Methods Used to Treat Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Written by admin on August 21, 2010 – 5:29 am -Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can be treated in numerous ways. What needs to be looked at is the patient’s medical history, the disorder’s severity, and crucially, the exact cause of the airway blockage.
Kids that have OSA do so typically due to chronically enlarged adenoids and tonsils. Tonsillectomies and adenoidectomies are successful at diminishing OSA substantially. The difficulty level associated with operations to reduce OSA in children can be very high, as for example with cases of reduced growth of the body alongside poor development of the right side of the heart. Fortunately, when OSA-associated high exhalation pressures are lowered complications to the cardiovascular system tend to reverse of their own accord. Careful precautionary practices are adhered to during the important postoperative period in children.
OSA treatment in adults who have poor oropharyngeal airways in combination with a large upper body frame are open to a variety of treatments. Unfortunately, this most common form of OSA tends not to have particular treatment methods that habitually work, each case needs specific evaluation over the best course of action.
Such methods for relieving obstructions consist of changes to the sufferer’s lifestyle, e.g. reducing alcoholic intake, avoiding medications that may relax the central nervous system (CNS) (e.g. sedatives, muscle relaxants), stopping smoking and reducing weight. Specially designed devices, such as pillows, that stop the sufferer from sleeping on their back can be effective in reducing OSA.
Oral appliances are sometimes used, these keep the patients airways open whilst they are asleep. Mandibular advancement splints (MAS) are sometimes advised to lessen mild to moderate OSA. MAS consists of a mouth guard, similar to that used with impact sports to protect the teeth, which holds the lower jaw a little more down and forward from its usual relaxed position. When in use the users tongue is moved farther from the back of the airways, possibly far enough so that some OSA sufferers are able to gain improved breathing.
When such methods fail to make enough of a beneficial impression GP’s will often suggest the use of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP).
CPAP comes in the form of a mask attached to the face which has a tube running from an air pump to the sufferer’s mouth and/ or nose, forcing controlled bursts of air through the obstructed air passageways and into the lungs. CPAP uses a constant air pressure found by performing an overnight test or ‘titration’ on the sufferer. Recent models of CPAP contraptions are able to reduce the exhalation pressure for improved performance and patient comfort.
Variable positive airway pressure (VPAP), known also as bilevel or BiPAP, monitors the patients breathing with an electronic circuit. Two different pressures are adopted here, inhalation has a higher pressure than exhalation. This system is more expensive than CPAP and is often used on people that have other respiratory problems or who find sleeping with higher exhaling pressures from CPAP difficult.
Automatic positive airway pressure (APAP) uses sensors that measure air pressure in conjunction with a computer that monitors the patient’s performance with breathing. Pressures exerted by the air pump are constantly adjusted, i.e. heightened when the user is finding breathing difficult, lowered when pressures are considered higher than necessary.
Various surgical ways of widening airways, or removing or tightening tissues in that area are used, the success rate tends to be low with these practices. In some cases patients adopt a combination of such therapies to reduce their OSA. Surgery is typically a last resort, used when none of the above, as well as other more experimental OSA reduction methods (e.g. pharmaceuticals like methylxanthine theophylline and modafinil, and neurostimulation e.g. pacemaker stimulation), have been deemed effective.
www.sleepapneafacts.info/Why-You-Should-Stop-Snoring.php . This sleep dedicated website contains a vast array of information specifically designed to help you get an improved nights sleep.
Tags: apnea, Methods, obstructive, sleep, treat, used
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Sleep Apnea & My CPAP
Written by admin on August 20, 2010 – 8:53 pm -
Sleep Apnea & My CPAP
Tags: apnea, cpap, sleep
Posted in sleep apnea machines | 3 Comments »
Taking beta blockers for SVT & I also have Sleep Apnea – Am I risk of Sudden Aryth Death Syndrome?
Written by admin on August 9, 2010 – 8:55 pm -Please help. I have SVT and I am currently awaiting a further appointment following my test result for sleep apnea.
Can you die of Sudden Arythmic Death Syndrome or Sleep Apnea whilst taking Beta Blockers? Am I at risk?
I take a mild 1.25 mg of bisoprolol beta blocker, as any more than that reduces my blood pressure. (Symptoms of my SVT are very infrequent on medication. Cardiologist recommended ablation butI’m too scared. He stated that SVT is nothing to worry about but the internet suggests otherwise )
I will truly appreciate your advice please!
I am 30, slim and have a healthy lifestyle
Tags: apnea, Aryth, blockers, death, risk, sleep, Sudden, Syndrome, Taking
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The ABCs to Treat Sleep Apnea
Written by admin on August 9, 2010 – 8:52 pm -There are many ways to treat sleep apnea from lifestyle changes and alternative remedies to medical regimens and surgical options. All these can seem so confusing to a sleep apnea patient who was just recently diagnosed. Fortunately, you can narrow first line defenses of sleep apnea treatments into ABCs.
Appliances – Oral, That Is
There are oral appliances prescribed by either your doctor or your dentist, which are engineered to keep the throat open especially during sleep. Usually, these are designed to bring your jaw forward, hence, opening your throat.
As such, these oral appliances relieve mild sleep apnea and its number one problem – snoring. You will have to regularly consult with your doctor – at least once every six months – to determine if your oral appliance is a good fit and to reassess your condition.
Take note, however, that oral appliances are not as effective as CPAP therapy to treat sleep apnea. Still, it has its advantages like ease of use and discreet installation so you might want to discuss it more thoroughly with your physician.
Bad Habits, Goodbye
To help treat sleep apnea, you will be asked to adapt lifestyle changes (read: say goodbye to your bad habits). These will include:
* Lose excess weight so as to relieve throat constrictions. Of course, it does help that your double chin is not getting in the way of securely strapping the CPAP mask unto your face. Discuss with your doctor ways to achieve healthy weight loss as you don’t want to compound your sleep problems with other health difficulties.
* Avoid alcohol and cigarettes. These bad habits significantly contribute to sleep apnea, not to mention lead to other health problems.
* Abstain from using tranquilizers and sleeping pills. Your throat muscles become relaxed due to these medications, which causes interference with your breathing even when you are on a CPAP machine.
These lifestyle changes alone will not treat sleep apnea, admittedly, but these will contribute to your better health. In turn, you are able to face the challenges of living with the sleep disorder as well as in lessening your risks for heart diseases.
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure
This is the most important component in the non-surgical options in the treatment of sleep apnea. A continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine delivers controlled amounts of air pressure through a mask positioned over your nose as you sleep. It helps to keep your airway passages open, hence, preventing sleep apnea as well as snoring.
You may find the CPAP method as the most inconvenient way to treat sleep apnea due to the unwieldy mask and machine. Indeed, it takes some getting used to but it must be done.
Keep in mind that once you stop using the CPAP machine, your symptoms will return and maybe even return with a vengeance. With sleep apnea, you just can’t let your guard down because that shaky breath might very well be your last breath on Earth.
This is not to scare you or anything like that. Instead, you must realize that as difficult as it can be, you must treat sleep apnea if you want to enjoy a longer, healthier and happier life.
CPAP Clinic – healthcare at your home
We serve Greater Toronto Area in Canada.
Contact: 1-877-430-CPAP(2727) or info@CPAPClinic.ca
For high quality replacement parts in Toronto visit www.CPAPClinic.ca. They also offer just the right CPAP machine in Toronto for you. So, if you want to treat sleep apnea in Toronto visit them today!
Tags: apnea, sleep, treat
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