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.
This problem is commoner in men than women due to differences in their anatomy and physiology. Men have a larger body mass around the torso and the neck region, hence, chances of airway narrowing are higher. Also, women are protected by the presence of progesterone. The level of protection therefore diminishes as women approach menopause. Other risk factors include pregnancy and genetic factors.
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.
The management of OSA can be approached in a variety of ways. Avoiding predisposing factors such as drinking alcohol, smoking and medications that relax the central nervous system is recommended. Obesity should also be addressed through healthy and credible weight loss programs. Physical training is however needed for every individual (whether over weight or not) if better breathing is to be achieved.
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.
This problem is commoner in men than women due to differences in their anatomy and physiology. Men have a larger body mass around the torso and the neck region, hence, chances of airway narrowing are higher. Also, women are protected by the presence of progesterone. The level of protection therefore diminishes as women approach menopause. Other risk factors include pregnancy and genetic factors.
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.
The management of OSA can be approached in a variety of ways. Avoiding predisposing factors such as drinking alcohol, smoking and medications that relax the central nervous system is recommended. Obesity should also be addressed through healthy and credible weight loss programs. Physical training is however needed for every individual (whether over weight or not) if better breathing is to be achieved.
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.
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