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You are here: Home Health Conditions Lets Talk Sleep Apnoea Sleep Disordered Breathing
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Sleep Disordered Breathing

Sleep Apnoea


General Information

The word Apnoea literally means “without breath”. Sleep Apnoea is a state when a person stops breathing for a period of time, which lasts for a few seconds. This happens because the throat walls come together and block the air passage at the tongue’s level, while we are sleeping. The state continues until the time our brain registers that there is a considerable drop in the level of oxygen. The brain wakes us up with aloud snore or a grunt and that helps a lot.
Snoring and Obstructive Sleep Abnoea (OSA) are known collectively as Sleep Disordered Breathing.

There are two types of Sleep Apnoea-


Obstructive Sleep Apnoea or OSA, which is very common
Central Sleep Apnoea, which is rare

Obstructive Sleep Apnoea or OSA is a state in which there is a cessation of air passage while we are sleeping, which prevents the entrance of air into our lungs due to an obstruction. This happens because the muscles in our throat tend to relax while we are asleep. This state has to last for 10 seconds and only then, it can be called Apnoea. It can last for two to three minutes as well. When a person is in the middle of an OSA, it will last until the person is sleeping.

Obstructive Sleep Apnoea has a certain degrees of severity depending on the breathing interruptions. It can be rated as

Normal, which is less than 5 interruptions per hour
Mild, which lies between 5 to 15 interruptions per hour
Moderate, which is between 15 to 30 interruptions per hour
Sever, which is more than 30 interruptions per hour

Signs and Symptoms


Obstructive sleep apnoea can happen to anyone. Middle-aged people are the main victims of OSA. It increases the rate of hypertension and heart attacks. It is also seen that the males are largely affected by OSA.

Do I have Obstructive Sleep Abnoea (OSA) ? If you are a snorer you may have Obstructive Sleep Abnoea (OSA). Some symptoms are:

You awaken frequently with a sensation of gasping , choking or palpitations.
Your partner has observed that you stop breathing when you are asleep.
You wake in the morning with a headache.
You experience reflux and night-time heartburn episodes.
You are excessively tired during the day.
You fall asleep at inappropriate times.
Poor physical and intellectual performance.

Diagnosis


Diagnosing Obstructive sleep apnoea involves a few simple steps. The doctor generally asks the patient’s history related to sleep disorders. The questions are simple and a score is kept for each question. At the end the score is added together to see if you have sleep apnoea.

Is there any problem while sleeping at night?
Do you frequently sleep during the day?
Do you snore?
Is there any complain from your partner about long gaps in breathing?

These set of questions are a very helpful in digging out the cause of the disorder. Further investigations are done in the sleep lab, which includes

You need to observe the sleep visually. It helps in noticing the snoring habit of the person followed by loud snorts and the finally arousal.
The pulse rate and the presence of oxygen in the blood are observed. This is also known as Pulse Oximetry. The process continues all through the night and lasts up to 8 hours. This can be done at home as well. People suffering from sleep apnoea usually have a high pulse rate and several dips in the level of oxygen.
Polysomnography is another process of diagnosing sleep apnoea. The process involves observation of every movement of the person while he is sleeping. Movements of the eyes, the tone of the chin which defines the various stages of sleep, airflow through the mouth and nose, chest wall movement, level of oxygen in blood and ECG.
Treatment

Medicines as such are not that helpful in treating Obstructive Sleep Apnoea. It is always advised to maintain a good health, reduce weight, exercise and meditate. These are the true ways of being healthy, both mentally and physically.

Can snoring and Obstructive Sleep Abnoea (OSA) be treated? Mild or occasional snoring and symptoms of (OSA) maybe alleviated by lifestyle changes including:

Losing weight
Getting regular exercise
Within 3 hours before bedtime avoiding alcohol , heavy meals and medications that make you drowsy
Other treatment options include:

Surgery to the nose , throat , tongue or jaw
Nasal CPAP ( Continuous Positive Airway Pressure ) a therapy in which an air compression device is used to force the airway open and aid breathing during sleep (used only under medical supervision ).
Oral dental devices ( mandibular advancement splints ) that are attached to the teeth and are worn at night to keep the lower jaw forward.
Sleep problems can be very negative for your wellness and can inhibit your desire to exercise and control your diet. If in any doubt about any ongoing sleep problems please visit your primary health care doctor to discuss your situation.

If you are diagnosed with having sleep apnoea, then your doctor might suggest an oxygen mask to be worn while you sleep which will allow forced air to flow in and out and will be comfortable for you. This method is known as CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure). This method of treatment is time consuming and it is intolerable to wear a mask every night.

The other method of treatment is Aveo TSD . Aveo TSD is a medical device used for treating sleep disorders. It is made up of soft silicon (medical) for the comfort of the patient. It holds the tongue forward by a mild suction, which prevents the device from falling against the throat, thereby keeping the air passage open during sleep. This device is largely used in New Zealand

Sleep apnoea can also be treated with the help of a surgery. The surgery in this case is known as Laser-Assisted Uvulopalatoplasty or LAUP. This surgical method has proved to be a very good aid in reducing sleep apnoea. The process of surgery involves the elimination of the tissues, which are present in excess from the soft palate and the uvula. This is done with the help of hand-held laser.

Sleep Apnoea Association of New Zealand or SAANZ is one such organization in New Zealand, which works for people suffering from this disorder. The organization was formed in the year 1992.

Southern Cross health care is another organization in New Zealand who is dealing with this cause for quite some time. You can have all the information on sleep apnoea once you visit them.
Online Pharmacy

You could visit any online pharmacies . The medications offered by these pharmacies are available at quite a reasonable rate. 

 
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