You can get three types of sleep apnea: central sleep apnea (CSA), obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and complex or mixed sleep apnea. Complex sleep apnea is a combination of the first two. The most common form is OSA which makes up about 85 Percent of all cases. CSA occurs when respiration is slowed down or stopped by a lack of respiratory effort. OSA is when there is a physical obstruction to the airflow and this is when loud snoring commonly takes place.
Many individuals suffer for a long time with sleep apnea without actually being aware of it despite warning signs like excessive tiredness every day which generally leads to afternoon naps. Indeed, more often than not people consume coffee immediately after lunch to help to keep them going during the afternoon and just make things worse as caffeine simply interferes with their regular nighttime sleep schedule.
Once your sleep apnea has been recognized there are various treatments available to you, the most common of which to begin with is simple behavioral therapy. Additionally, there are a few simple techniques that can frequently work wonders like sewinga tennis ball into the rear of your pajamas to prevent you rolling over onto your back and compel you to sleep on your side.
In addition to behavioral therapy there are also several dental gadgets which you can use to cure sleep apnea and, as a last resort, surgery. As an example, a range of dental mouthpieces can be used to prevent your throat from getting impeded during sleep and additionally, there are masks which can be put on during the night. Sleep apnea masks, which force air into the mouth and nose to maintain your air passage, are a very effective form of treatment for lots of patients.
Surgically incorporated pillars can also be used to prevent the soft palate from covering your air passage when your throat relaxes during sleep. It is a fairly simple and fairly painless process which can be performed on an outpatient schedule.
Another promising type of research has come across a much easier homeopathic cure that has lessened apnea in some subjects. The didgeridoo, an Aussie Aboriginal musical wind instrument was used in a British research study and was shown to relieve loud snoring and apnea. Evidently, using the mouth, tongue and throat required for learning the musical instrument increased the muscles and prevented airway collapse once the sufferer was sleeping.
If either you or your companion is prone to loud and persistent snoring or complains of problems sleeping then there is a good chance that this might be the result of sleep apnea. In these circumstances therefore you need to take the time to discuss the situation with your health practitioner as, not dealt with, this could be a serious issue.
Discover much more about sleep apnea diagnosis and the array of treatment methods out there including the use of sleep apnea masks and various dental devices.
