Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is defined as the cessation of airflow during sleep preventing air from entering the lungs caused by an obstruction. These periods of 'stopping breathing' only become clinically significant if the cessation lasts for more than 10 seconds each time and occur more than 5 times every hour.
Snoring
Snoring is caused by a narrowing of your airway, either from poor sleep posture or abnormalities of the soft tissues in your throat. A narrow airway gets in the way of smooth breathing and creates the sound of snoring.
Obstructive sleep apnea is a potentially serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep.
Several types of sleep apnea exist, but the most common type is obstructive sleep apnea, which occurs when your throat muscles intermittently relax and block your airway during sleep. The most noticeable sign of obstructive sleep apnea is snoring.
Anyone can develop obstructive sleep apnea, although it most commonly affects middle-aged and older adults and people who are overweight.
Obstructive sleep apnea treatment may involve using a device to keep your airway open or using a mouthpiece to thrust your jaw forward during sleep. Some people undergo a procedure to change the structure of their nose, mouth or throat.
- loud Snoring with choking
- Apnea
- Nocturnal gasping
- Nocturnal palpitation
- Frequent awakenings
- Nocturia/anerusis
- Trashing in bed
- Impotence
OSA Daytime Symptoms
- Morning fatigue
- Unrefreshing sleep
- Excessive daytime sleepiness
- Memory problems
- Morning headaches
- Morning dry mouth
- Difficulty concentrating
Obstructive Sleep Apnoea risk of long term consequences
- Heart attacks
- Abnormal rhythm
- Poor quality of life
- Strokes
- Heart failure
- Type 2 diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Car accidents
Who is risk for sleep apnea ?
- Obesity
- Older
- Certain shapes of the palate and jaw
- Large tonsils and adenoids in children
- Large neck or collar size
- Large tongue
- Nasal obstruction
- Narrow Airway