What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Treatment and diagnosis

Diagnosis

For the purpose of diagnosis, physicians might ask you to undergo examinations, tests, symptoms and signs of sleep apnea. Your doctor might ask to go to a sleep specialist so that your sleep techniques could be examined. Also, he/she  might test your throat, nose and tissues which can be used for further process. Circumference of neck, waist and blood pressure could also be examined for proper treatment.



A sleep specialist can add some more evaluating points to your examination and other tears. These evaluation techniques may involve the monitoring of your sleep patterns, snoring occurrence and other factors adds up to the test.

Treatment

Mentioned below are some treatment techniques used for the preventing Obstructive sleep Apnea.

●        Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP)- if you are suffering from moderate or mild sleep apnea you can get lucky and can be helped with a machine which deliver air pressure via a mask. This machines has CPAP(PAP) which creates a little larger pressure than atmospheric pressure. This pressure keeps upper airways intact and clear pathways for unrestricted respiration.

●         CPAP machines are the most widespread method used for treating Obstructive sleep apnea. However, some people might find it tedious and cumbersome because of the fitting of mask. But it can be made adjustable after the use of few uses and straps of mask are quite flexible for making your experience comfortable.

●        Oral appliances- Some people can't keep their throats open due to fat accumulation. For treating this issue oral appliances are used widely. CPAP technique is more credible than oral appliances however they are easier to use. They help in opening the throat of a patient. These are designs to make your upper jaw forward for unrestricted passage of air and sometimes they help reduce snoring and moderate obstructive sleep apnea.

●        Several dentistry devices are available in the market to treat the issue. Your dentist can ask you to go through a proper examination before treating the issue. Also, he can reassess your condition and change the device according to the needs of the patient.

Tests

There are some tests available which can help you know your sleeping disorders if you are suffering from one:

●        Polysomnography. During this treatment, a person undergoes monitoring of brain, lungs, and rhythmic activities. Legs movement, sleeping pattern, and breathing patterns are captured. It helps you know about your sleeping disorders and other sleep-related issues.

●        Split-night study- During split night study a person undergoes whole-body monitoring. A split night examination is done on people who have snoring issues. In between, hospital staff can give patients continuous positive airway pressure. The patient might take some time to be conscious again after a spilled-night study.

●        Polysomnography can help you with obstructive sleep apnea and other sleeping disease with continuous positive airway pressure and other remedies combined, if appropriate.

●        This study can help you to know about another issues like periodic legs movement popularly known as legs movement syndrome. People with such disorders can also take this test.

Home sleep apnea testing- Under some circumstances, physician may give a home based polysomnography test to treat Obstructive sleep apnea. This kind of test includes airflow pattern, sleeping pattern, breathing pattern, limb and rhythmic movements, and sleeping intensity to get a clear perspective about the disease. 

Doctor may also ask you to visit an ear and nose doctor to get the clear reference about blockage of nose or ear passages and other anatomic faults.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Home sleep test: Procedure of having a home sleep study

Image
 An at-home sleep apnea test is used for the diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). As the name suggests, an at-home sleep test is done right in the comfort of your home. Because you administer the test yourself without the assistance of a sleep technician, this home sleep test is also called an “unattended sleep study.”  Most home sleep test devices are portable – about the size of a telephone handset. There are a variety of devices you use to properly complete the test. Equipment can be accessed through a sleep specialist, primary care provider, or independent, for-profit companies. What Do At-Home Sleep Apnea Tests Measure? When you take an at-home sleep apnea test or home sleep test, there are specific biological parameters that are measured to gain insight on whether you have obstructive sleep apnea. Here are the factors measured and the devices that help collect the data. Nasal and oral airflow: A thin wire is taped by your nose and mouth to monitor your air...
Read more

Different ways to treat snoring and the reason behind their causes

Image
Snoring occurs when the upper airway tissues vibrate and they are making them breathe noisily while sleeping. It is the most common issue which one might face at least once in a lifetime especially during old age. However, there are snoring treatment and management programs that can help overall.  Snoring is not considered a serious issue that could be treated with simple lifestyle changes and home remedies. However, even if you cannot then go seek a doctor.  Sometimes, snoring becomes extremely chronic and annoying, in such cases, a proper Sleep treatment is required. It might become disruptive and other symptoms might also occur.  Causes behind Snoring During the waking up hours, the muscle tone in the upper way and throat is open and hence, the air enters the lungs effortlessly.  However, while sleeping these tissues tend to relax and cause an obstruction in the airways leading to the vibration in the muscle tone of a person. Some contributing factors that can lea...
Read more

List of five treatment options other than CPAP for Sleep Apnea

Image
CPAP is the most recommended solution for Sleep Apnea, it has been the first choice for people and Sleep specialists. However, not everyone is comfortable with wearing a CPAP mask. For such people, certain alternatives could help in improving the symptoms. There are options other than CPAP for Sleep Apnea. Obstructive Sleep Apnea is a sleep disorder that affects your breathing patterns while sleeping. It occurs from complete or partial blockage of airways. If you’re suffering from OSA, the soft tissues present at the back of your throat get relaxed and block the airways. Your brain cannot send you a signal every time you stop breathing. Obstructive Sleep Apnea causes symptoms like- ●        Snoring ●        Gasping for breath while sleeping ●        Waking up multiple times while sleeping OSA doesn’t only make you sleepy the next day but it can also increase your blood pressure levels,...
Read more