Obstructive sleep apnea, most commonly referred to as (OSA) is potentially a serious sleep disorder and is distinguished by recurring episodes of complete or limited obstructions of the upper airway during sleep, despite the continuous attempt to breathe, and is generally connected with a reduction in blood oxygen saturation. Obstructive Sleep Apnea is distinguished amongst the Sleep Related Breathing Disorders and is categorized into two, namely adult OSA and pediatric OSA.
People who are suffering with OSA are rarely aware of difficulty breathing, even when they get awakened. It is often acknowledged as a problem by others who examine/observe the individual during episodes or is doubted about/suspected because of its effects on the body. Snoring is most commonly seen while a person is having OSA.
Even if the symptoms are there from years or even decades and still unidentified, and during this time the individual may become constrained to the daytime sleepiness and fatigue connected with significant levels of sleep disturbance. People who usually sleep alone are often not aware of the condition, without the other person noticing them and make them aware of the signs.
Symptoms :
- Morning headaches
- Insomnia
- Trouble concentrating
- Mood changes such as irritability, anxitey and depression
- Forgetfulness
- Increased hearth rate/or blood pressure
- Decreased sex drive
- Unexplained weight gain
- Increased urination/or nocturia
- Frequent heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux disease
- Heavy night sweats
Diagnosis of OSA is most commonly/often based upon a combination of patient history and lab. These tests range, in decreasing order of cost, from lab-attended full polysomnography (sleep study) down to single-channel home recording complexity and tethering of the patient (number and type of channels of data recorded),
The most commonly considered current therapeutic practice they follow is positive airway pressure whereby a controlled stream of air is pumped through a mask worn over the nose, mouth, or both with the help of a breathing machine. The additional pressure holds open the relaxed muscles.
Sleep surgery, also known to be as surgical treatments to modify airway anatomy are varied and must be tailored according to the specific airway obstructive needs of the patient. Surgery is not considered as the only treatment for obstructive sleep apnea, as prospective, randomized, comparative clinical evidence against current front line treatments is lacking.
The sleep problems treatment entirely depends on the kind of disorder it is going through. Routine medication and an improved lifestyle can control this disorder. If the cause of your sleep disorders have any link to your respiratory system, a pulmonologist like Dr. Satya will try to treat you through medical treatments and medications against the underlying disease that’s causing this condition.