Treating Sleep Apnea
Diagnosing sleep apnea is an important part of bringing sleep apnea under control. There are a number of signs that may indicate sleep apnea, which you would do well to heed. One of them is heavy snoring, but then again, this isn’t always true.
A sleeping partner can help in initially diagnosing sleep apnea by recording the number of times you pause for breath wile sleeping. You may not be aware, but your breathing will be disrupted and frequently accompanied by loud snoring, which your sleeping partner can note down.
If you fall into the category of overweight males over 40 and you have experienced sleep apnea symptoms, your doctor will most likely suspect sleep apnea. If still in doubt, he or she may want to look for obstructions in the nose and throat areas using an x-ray, endoscopy or CT scan. Of course, the best diagnosis can be obtained by spending a night in a sleep center in order to monitor your entire sleeping pattern.
Treatment
Sleep apnea is commonly treated with the use of a CPAP or Continuous Positive Airway Pressure machine. A mask attached to a machine and fitted over the nose and/or mouth forces pressurized air into the respiratory system and helps keep the airway open.
Surgical procedures can also be conducted to remove obstructive tissues from the breathing passageway, while in more severe cases, jaw reconstruction may be done. Surgery should only be considered when all other methods have failed.
The most effective treatment of sleep apnea is actually weight loss. Losing weight can make a huge difference in sleep apnea because you burn off the fat stored around your air passageway. If you stop smoking and consuming alcohol, it will also be a huge improvement. Is it any wonder that the majority of sleep apnea sufferers are overweight, and smoke/drink?
You can buy a mouthpiece that may help your sleep apnea. It opens the airways and realigns your jaw and tongue. While sleeping, try to sleep on your side, as this position lessens complications with breathing. Try to get into a regular sleeping schedule during nighttime, and by all means avoid using sedatives or sleeping pills.
Each of these treatment methods for sleep apnea have their own pros and cons, but for mild to moderate sleep apnea, the most natural or holistic methods work best in the long term. You should thoroughly discuss your treatment methods with your doctor before proceeding. Just remember that you’ve got to do something because your sleep apnea will not go away on its own.
