Don’t Ignore the Snore

Obstructive sleep apnoea is not just a simple medical problem. Nowadays many experts say that sleep apnoea under diagnosed yet and this can be deadly. Snoring that accompanies this breathing problem creates obstruction that lessens your blood oxygen levels and noise that wakes you and your partner up at night. An article from http://womenslifestyle.com has featured some facts why should not ignore snoring and sleep apnoea:

• In OSA, the throat is blocked by the tongue and soft palate during sleep, leading to the inability to breathe. Apnoea means a temporary cessation of airflow has occurred. This can happen dozens to hundreds of times per hour. It is the lack of oxygen in the sleep apnoea patient that is the primary concern.

• The frequent cycle is as followed: the brain subconsciously tells the body that it needs oxygen, a person slightly wakes to take a gasp of breath which interrupts necessary deep sleep and then a person falls back into a semi-sleep.

• OSA could ultimately kill sufferers by gradually damaging their health. This dangerous sleep disorder has been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and depression and dementia, all of which can affect longevity of life.

• A recent study suggests that sleep apnoea patients are at a five times greater risk of developing cancer than those who do not suffer from the disorder.

• Sleep apnoea can cause loud snoring followed by stoppage of breathing and gasping and choking during sleep.

• Other symptoms may include excessive daytime sleepiness, drowsy driving, awaking feeling not rested in the morning and a sour taste in the mouth.

• Morning headaches, weight gain, limited attention, memory loss, poor judgment and personality changes may also result.

• If you are experiencing common symptoms associated with OSA, a sleep physician or your family physician can help. Generally, you will be asked to do an overnight sleep study at a sleep lab; however, more physicians are now using an at-home sleep study that allows you to be tested in your own bed.

• Some of the more severe patients receive CPAP treatments, which involve a mask that fits over the nose and/or mouth, connected by hose to a pump that gently blows air into the mouth to help keep the airway open during sleep.

• For those patients who are diagnosed with mild to moderate OPA or those who are CPAP intolerant can now be treated with an oral appliance provided by a dentist trained in sleep apnoea.

Read more here:

http://womenslifestyle.com/dont-ignore-the-snore/

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