A person who snores is often made fun of through jokes and may experience being jabbed frequently throughout the night. Many people believe snoring is just a little annoying thing to laugh about, but it is not always funny and can be a symptom of a specific medical condition. Loud snoring can be a sign of a disorder that can be life threatening. Obstructive sleep apnea is a condition that is hard to detect and can cause a person to stop breathing. Snoring is not always a sign of apnea and there are other symptoms that can help you determine if the condition exists. So before running to the doctor, monitor the person having this problem to see if further action needs to be taken.
Apnea is a condition caused by tissue blocking the air passage. Muscles keep the airway open throughout the day and then relax at night. After the muscles have relaxed, this tissue can get in the way. This causes a partial or full blockage of the passageway. A partial blockage will cause loud snoring, awakening gasping for air, and being extremely tired each morning. When the sufferer has a full blockage, they may completely stop breathing. In either case these occurrences happen many times an hour. The gasping episodes are the body trying to reestablish the right amount of air in the body. At any time breathing may not be restored and this is why recognizing this condition is so vitally important. By determining apnea is present, an appropriate sleep apnea treatment can be applied ensuring breathing is regular every night.
Even though sleep apnea and snoring are linked, it doesn't mean that every person that snores has apnea. People that are overweight, have other medical conditions, or have it in their family are more likely to deal with apnea. The more overweight you are, the more fatty tissue there is in the air passage and the less muscle tone you have. Staying at a healthy weight is one way to prevent apnea. Doing so can also eliminate minor snoring for some. When it is caused by other medical conditions, treating those conditions can be all that is necessary for the symptoms to go away. No matter what the cause is, diagnosis and a proper sleep apnea treatment is necessary for anyone with apnea to have a healthier life and better sleep.
Pay close attention to anyone who snores in your household. When they snore is it a light snore that seldom happens? If so, over the counter treatments or other natural methods could eliminate the issue. Are they waking up gasping and having trouble breathing? Is their snoring loud and pretty constant? These are the signs of a more serious issue. Take note of the nightly attacks and symptoms when they occur for your doctor to go over. Undetected apnea can affect a person's physical ability, mental health, and ultimately create more severe health problems. Make an appointment with a doctor to discuss sleep apnea and snoring. This will allow treatment to be applied before depression, heart issues, or other debilitating illnesses occur.
Snoring is a symptom of sleep apnea and when undetected can have an effect on a person's health and safety. The correct sleep apnea treatment alleviates the symptoms associated with apnea.