Excessive daytime fatigue, inattention to detail, memory problems, and inability to focus are just some of the possible effects of sleep apnea, a sleep disorder which affects many millions of people. Those who suffer with sleep apnea experience abnormal breathing patterns throughout the night, from those whose breathing gets extremely shallow to those who stop breathing for seconds or even minutes at a time during episodes. Fortunately, there is a treatment for sleep apnea which has proven to be quite affective. It is called continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP.
Cause of Sleep Apnea
Most cases of sleep apnea are caused by a high level of relaxation of the muscles around the tongue and in the throat. This relaxation causes the airway to become smaller, allowing less air to travel to the lungs and less oxygen to be taken in by the body. In a very severe case of sleep apnea, sudden death may occur. At a minimum, the low level of oxygen intake will cause symptoms of fatigue the next day, from inattention to detail or even vision impairment.
Treatment
Doctors often first suggest that patients undergo a polysomnogram, or sleep study, in a clinic which specializes in such diagnoses. During the study, the number of episodes of shallow or stopped breathing is typically measured and averaged per hour, and it is this number which determines whether a patient has a mild, moderate, or severe case.
To treat a patient with sleep apnea, doctors will often begin by trying to modify a person's behavior. This includes suggestions to avoid alcohol or sleeping pills, both of which may contribute to the muscle relaxation that leads to various levels of oxygen deprivation. If that does not work, or if a case of sleep disorder is quite severe, a doctor may begin CPAP therapy, in which doctors use a machine which pumps out a level of air pressure which is enough to trigger a patient's muscles to keep open the airway leading to the lungs. The patients have to wear a plastic mask over either their nose or mouth or both, and the mask connects to the machine.
CPAP Pros and Cons
Although many patients experience effective results through this type of therapy, many also object to the mask they have to wear. It can be uncomfortable and awkward, and might interfere with the level of intimacy that sleeping partners enjoy during the evening hours. The discomfort may even initially cause more sleep problems that it solves, but patients are encouraged to take some time to adjust to the machine due to its abundant benefits.
Treatment for sleep apnea can be quite expensive. If a sleep clinic comes back with a sleep disorder diagnosis, it is likely that a doctor will then prescribe treatment through continuous positive airway pressure. CPAP machines can also be quite expensive, but often the costs are covered by insurance companies who understand that the treatment of all the problems that can arise because of sleep apnea may wind up costing far more than the machines themselves.
Sleep Apnea CauseProfmed Healthcare Solutions is the premiere supplier of CPAP equipment in Toronto, Mississauga & Brampton. Visit us at http://www.cpapmachinestore.ca to find out more.