Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is one of the many types of sleep apnea. Persons with this condition have episodes of complete cessation of breathing or difficult breathing while sleeping. This may happen several times in one night in severe cases. OSA is caused by obstruction of the upper respiratory tract. If struggling with obstructive sleep apnea Richardson Tx residents need to fully understand the causes and the existing remedies.
It takes another person (usually a partner) for one to know whether or not they have the problem. This is because persons with OSA are usually unaware of the symptoms. Such a partner is able to detect loud snores and restlessness during sleep in the individual with the condition. Less commonly, people experience insomnia, headaches, depression and anxiety. Occasionally, they may have increased blood pressure, heavy night sweats and increased urination.
The presentation of this condition in adults is different from what is seen in children. Affected adults are usually overweight with short, heavy necks. On the other hand, children present with growth retardation and are usually thin. This could be attributed to the large amount of calories consumed in the process of breathing in children. Blockage of the airway also makes eating uncomfortable in those affected.
The risk factors of OSA are linked to factors that decrease the muscle tone of the airway. Some of these factors include old age, sedatives and alcoholic drinks. Compared to women, men are at higher risk due to the increased muscle mass around the neck and torso. Additionally, progesterone hormone is protective in women. This therefore means that women past their menopause face almost the same risk as men in a similar age group. Pregnancy is a risk factor in women. Family history of OSA is also a risk factor in both men and women.
Chromosomal abnormalities involving facial features predispose an individual to developing this condition. Often times, the mouth, jaw, nose and resting muscle tone are involved. For example, Downs syndrome, a craniofacial syndrome, is characterised by a very narrow nasopharynx, a large tongue and low muscle tone. It should, however, be noted that the airway is far improved in other craniofacial syndromes such as cleft palate.
Various treatment options are available. Individuals are advised to avoid smoking and taking alcohol. They should also avoid drugs that relax the central nervous system such as muscle relaxants and sedatives. Those who are overweight should also try and lose weight. In addition, physical exercise, even without losing weight, does improve breathing.
The most commonly used physical intervention is a system that applies a certain mechanism referred to as positive airway pressure. In this mechanism, a mask is worn over the nose, mouth or both. The mask is linked to a breathing device that pumps air through the mask to the airway. This extra pressure helps keep the relaxed muscles open. There are different types of this setup available. Some of them include continuous positive airway pressure ( or CPAP), variable positive airway pressure (or VPAP) and automatic positive airway pressure (or APAP).
There are serious consequences that come with failure to manage the condition. Some of them include aortic disease, cardiovascular disease, obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes. This are attributed to the cumulative deprivation of sleep and apnea which causes low oxygen saturation. People with obstructive sleep apnea face a higher chance of heart attack than normal individuals.
It takes another person (usually a partner) for one to know whether or not they have the problem. This is because persons with OSA are usually unaware of the symptoms. Such a partner is able to detect loud snores and restlessness during sleep in the individual with the condition. Less commonly, people experience insomnia, headaches, depression and anxiety. Occasionally, they may have increased blood pressure, heavy night sweats and increased urination.
The presentation of this condition in adults is different from what is seen in children. Affected adults are usually overweight with short, heavy necks. On the other hand, children present with growth retardation and are usually thin. This could be attributed to the large amount of calories consumed in the process of breathing in children. Blockage of the airway also makes eating uncomfortable in those affected.
The risk factors of OSA are linked to factors that decrease the muscle tone of the airway. Some of these factors include old age, sedatives and alcoholic drinks. Compared to women, men are at higher risk due to the increased muscle mass around the neck and torso. Additionally, progesterone hormone is protective in women. This therefore means that women past their menopause face almost the same risk as men in a similar age group. Pregnancy is a risk factor in women. Family history of OSA is also a risk factor in both men and women.
Chromosomal abnormalities involving facial features predispose an individual to developing this condition. Often times, the mouth, jaw, nose and resting muscle tone are involved. For example, Downs syndrome, a craniofacial syndrome, is characterised by a very narrow nasopharynx, a large tongue and low muscle tone. It should, however, be noted that the airway is far improved in other craniofacial syndromes such as cleft palate.
Various treatment options are available. Individuals are advised to avoid smoking and taking alcohol. They should also avoid drugs that relax the central nervous system such as muscle relaxants and sedatives. Those who are overweight should also try and lose weight. In addition, physical exercise, even without losing weight, does improve breathing.
The most commonly used physical intervention is a system that applies a certain mechanism referred to as positive airway pressure. In this mechanism, a mask is worn over the nose, mouth or both. The mask is linked to a breathing device that pumps air through the mask to the airway. This extra pressure helps keep the relaxed muscles open. There are different types of this setup available. Some of them include continuous positive airway pressure ( or CPAP), variable positive airway pressure (or VPAP) and automatic positive airway pressure (or APAP).
There are serious consequences that come with failure to manage the condition. Some of them include aortic disease, cardiovascular disease, obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes. This are attributed to the cumulative deprivation of sleep and apnea which causes low oxygen saturation. People with obstructive sleep apnea face a higher chance of heart attack than normal individuals.
About the Author:
When you are looking for information about obstructive sleep apnea Richardson TX residents should go to our web pages online here today. Additional details are available at http://dentalandbeyond.com now.
0 comments:
Post a Comment