Sleep Apnea: It's More Than Just Snoring

Do you sleep with someone that snores? If you do, you know that snoring is an annoying problem, and can interrupt the sleep of both the person snoring, and his sleeping partner. What you may not know is that it could be Obstructive Sleep Apnea, and could lead to much more than just interrupted sleep. Sleep apnea can lead to serious health problems if left untreated, including high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, depression, headaches, and even auto accidents.

Symptoms: According to the National Institutes of Health, sleep apnea affects over 12 million people in the U.S. alone. Signs of obstructive sleep apnea include loud snoring, and daytime sleepiness and decreased mental clarity. In obstructive sleep apnea, tissue in the back of the throat blocks the airway during sleep, causing a lack of oxygen, which causes the sleeping person to awaken. Many with sleep apnea find themselves falling asleep during the day, or just feeling like they are in a fog from lack of sleep. Sleep apnea can cause car accidents in those driving while overtired from a night of sleep apnea.

Risk Factors: Those most at risk for developing sleep apnea are overweight men over the age of forty, but sleep apnea can happen to anyone, even children. Other factors that can contribute to OSA include tobacco and alcohol use. Obesity is a contributing factor, although many people with sleep apnea are not obese.

Diagnosis: In order to diagnose obstructive sleep apnea, a sleep study , or polysomnogram must be done. This involves an overnight in a hospital where technicians monitor the number of apneic episodes that occur during sleep. The number of apneic incidents per hour determines the person's sleep apnea index. According to an article on emedicine.com entitled Snoring and Obstructive Sleep Apnea Surgery, 5-15 episodes per hour constitutes mild sleep apnea, 15-30 incidents is moderate OSA, and severe sleep apnea sufferers exhibit more than 30 incidents per hour.

Treatment: Once a diagnosis has been confirmed, treatment can include lifestyle changes, such as weight loss, quitting smoking or avoiding alcohol. Another option is surgery to remove excess tissue from the back of the throat, as in Uvulectomy, Tonsillectomy or Palatal Surgery may be done. In each of these procedures, the tissue causing the obstruction is removed or reduced, in order to decrease the incidence of apnea. A common alternative to surgery is an appliance called a CPAP unit. .CPAP stands for continuous positive airway pressure. A mask is worn on the face or nose, and continuous air pressure is supplied throughout the night to keep the airway open. CPAP has been successful in many cases, but is limited by the person's tolerance to the unit. It requires wearing a mask with head straps sealed tightly to the face throughout sleep, which can be difficult for some to tolerate. Some people have also had success with an oral appliance, which is worn in the mouth during sleep, an keeps the tongue from falling towards the back of the throat.

More than just snoring, sleep apnea can be a serious problem, and have devastating effects, even death, if not diagnosed and treated properly. If you or someone you love may have sleep apnea, getting treatment sooner rather than later can make all the difference in your health.

http://www.sleepapnea.org/info/media/factsheet.html American Sleep Apnea Association
http://www.emedicine.com/ent/topic370.htm Lindman, Jonathan P,MD, Snoring and Obstructive Sleep Apnea Surgery