cases such as augmentation of the tonsils (adenotonsillar hypertrophy), which can also be seen in adults, particularly in childhood, which can create sleep apnea.
- Medicines that maintain the respiratory tract open or are made use of to treat comorbidities.
The functioning reasoning of the tools made use of in sleep apnea syndrome; It is to keep the top breathing tract open during sleep by passing normal air through the mask and also tubes in this gadget and to avoid the adverse pressure air in the lungs from closing the alveoli (little bubbles that offer clean oxygen to the blood).
These devices do not settle the underlying root cause of the illness. It aids to fix your problems caused by the illness and also boost your quality of life. Consequently, despite how long it is made use of, complaints happen again on the day it is not utilized.
The initial step of treatment is patient conformity. Therefore, the tool that the doctor deems ideal and that the person can adapt to, together with the medical condition of the person, ought to be used during the entire sleep period and also at any moment of rest.
As a result, there is no particular drug therapy for rest apnea, besides medicines that treat other illness or alleviate breathing.
If there is no structural disorder that stops breathing during rest (such as enlargement of the tonsils), there is no special surgical treatment.
Sleep Apnea in Children
Sleep apnea can be seen in youngsters as well as in adults. The frequency of sleep apnea is between 1% and also 3% in children under the age of 8, that are of regular weight and do not have any kind of other illness. This danger raises 4-5 times in overweight youngsters.
While the rate of sleep apnea is equivalent in kids and also girls before adolescence; After this duration, it is extra common in guys as in grownups.
The regularity of snoring in youngsters without rest apnea has to do with 10%. So not all snoring implies sleep apnea.
Rest apnea is characterized by blockage of the upper airways during rest in children as well as in adults. This blockage can be complete or partial.
Diagnosing Sleep Apnea in Children
In order to identify rest apnea in youngsters, a rest apnea test must be applied once again.
The exact same parameters are assessed as in grownups.
Sleep apnea seen in kids can be set apart from other sleep disorders (such as evening horrors, incontinence).
Sleep Apnea Treatment in Children
To start with, it ought to be identified whether the kid has the complying with situations during the night:
- Loud snoring (at the very least 3 times a week).
- Severe tiredness throughout the day.
- Difficulty waking up in the early morning.
- Different resting settings.
After these are found, if the child is overweight, he needs to reduce weight. Throughout the day, he must lie face down under the control of the mommy, as well as during the night, he should lie on his back as it may create sudden death. When obstructive reasons influencing the top respiratory tracts are identified (such as tonsil enlargement, nasal flesh), the choice of surgical treatment can be used. If such a circumstance has not been identified, sleep apnea does not have a separate procedure as in adults.
If the child has various other accompanying illness and this causes breathing issues throughout sleep (such as allergies, tonsillitis), medication treatment ought to be continued. Besides this, there is no details medication for sleep apnea. Once again, as in grownups, a rest apnea device therapy can be applied according to the age and also going along with diseases of the child.
Rest Apnea in Pregnant Women.
Children of unattended mommies go to increased threat.
These dangers are as complies with:
- Developing hold-up in the womb.
- Risk to infant wellness because of the advancement of hypertension in the mother.
- Having a low birth weight child.
If the mom has rest apnea, she must receive treatment. Children of mommies getting therapy are shielded from these dangers.
Which Medical professional to Go to for Sleep Apnea?
Given that the main grievance of the clients is snoring, they initially most likely to an Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) medical professional.
The people evaluated by the ENT are sent out to the Division of Breast Diseases if there is no problem related to the top respiratory system tract.
Sleep apnea is primarily adhered to in the Department of Breast Diseases.
However, rest apnea can be examined and adhered to up by the Neurology division because it may create a communication in the muscle nerve system, although it is a lot less.
Often Asked Concerns Concerning Sleep Apnea
Just how is rest apnea examination done?
A method called polysomnography is used to detect rest apnea. This way, mind wave tasks, respiration, heart as well as body language during sleep are examined.
Cables are affixed to the head, upper body, arm, leg, nose.
With the aid of these wires, the patient is examined in regards to numerous criteria according to the information moved to the gadgets outside the area.
These evaluations consist of brain tasks during sleep, motions in the body and legs, modifications in breathing (did the breathing quit during the night, the number of times did it quit, the length of time did it last, the reduction in the quantity of oxygen in the blood with this change), heart features (rise or decrease in heart price, a resultant rhythmic problem as well as their relationship to changes in breathing).
Exactly how to utilize the rest apnea gadget?
- The sleep apnea gadget consists of a mask, bands, tubes, as well as a maker for pressing air.
- First, position the hose connected to the gadget on the movable area in front of the mask.
- Activate your device.
- There are different types of masks (nasal masks, masks that totally cover the mouth and nose together, and also pillow masks placed inside the nose). Place the mask according to which kind it is made.
- Connect the mask to your head with the help of the straps hanging from the sides and also tie it.
- After linking your mask, look for air leaks. You can endure tiny leakages.
- Stop the air leaving from the mask from coming into your eyes, due to the fact that the continuous stress of air can create dryness as well as various damage to your eyes.
- Change your mask from the bands as well as fix it as necessary, in situation your mask comes off or leakages air, depending upon your suitable sleeping setting or the positions you take at night.
What issues does rest apnea cause during pregnancy?
In maternity, rest apnea can be seen before becoming pregnant, along with increased intra-abdominal stress, as well as in situations where there is stress on the lungs, sleep apnea can be set off.
If the mother has way too much weight to not detrimentally affect the child’s health and wellness, she should reduce weight (always under the control of her physician), avoid alcohol, cigarettes, as well as sedative (resting) substance abuse.
There is no injury in using the tool for the infant.
On the contrary, it is important for the mother to get treatment, as the child’s intake of ample oxygen and also development depend upon the mom.
What to do during rest apnea?
During sleep, apnea, that is, when breathing stops, the mind is stimulated as a result of some compounds that boost and after this time of breathlessness, a solid breathing circumstance is observed.
In some cases, an abrupt awakening might happen following this sensation of shortness of breath and suffocation.
If you have experienced such a wake-up phone call, very first check if there is a tool you are utilizing. (see if the tool is blowing air, is it blowing sufficiently, exists any leak in the tube).
Check your mask (is there any leak, does it fit the mouth and nose effectively, has actually there been a slip or leakage throughout your lying setting).
If there is an issue with the mask, readjust it once more with the assistance of bands according to your resting setting.
If you believe that the gadget is not ideal for you or if you still do not see any advantage after a few months, consult your doctor to review.
If you do not think that there is any kind of problem with your device or you, as well as if you have other going along with problems (like fainting, chest pain, upper body tightness, raised problem in breathing, a past infection), speak with a physician right away.
If you are not making use of a device, usage as numerous cushions as possible as well as get in touch with a physician in the early morning as there may be a risk of re-occlusion of the airways while you sleep.