Apnea

Signs and Symptoms

Sleep apnea is a disorder in which your breathing is interrupted for periods of 10 seconds or more while you are asleep. These interruptions may occur hundreds of times a night, causing you to gasp for air and disrupting your sleep.

Some common symptoms of sleep apnea include:

• Restless sleep
• Loud, heavy snoring often interrupted by silence and gasps
• Drowsiness or lack of energy, caused by the lack of sleep
• Headaches in the morning
• Irritability, forgetfulness, mood or behavior changes
• Anxiety or depression

There are two main types of sleep apnea:

• Obstructive Sleep Apnea -- This type of sleep apnea is typically caused by an airway blockage and is more common. It occurs when the muscles in the wall of the throat relax during sleep, causing the walls to collapse and obstruct airflow.

• Central Sleep Apnea -- Believed to be related to a malfunction of the brain's normal signal to breathe, with this type of sleep apnea the level of carbon dioxide in the blood rises, which may cause you to wake up.

If sleep apnea is not treated, it can lead to other serious health problems, including:

• Hypertension or high blood pressure
• Heart related conditions such as coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction and stroke
• Psychiatric problems such as depression
• Impotence and lack of interest in sex
• Cognitive dysfunction or memory loss

Diagnosis

If you think that you might have sleep apnea, your doctor may be able to make a diagnosis based on the description of your symptoms. If addition, an overnight evaluation may be needed to assess the situation and identify the cause of your sleep problems.

During an overnight evaluation, your breathing and other bodily functions are monitored while you sleep. A test called polysomnography may be used to monitor your heart, lung and brain activity as well as your breathing patterns, blood oxygen levels and body movements as you sleep.

Please see Overnight Sleep Study to learn more.

Treatment

Sleep apnea rarely goes away without treatment. Some means of treating the disorder involve lifestyle changes and behavior modification, such as losing weight, varying your sleep position and not sleeping on your back.

Other treatment options include devices that help open up the airways, such as a dental device designed to open the throat by bringing the jaw forward. Another option is to use a machine that delivers air through a facial mask, called continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), which uses pressure to keep your airway passage open and prevent sleep apnea.

In addition, surgery is sometimes recommended to treat sleep apnea. You may be referred to an oral and maxillofacial surgeon -- a dentist trained in surgery of the mouth, face and jaws. He or she may surgically place dental devices, such as splints, which help open up the airways and throat by bringing the jaw forward. In addition, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon may recommend surgically repositioning your jaws, which can successfully manage your sleep apnea.

Another type of surgery for sleep apnea is performed by an otolaryngologist -- an ear, nose and throat specialist -- to improve the flow of air through the nose, throat and lungs. These surgeries involve cutting or manipulating the upper airway, including the throat, tongue, jaw and nose.