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If there is reduction or stoppage of breathing of a person while asleep, the diagnosis could be sleep apnea.Routine visits to the doctor, however, are usually not enough to detect sleep apnea and this disorder often goes undiagnosed. Because the condition manifests only while sleeping, most patients would not be able to tell first-hand if they have symptoms of sleep apnea. This problem could only surface if a patient’s bed partner or family member notices the condition.

A diagnosis of this condition would reveal either of three types of apnea. These apnea classifications are central apnea, obstructive apnea, and combined central and obstructive apnea.

Central apnea occurs when the brain of a person asleep fails to activate the muscles for breathing. Obstructive apnea, on the other hand, happens when the person’s airway collapses during sleep. Occurring most often in overweight persons, this is the most common type of apnea. There are several complications of obstructive apnea. These include heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, daytime sleepiness, difficulty in concentration and thinking which could result in accidents while driving. Diagnosis and evaluation of obstructive sleep apnea is done through physical examination, medical history and polysomnography on the patient. If you think you might be suffering from sleep apnea you should see a doctor for sleep apnea.

Seeking treatment is very crucial for a patient diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea. The temptation is great for a person with this problem to just ignore the disorder. Treatment could be inconvenient as it may entail wearing masks and dental appliances every night. Using a sleep apnea dental appliance is uncomfortable at first but you can get used to it. A sleep apnea chin strap is slightly less uncomfortable, but is very unattractive. Surgical treatment is painful and is not guaranteed to be successful.For these discouraging reasons on surgery and personal appliances, only 10% of sleep apnea patients have been estimated to have undergone treatment.

It is therefore important to educate the rest of the 90% of those patients of the consequences of non-treatment of their disorder.r In addition to putting themselves at risk, they likewise pose risk to others particularly when driving. To the patient, the non-treatment of obstructive sleep apnea carries the increased risk of strokes, heart attacks, high blood pressure, poor work productivity, reduced attentiveness, and in extreme cases, untimely death.

Persons with obstructive sleep apnea should discuss treatment with their doctor right away. Other than surgery, wearing mask and dental appliances, there are more palatable treatments of patients. An apnea patient may have the choice to undergo behavioral theraphy, or treatments involving airway pressure.

Changing a patient’s lifestyle could also help treat sleep apnea. Avoiding alcoholic drinks, reducing weight and quitting smoking are some lifestyle change options. Sleeping at a 30-degree elevation of the body could also help by preventing the collapse of the airway due to gravity. The reduction in the gravitational cause of sleep apnea could also be achieved by sleeping on a sideways position.

For those who want surgery, several procedures may be undertaken. These involve palate implants, nasal surgery, tongue reduction surgery, genioglossus advancement, uvulopalatopharyngoplasty, bariatric surgery, tracheostomy, and maxi-mandibular advancement.