Sleep apnea is one of the most common sleep disorders treated in America.

Sleep apnea, a disruption of breathing while asleep, is a deceiving sleep disorder - 90% of people who have sleep apnea don't know that they have it! Although episodes of choking or gasping for air might occur hundreds of times throughout the night, you may not have any recollection of struggling for breath.

Usually it is the bed partner who first notices that the person is struggling to breathe. If left untreated, this common disorder can be life-threatening.

What are the symptoms of sleep apnea?

-Frequent silences during sleep due to breaks in breathing (apnea)
-Choking or gasping during sleep to get air into the lungs
-Loud snoring
-Sudden awakenings to restart breathing or waking up in a sweat
-Daytime sleepiness and feeling unrefreshed by a night’s sleep, including falling asleep at inappropriate times

What happens when you have an episode of sleep apnea?

When you stop breathing during sleep due to sleep apnea, the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood is upset. This imbalance stimulates the brain to restart the breathing process. The brain signals you to wake up so that the muscles of the tongue and throat can increase the size of the airway. Then, carbon dioxide can escape, and oxygen can enter the airway. These waking episodes are necessary to restart breathing (and to save your life), and you may not remember them, but they do disrupt your sleep and cause daytime exhaustion.

Treatment for sleep apnea:

CPAP is the most widely recommended treatment for moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea. CPAP entails wearing a mask-like device while you sleep, which provides pressurized air to prevent the airway from collapsing. Most CPAP units are the size of a tissue box and many now come with a built in humidifier for comfort.

Oral Devices as treatment:

While oral devices are less cumbersome than CPAP and relatively simple to use, they are only effective for mild to moderate sleep apnea. There are also a number of troubling side effects from using this type of treatment – soreness; damage to/permanent change in position of the jaw, teeth, and mouth; saliva build-up; and nausea. It is very important to get fitted by a dentist that specializes in sleep apnea, and to see the dentist on a regular basis for any dental problems that may occur.

Surgery as treatment:

Surgery can increase the size of your airway. The surgeon may remove tonsils, adenoids, or excess tissue at the back of the throat or inside the nose. Or, the surgeon may reconstruct the jaw to enlarge the upper airway.

Surgery may be an effective option for some, and can even provide permanent relief from symptoms. However, any surgery carries risks of surgical complications and infections, and in some rare cases, symptoms can become worse after surgery. If you have exhausted other apnea treatment options, you may want to discuss surgical options with your doctor or sleep specialist.

For treatment of sleep apnea, see a doctor specializing in sleep problems. To schedule a sleep assessment or consultation at the Roane Diagnostic Sleep Center at Roane Medical Center in Harriman, call 865-882-0017.