Is Sleep Apnea Harmful? How Can Sleep Apnea Be Treated?

Obstructive Sleep Apnea & Your Health!

In recent years the condition of Obstructive Sleep Apnea has been getting more attention; and deservedly so!  It is estimated that one out of ten people are struggling with some level of sleep apnea.  This condition is most well known for the snoring that it causes, but the much scarier aspect is the deteriorating effect this condition will have on the body if left untreated.

 
Sleep apnea in a nutshell is when the tongue is too large for the size of the mouth.  When one falls asleep the muscles surrounding the tongue and the tongue itself relax and then collapse in on the airway.  The obstruction to breathing this creates is where the snoring is produced.  A tighter airway causes friction when the body attempts to breath, the vibrations from this is what producing the sound we know as snoring.

As annoying as snoring is there is something far more deadly taking place.  This is the slow deterioration of the body’s health.  The root of the problem is the body is not taking in enough oxygen, nor is it expelling enough carbon dioxide.  For people with severe cases of sleep apnea they may stop breathing 50 times in an hour!

This Sleep Disordered Breathing wreaks havoc on the heart; which must work overtime in order to circulate blood due to the lack of proper oxygen.  Sleep Apnea is also now being linked to forms of cancer and brain damage.  As you can see this lack of proper breathing while asleep can slowly kill you.

Heart attack, stroke, and hypertension are only a few of the problems that can develop from not treating this condition.

As if loud, obnoxious snoring and deteriorating health wasn’t enough; this condition also leads to extreme daytime fatigue.  When the body is not getting the rest it needs the effects are felt in full force during the day.

This extreme fatigue can lead to a greater chance for automobile accidents, lack of motivation, poor performance at work or school and depression.

Treating this condition can have a serious positive effect on so many areas of life.  Your partner will be able to sleep again with you no longer snoring, you can greatly decrease your chance of severe health problems such as stroke or heart attack, and you can feel energetic and productive during the day.

Currently there are three types of medical treatments for this condition.  There is the first line of treatment which is for most CPAP Therapy, the number one alternative to CPAP therapy is oral appliance therapy, and some people may opt for oral sleep apnea surgery.

Not every patient is the same, some people prefer CPAP. Some people have such severe cases that only CPAP will work.  There is an ever growing percentage of people who are now opting for an oral appliance now that word is out about it.  Surgery is usually not the first thing people will try, but there are a number of surgical procedures available that could potentially work.

It really comes down to the patient exploring the various options and discussing with their medical professional about what may work.  For those who do not know typically oral appliances will be offered from dentists who are versed in Dental Sleep Medicine.  Sleep physicians will be the medical professionals who can treat a patient with CPAP.
Do some research and look to find a professional in your area that can help get you treatment.  This condition is dubbed the “silent killer” for a reason.