Help with Snoring

Sleep Apnoea

Sleep apnoea is thought to be as prevalent in society as asthma and yet by comparison is usually undiagnosed. This condition presents a growing healthcare crisis as untreated sleep apnoea carries the real risk of premature death from cardiovascular disease, stroke, heart failure and accidents (e.g. at the wheel). Fortunately, if diagnosed correctly, there are many highly effective treatments available.

What Is Sleep Apnoea?

Apnoeas are suspensions of a person’s breathing. When these occur during sleep then the condition is called sleep apnoea.

The occasional apnoea is nothing to worry about. The condition of sleep apnoea is confirmed according to a standard definition that includes the number of pauses in breathing as well as changes in brain activity and blood oxygen levels.

How Is Sleep ApnoeaDiagnosed?

Most people with sleep apnoea are never diagnosed because they rarely realise that they have it. They may have symptoms of tiredness, headaches, sexual dysfunction and more but many people often put these down to stress or partying too hard.

Often, a person’s partner will tell them that they are having apnoeas and to see a doctor. Thereafter, a doctor who suspects apnoea will refer the patient for a sleep study where a night of sleep is studied in detail by researchers who observe and collect relevant data. Only then can a diagnosis of sleep apnoea be positively confirmed.

Types Of Sleep Apnoea

There are generally two types of sleep apnoea.

The first type, obstructive sleep apnoea, is the most common. It is caused by an obstruction in the airway that occurs when a person is asleep. The obstruction itself is formed by the various soft tissues at the back of the throat, especially when in specific positions such as lying on the back. It is much more common in overweight people who are of middle-age or beyond.

The second type is known as central sleep apnoea and represents only 0.4% of all cases. With this condition, the patient does not have a restricted airway but instead there is a neurological problem. Under normal circumstances, the body monitors levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide and regulates the breathing accordingly. In central sleep apnoea, this process does not work as it should and as a result, patients experience apnoeas where no effort is made to breathe.

Treatment for Sleep Apnoea

Many anti-snoring treatments that work by opening up the airways can work well for obstructive sleep apnoea. Otherwise, the gold standard in treatment for sleep apnoea is the continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device. This forces air into the throat on the inhale and ensures that the body receives enough oxygen.

Sleep apnoea, once diagnosed, is treatable, so if it is suspected it is important to get it checked out.

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