Sleep Apnea Diagnosis and Treatment
The only way to fully understand and control sleep apnea is through proper diagnosis and treatment.
Although it is part of it, loud snoring does not always indicate the presence of sleep apnea. Often, the help of a sleeping partner can be an effective way of making an initial diagnosis.
If possible, have your partner keep a record of your problems. Have them record how many times you stop breathing while you are sleeping. They can do this by counting the times that you either stop breathing, or make gasping or snorting sounds as you try to catch your breath. Have them keep track of your snoring as well. If you have no partner, you can keep track of it by yourself by using a tape recorder.
Overweight men who are at least 40 years of age suffer from this condition more than anyone else. If you think you have experienced these symptoms and you find yourself in this risk group, your doctor will most like suggest sleep apnea as the culprit. There are also various tests your doctor can run, such as X-rays and CT scans to examine the head and neck area. The throat and nose can be checked with an endoscopy as well.
If these other methods fail to pinpoint the cause of the problem, an accurate diagnosis can be reached by spending some time at a sleep center where they can evaluate sleep patterns.
A CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure machine) is commonly used to treat those diagnosed with sleep apnea. A mask is attached to the machine with several feet of plastic tube. While you're sleeping, the mask is placed over your nose and mouth. The machine then pumps pressurized air through the tube and into your airway. This helps to keep the airway open and functioning properly.
Sometimes it may become necessary to undergo a surgical procedure. This is designed to remove tissue from the nose, mouth or throat. In some cases, jaw reconstruction is necessary.
There are also ways that you can treat this condition yourself. Loosing weight is the first thing you can try. You should notice a significant difference by losing just 10% of your body weight. Cutting back on your intake of alcohol and stopping smoking can also help. Stopping the use of any sedatives is recommended as well. Setting up a regular sleep routine is also a good idea, as well as sleeping on your side instead of your back.
You can also realign your jaw and tongue with use of a special mouthpiece. This will prevent blockages in the airways.
Each of these treatment options has it's good points and bad points. The treatment that you choose will depend on your specific circumstances and the advice of your doctor. As with any medical condition, the place to start is with an accurate diagnosis. After that, it should be simple to choose the correct treatment option.
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