Sick Of Your Sleep Apnea?! There Are Surgery Options

Most physicians will agree that people with obstructive sleep apnea first need to try CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) before exploring surgery options. If you are someone that has tried every kind of CPAP mask or nasal device and cannot tolerate them, then considering surgery might be right for you. It is also important that you know if your sleep apnea is mild, moderate or severe.

Here are descriptions of the most common types of surgery.

UPPP, which stands for uvulopalatopharyngoplasty, try using this word when talking to you Doctor and he'll probably give you a sucker. This surgery involves removal of the soft palate, uvula and tonsils, if you still have them. It is done under general anesthesia and the recovery is dependent on the individual.

Some patients from our sleep labs have told me it's the most painful "sore throat" they've ever had and didn't feel comfortable for 2 to 3 weeks. Others have been fine after 3 days, so it really depends on the individual's pain threshold. Most physicians require you to stay overnight after the surgery. UPPP has been known to be most effective with snoring and hypopneas (partial airway obstruction), Studies have shown it to be 85% effective for correcting apneic episodes (or complete cessation of breath).

LAUP procedure (which stands for laser assisted uvuolopalatopharyngoplasty) is the same as the UPPP but done with a laser instead of the surgical knife. The recovery time is still the same as well.

Somnoplasty uses low temperature frequency waves administered through a needle to the back of the throat or soft palate. There is no hospitalization and can be done as an outpatient in about an hour. This surgery might have to be repeated and most physicians recommend it for patients with mild sleep apnea.

The pillar is the latest procedure and is getting some popular reviews. This surgery entails placing three tiny woven inserts into the soft palate with a needle. The inserts firm the soft, loose tissue as the body makes scar tissue in response to the inserts. This surgery has been said to be comparable to UPPP but without the recovery time. It is performed with local anesthetic and is completed in about 10 minutes. It is recommended for mild to moderate sleep apnea.

These surgeries have changed lives and even saved lives of patients with sleep apnea. Some people with severe apnea will continue CPAP even after having surgery. You might think "then what's the point of surgery?" But having surgery can also allow you to use CPAP on a lower pressure that will be much more tolerable---and if you feel like a million bucks during the day then isn't it worth it????

If your CPAP is not working for you then talk to your physician about having surgery. If you or anyone you know has had any of these procedures, please send feedback on your experience. This will be very helpful to all readers considering surgery. Your physician will discuss which option is best for you, but hopefully, after reading this, you will have some knowledge as to what they are.

Hating CPAP? Don't give up on a cure!

Please don't give up the fight to feel normal again. If you do give up the fight and try to manage without any treatment, at least try to think of the damage to your heart. If your mood, your driving, your work, your social life and relationships don't seem to be affected...you can still count on heart disease and/or stroke to knock you down.

As I said in previous posts there are other options to the dreadful "Darth Vader" mask. But don't quit too early if you already have possession of this device. You might find yourself getting used to it right about the time you're getting ready to throw it out the window.

Please contact your medical equipment company and communicate with them as much as possible. They have numerous types of masks and nasal pillows that you should try. You owe it to yourself, friends and family to try as hard as possible to get the proper amount of oxygen and sleep.

If you absolutely cannot take the CPAP then talk to your physician about a referral to an otolaryngologist (ear nose and throat doctor). This physician will let you know about what options for surgery are the best.

I've seen great results in patients who decided on a combination treatment. Having surgery and then wearing a CPAP at a much lower pressure has been a success with some patients. Also, surgery in addition to wearing a mouthpiece has been popular. You might only need one treatment but if your one treatment isn't working then consider looking at all avenues.

Trying CPAP? 10 tips for CPAP success

I have added 10 steps to help you with your CPAP success...

1. Don't push the love. Just as in dating someone most likely you don't fall in love on the first date. Take time to let yourself get to know your CPAP. In addition to wearing it for sleeping also wear it for short periods of time during the day i.e. while watching TV. or reading.

2. When turning the CPAP on don't start at your set pressure, use the ramp setting so the air will slowly increase to your set pressure.

3. Don't skip nights. Use your CPAP EVERY night and with EVERY nap. You're only prolonging the time it will take for you to feel comfortable. The more you wear it ---the faster you will "bond".

4. The most updated CPAP models are very quiet, but if yours makes too much noise place it under your bed.

5. Make sure you have a heated humidifier with your CPAP. This makes a huge difference in the comfort.

6. Keep lines of communication open with your supplier. It's imporant that if you're struggling at all to ask for different facial apparatuses. You should try nasal pillows and different masks until you are happy. If your supplier is no being cooperative then you might want to consider changing companies.

7. Have a respiratory technician work with you on adjustments with tubing and headgear.

8. Make sure you are changing your filters on the humidifier and CPAP.

9. Keep your headgear,tubing and mask clean (clean once a week)

10. Focus on how you are feeling during the day. In the beginning there will probably be small improvements with your tiredness. As you use the CPAP more and more, the fatigue you felt during the day will be replaced with a new energy and awareness on how life is really meant to be.

Take it slow... expect great things but don't expect them overnight.

Bonus #11. Remember, good friendships take time to grow.

Can a Sleep Apnea Treatment Make You Lose Weight?

Many people with sleep apnea are told to lose weight as part of their treatment. But what about the other way around? Is it possible to lose weight because of treating the sleep apnea? The first line of treatment normally is a continuous positive airway pressure mask or better known as CPAP which is worn while sleeping.

If you have been to see the physician about your snoring and/or possible obstructive sleep apnea then you might have heard the recommendation to lose weight. A high percentage of people who have sleep apnea are over weight. Studies have shown that just by losing 10 pounds can greatly improve your sleep. Why? With sleep apnea, the soft palate in the back of your throat collapses...extra weight can play a big part in the amount of room for air and only exacerbates the obstruction. Losing weight can be a challenging feat in itself much less trying to lose weight when you are miserable from sleep deprivation.

Here is some positive news. In the last 10 years that I've worked in the sleep disorder field I cannot count how many times a patient commented about how they lost weight due to their CPAP treatment. I have heard "thank you's" to the sleep techs and physicians because they have finally started losing weight after wearing the CPAP. How does this happen? There two ways...

1. There are certain sleep stages that regulate our metabolism. Most often a person with sleep apnea does not get into the deep sleep stages. By keeping your airway open and correcting the sleep apnea you are now getting to sleep stages that play a role with balancing your metabolism.

2. By achieving higher quality sleep you will have more energy. When you have more energy you are more likely to move more or even exercise...instead of sitting down any chance you get.

Exercise and eating right is still a big component to losing weight while on CPAP. You can't eat a quarter pounder then walk around your office and call it a day. There is still a need to start some exercise program even if only for 20 minutes a day. The sleep you're getting because of the CPAP should give you a new lease on life---take advantage of that extra energy!

Gout and Sleep Apnea

About 5 years ago my wife noticed I stopped regularly breathing during the night whilst asleep.

I was overweight at the time and was getting tired during the day all the time.

After a severe Gout attack I went to my local Doctor and mentioned about my breathing problem, and that's when he mentioned I might have sleep apnea and this was related to Gout and heart disease and many other medical complications. Great I thought I have Gout and Sleep Apnea, what else can go wrong?

My doctor had just come from a seminar that included Gout and Sleep Apnea as a discussion topic and the studied new methods of detection and results.

A month or two later I was diagnosed with severe apnea, I then lost weight and it was downgraded to mild sleep apnea that required no breathing device at night luckily.

What I also did not know was during REM or Deep sleep if a sufferer has an apnea attack then the body sends out adrenalin to make the sufferer go into a lighter sleeping pattern which also kicks starts the breathing again.
So imagine if you have a heart condition or disease, if massive adrenalin doses pour through your system you could have a heart attack.

The Doctor had strongly suggested that being overweight or Obese as I was was making the air pipe smaller, hence less oxygen was getting into the bloodstream which can affect organs and the brain, as an oxygen starved brain certainly isn't a nice thing to get.

An oxygen starved bloodstream causes the breakdown of cells which forms Uric acid, the enemy of Gout.
Coupled in this low oxygen environment is carbon dioxide which causes the blood to increase in its acidity and also increases monosodium urate.

Monosodium Urate is a group of calcium phosphates that can build up in connective tissues such as the ears and elbows and create Tophi...and inflammation or just attack the synovial sacks and kick off a Gout attack.

Another common trait with Gout is the circumference of the neck.

I have a large neck, which in a car accident is good as it is harder to break my neck or good in certain areas of sport, but for Gout and sleep apnea it is a bad thing to have.

A thick neck generally equals a smaller air passage, the more overweight you are the smaller the circumference is of the airway.
Every extra pound or kilo of weight could be an extra millimeter less of air passage = less oxygen = more gout = more chance of other organ sickness etc.

Also having a thick tongue, or a receding chin, thick tonsils, nasal congestion, Hypothyroidism, post-polio syndrome, and Down syndrome can affect you, as well as being a smoker, drinking before bedtime and the taking of sedatives can also bring it on.

Some schools of thought seem to think that Gout is an early warning sign of Sleep Apnea, this may well be true.

Signs of Sleep Apnea:

* Sleepy during the day
* falling to sleep driving
* angry and tired for no reason or personality changes that are unexplained
* regular sudden awakenings
* waking up tired in the mornings
* headaches
* sore throat in the morning
* Dry mouth
* lethargy
* rapid weight gain
* Memory loss or very vague
* short attention span
* slower healing process
* slower reaction time

The best methods for trying to control sleep apnea are:

* Lose weight immediately ( but be careful as the faster you lose weight the easier you can get a Gout attack )

* Sleep with the aid of a breathing apparatus designed for Apnea sufferers. It is basically a small mask that fits over the nose and a small machine by the bed, when an apnea attack occurs the machine registers no breathing and gently pumps air down the airways, my friends who have this device say that they have never had a better sleep ) This is generally for severe Sleep apnea sufferers.

* Another device is a jaw disc or a jaw plate. It fits in like a set of plate for false teeth in the top of the mouth and pushes the jaw forward, so that during sleep the air passage is open more. This is for lighter cases of apnea.

* There are talks of laser surgery in Japan on the back of the air pipe, but this is best to stay away from as it is experimental at the moment and nothing is proven with this method.

* Sleep on your side and not on your back. Try using a back support pillow wedged behind your spine so when you try and roll over it stops you. There are people out there touting the use of a squash ball supported on your back so that you feel it when you roll over. It is a good suggestion and I guess what ever works for you is a great thing indeed. So experimentation is what is required especially to help Gout and Sleep apnea.

* Lose weight ( for more information see Weight Loss for Life )

* Learn to play a Wind Instrument

* Cut out using muscle relaxing drugs

* Reduce alcohol intake

* There are newer Surgery methods being developed so it is best to seek medical advice first.

Types of Sleep Apnea

* OSA - Obstructive Sleep Apnea ( this is the most common form )
* CSA - Central Sleep Apnea ( Brain signals delay instruction to the body to breathe- this is also a central nervous disorder)
* Mixed Sleep Apnea ( mixture of the above two )

Dangers of Sleep Apnea:

* Gout
* Tophi
* Heart Disease
* Insomnia
* Sexual disfunction
* Obesity
* Depression
* Premature death
* Sudden infant Death Syndrome ( Babies generally grow out of this but you should get a breathing monitor alarm system just to make sure )

Acid Reflux, Sleep Apnea and Heart Palpitations

Acid reflux, sleep apnea and heart palpitations are serious problems that people have to look after; otherwise, problems that are more serious could result in untreated symptoms. A person who suffers from sleep apnea may also complain of frequent headaches, dry mouth, and a sore throat in the morning, heart palpitations, urinating throughout the night, falling asleep while working or driving, and chronic fatigue and memory problems.

People who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea have an increased risk of hypertension, stroke, heart disease and accidents while driving or working.

If suffering from acid reflux, sleep apnea and or heart palpitations, you are strongly recommended to consult a doctor. It is common for people to have an occasional sleepless night but a lack of sleep on a regular basis is cause for concern. Insomnia can be the result of sleep apnea or even nighttime acid reflux. Insomnia will leave you feeling tired throughout the entire day. It will also cause psychological and physiological damage to your body.

When underlying ailments such as sleep apnea, lung disease, hot flashes and diabetes are treated the insomnia may be treated as well. Natural remedies available for insomnia include a change in lifestyle such as a better diet. Much of the food we eat is made up of toxins, which cause an imbalance in the body. The alkaline imbalance may be what triggers insomnia in some people.

Acid reflux, sleep apnea and heart palpitations can all be traced in some way to the food we eat. Hydrogenated fat, refined table salt, mono sodium glutamate, sugar, chocolate, corn syrup, refined oils, baking powder, fried foods, junk foods, carbonated soda and alcohol are all toxins that will cause problems in the human body.

Replace these poor health choices with natural foods and you may begin to notice a change in your overall health and you may be able to sleep better at night. Fruits and vegetables have plenty of fiber and natural enzymes that balance the acid-alkaline ratio in the body.

Acid reflux can cause chest pain because stomach acid causes the esophagus to become enflamed and can lead to chest pain. This pain may feel quite similar to pain associated with angina, which is felt by people with coronary heart disease. Acid reflux does not directly cause heart palpitations but it may cause a person to feel extremely anxious which in turn may cause palpitations.

Another scenario may be that the person may actually be experiencing a heart related attack of pain of some sort. In this case, the palpitations may be the result of a heart attack. Other symptoms of heart disease that could rule out acid reflux include nausea and shortness of breath.

Acid reflux, sleep apnea and heart palpitations are serious ailments that are linked to our lifestyle. If you are someone who is at risk for heart disease, it is important to rule out acid reflux disease before assuming it is responsible for the chest pains and heart palpitations. Even something that feels like a typical case of heartburn could be a sign of heart disease, so a careful history and evaluation of the patient is required.

Sleep Apnea Products

Thanks to the advanced research in the medical condition of sleep apnea, a number of sleep apnea products are available in the market for making life happier and healthier. These products can give you a good result if you use them under medical prescription and guidance.

Sleep apnea is a condition resulting into obstruction of air passage to your lungs at the time of your sleep. The condition can lead to medical complications such as high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, paralytic strokes and neurological disorders due to constant shortness of oxygen and fatigue. While you can manage certain aspects of your life style like weight and sleep pattern, you need to depend upon a constant supply of sleep apnea products such as Constant positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) kit, masks, humidifiers, air tubes, headgears, breathing machines etc. especially in case of serious condition.

It is always advisable to start using the sleep apnea products based on a thorough analysis of your medical history and past pattern. In some cases, you may not at all require all that fancy stuff and simple changes in your lifestyle will be a better option to treat mild obstructive sleep apnea condition. Thus a simple procedure may clear your nasal congestion and blockages if you are suffering from the same. The treatment is far better than all the sleep apnea products which you can buy for yourself.

Always look for FDA approval on these products to be sure of quality and performance. While some of these products can relieve you of your pain and sleep disorders, together with medication you can bring about changes in your health and living standards for the better. Sleep apnea products as well as medication are your best friend to tide over the medical trauma and suffering from the potential life threatening condition.

Sleep apnea is not an incurable disease. You can lead a perfectly normal and peaceful life once you diagnose the exact causes and factors responsible for your condition. Remember that the longer the condition remains untreated, the worse it will be for your nerves and system as the condition at a later stage starts affecting your heart and brain.

It is a good idea to consult a sleep specialist who can analyze your sleep pattern based on initial observations made by you or your sleeping partner. This would include the number of times you have sleep apnea disorder episodes, the number of times you get up in the night looking for oxygen flow. A thorough assessment of your heart condition is also necessary to obviate the possibility of serious damage. Having done that, the medical practitioner may prescribe various sleep apnea products for your benefit. This needs to be taken strictly as per advice. You will also need to intimate your progress and status to your doctor for suitable changes in the medication and procedures.

Sleep apnea needs to be thoroughly investigated and cured to help you lead a wonderful life. Believe me it is possible with little effort.

Sleep Apnea In Children Can Cause Significantly Lower IQ Scores

Although it has been known for some time now that children with sleep apnea often produce poor scores on IQ tests (typically scoring an average of 85 against a score of 101 for children without sleep apnea) what has not been known until recently is that this results from chemical changes within the brain. This means that an otherwise 'smart' kid may well turn in a mediocre performance as a result of nothing more than a sleep disorder which, in most cases, can be quite easily treated.

In a study conducted at the Hopkin's Children's Centre in Baltimore, 31 children between the ages of 6 and 16 (19 of whom had severe sleep apnea) were examined using a special form or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and it was found that those children with sleep apnea showed significant changes in both the hippocampus and right frontal cortex - two areas of the brain associated with learning and higher mental function. The same study also discovered that these children had altered levels of three chemicals within the brain, indicative of brain damage.

This alteration of the brain chemistry brought about by the presence of sleep apnea may or may not be permanent and, at this stage, further studies are required to see whether or not this effect can be reversed. However, even if reversal is possible and the brain chemistry and cognitive function can be returned to normal, children with sleep apnea will suffer a loss in learning as long as they are suffering from untreated sleep apnea and they will certainly not be able to wind back the clock and regain this period of learning.

Parents should of course already be on the lookout for signs of sleep apnea in their children, but this latest study clearly indicates that an early diagnosis and treatment of this sleep disorder could have a very significant affect on a child's success in life.

The signs of sleep apnea include frequent pauses in breathing during sleep which often result in an arousal from sleep and tossing and turning in bed. Children may also display loud or labored breathing, snoring, coughing, gasping and, occasionally, bedwetting at an age when this phase should normally have passed. Parents may also notice a child sleeping in an odd position, perhaps with their bottom sticking up in the air and their head tilted back in an unconscious effort to force their airway open.

In most cases sleep apnea in children can be treated by the surgical removal of the tonsils and adenoids, or excess tissue from the back of the throat or nose. In addition, a continuous positive airways pressure (CPAP) machine may also be used to provide the child with a flow of air delivered through a mask worn while sleeping to keep the airway open.

Sleep apnea is in itself debilitating for any child and the effects of night after night of inadequate sleep will take their toll on your child. However, when this is combined with an impairment of your child's IQ, it becomes imperative that you act at the earliest possible opportunity to have this condition diagnosed and treated.

Acupuncture and Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a disorder that can seriously impact your health and quality of life given the fact you need peaceful sleep. Acupuncture for sleep apnea is one treatment.

Acupuncture and Sleep Apnea

The term sleep apnea refers to a generalized sleeping disorder syndrome that is characterized by several conditions. Frequent and loud snoring that is sometimes followed by a temporary cessation of breathing is one of them. Most likely as a result of this primary symptom, other symptoms include tiredness during the day, morning headaches, dry mouth, and sore throat. Depression is common and impotence and high blood pressure also often occur.

You would be hard pressed to find another condition that so well illustrates the weakness of Western Medicine when compared to Traditional Chinese Medicine in the area of internal medical conditions. When you examine most literature on sleep apnea, you are going to encounter much on the symptoms, but very little on the cause. The treatment suggestions are going to all be directed at symptomatic relief and environmental and lifestyle alterations in behavior that might be helpful in symptom control. One article on sleep apnea contained a section on acupuncture and sleep apnea that consisted of one short sentence. It said that acupuncture is useful for the treatment of sleep apnea. That was all.

Well, this should come as no surprise to anyone familiar with acupuncture. The basic assumption made in Traditional Chinese Medicine is that the body is supposed to function properly. When all is in harmony, it will do so. It is necessary to live in a certain way to make this harmony more likely. There are important environmental considerations such as diet, exercise, and even the mental and spiritual well being of a person that contribute to harmony. When something gets out of whack, there is a definite reason and cause. It is the pursuit of this underlying cause rather than a concentration on symptoms that makes acupuncture and sleep apnea such a good match.

The treatment of all manners of sleep disorders has been a major area of interest in acupuncture therapy for a very long time. Many techniques have been developed to improve the ease, duration, and quality of sleep. Acupuncture body points have been identified that are related to sleep issues to such a degree that a procedure known as acupressure is often used to induce sleep and treat insomnia.

Acupressure is simply the applying of mild pressure to the acupuncture body point. This can be done by pinching the point lightly between the thumb and finger. If positive results can be obtained this easily, it certainly bodes well for the chances of success when full needling is done. Acupuncture deserves more than a mere mention in the treatment of sleep apnea.

Sleep Apnea Symptoms Are Not Always Easy To Recognize

Sleep apnea is a very common sleep disorder which affects more than twelve million Americans and is now as common as adult diabetes.

The commonest form of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea which, as the name suggests, results from an obstruction to the airways which interferes with breathing. There is also a second form of sleep apnea known as central sleep apnea, in which the brain fails to control breathing adequately during sleep. Finally, some people suffer from mixed sleep apnea, which is a combination of both obstructive and central forms of the condition.

Sleep apnea symptoms can appear at any time and, while they are most commonly seen in overweight men over the age of forty, they can be found in both men and women at any age and are increasingly being seen today in children.

The most obvious symptom of sleep apnea is snoring which is of course a difficult symptom to spot yourself and normally needs to be pointed out to you by a sleeping partner. Snoring has many causes and the presence of snoring is not by itself an indication that you have sleep apnea. Most sleep apnea sufferers will however snore.

The second most obvious symptom is excessive daytime tiredness. Sleep apnea causes you to stop breathing frequently during sleep and the body's natural reaction to this is to wake you just enough for you to start breathing again, but not sufficiently for you to be aware of the fact that you are being awakened. The result of this is that your sleep is very light and continually interrupted and you do not enjoy the deep sleep that your body needs to recharge its batteries. As a consequence, over time, you find that you are becoming increasingly tired and sleepy during the day.

If sleep apnea is left untreated its effects will begin to become evident and further symptoms will start to appear. These may include headaches (especially first thing in the morning), irritability and possibly depression. You may also notice that you are starting to put on weight.

A less obvious symptom of sleep apnea is an increase in blood pressure which can result in a number of cardiovascular problems. This will be picked up if you are among the growing number of people who now monitor their own blood pressure regularly at home but otherwise will not be detected until you have a routine physical exam at your doctor's office.

Yet another symptom is that of increasing learning difficulties and problems with memory retention. Again this is not something that is easy to spot yourself but others may notice that you are not as quick on the uptake as you used to be.

Finally, some sleep apnea sufferers will notice a decline in sexual function and this can ultimately result in impotency.

As with many conditions individual symptoms by themselves could be a sign of just about anything. However, when you start to see these symptoms coming together then you should consider consulting your doctor and think about being tested for sleep apnea.

One word of warning though. Sleep apnea testing will often involve referral to a sleep specialist, preferably one who is certified by the American Board of Sleep Medicine (ABSM), and could mean undergoing overnight sleep testing either in a sleep laboratory or at home. Such testing can often cost upwards of $1,000 and you should check with your insurance company before committing yourself to a program of sleep apnea evaluation.

Sleep Apnea Is A Scary Condition And Needs Treating Seriously!

Those of you reading this have probably come here because you have some sleeping disorder of some kind. This short piece is about sleep apnea which is a common breathing condition that can range from mild to moderate to severe. Adult sleep apnea is common around the world and the name comes from the Greek word, apnea, meaning "want of breathe.

But just what causes it and what can we do to tackle the problem? Sleep apnea sufferers are those folks that consistently experience interrupted breathing whilst sleeping. Sometimes the sufferer wakes up gulping or gasping for air. One of the common symptoms of sleep apnea is snoring, but that doesn't mean to say that all those that snore have the condition.

What happens with the sufferer is the that the snore itself actually stops the breathing while they are asleep, and this can last for up to 10 seconds 5 or more times an hour. Over time, if gone untreated, this can lead to many more serious health conditions due to there being low oxygen levels in the body as a result of this breathing disruption.

For those who are suffering with sleep apnea and have sought help from your local GP, you have most likely been told to lose some weight, or if weight is not an issue it may have been suggested that you attempt to sleep on your side, and to sleep at an elevation. All of the above can and do help in many cases, but not all suggestions work for all patients and the conditions is assessed on a case by case basis.

Quite often beds and bedding can play a major role in assisting sleep apnea patients. Adjustable beds can be one of recommendations so too can various support pillows and other bedding items. Basically, the way and the position in which the sufferer sleeps can be the cause of their problems and this is why beds and bedding can help to lesson or cure the problem. Unfortunately, Sleep apnea is quite a common condition. In fact it's believed to affect as many adults as diabetes.

Every person who suffers with sleep apnea is going to find relief using different methods, with surgery being a last resort. But no one should just suffer alone and in silence. If your sleep is constantly being disrupted through sleep apnea then you should seek help without further ado. Sleep apnea can be a dangerous condition which can ultimately lead to death in some extreme cases.

Six Non-CPAP Ways to Treat Sleep Apnea at Home

Don't get me wrong, there is no substitute for CPAP when it comes to treating Sleep Apnea. The proper thing to do, if you suspect that you might have it, is to go to a sleep specialist and follow his instructions. He will probably recommend CPAP, surgery, or oral appliance therapy.

This list is not necessarily an alternative to CPAP, surgery, or oral appliances, but rather supplementary methods that decrease the probability of airway collapse. Usually these methods are not enough to entirely eliminate apnea. Again, talk to your doctor before attempting to treat sleep apnea. So here are the six ways:

1. Weight Loss - Unless you are extremely overweight AND your sleep apnea is mild, usually weight loss is not enough to entirely eliminate it. But it can definitely help. Weight loss is thought to improve apnea by changing the shape of the airway which decreases the probability of airway collapse.

2. Avoid Alcohol Before Bedtime - Alcohol relaxes the muscles in the airway, which worsens snoring and sleep breathing problems. The best advice is to abstain from alcohol, but if you insist on drinking make sure you leave sufficient time for your blood alcohol level to decrease to zero before going to bed.

3. Sleep On Your Side - Your bed partner may have already pointed this out to you: when you are on your side, your snoring improves. Sleeping on your back may increase the probability of airway collapse due to gravity's effect on the jaw and tongue.

4. Elevate the Head of the Bed - If you have sleep apnea, you may have noticed that you sleep better in your recliner. As with side-sleeping, it is thought that head elevation may improve sleep apnea by changing the conformation of the airway. A 30 to 60 degree elevation of the head of the bed may lead to improvement in sleep apnea.

5. Avoid Sleep Deprivation - There is evidence that sleep deprivation both prolongs breathing problems while sleeping and decreases the chances that you will wake-up from those problems. In other words, current scientific evidence suggests that sleep deprivation worsens sleep apnea. So get more sleep, and sleep breathing may improve.

6. External Nasal Dilation (Breathe Rite Strips) - May reduce severity of snoring but probably not effective at treating sleep apnea. If you think you might have sleep apnea, then you should talk to a sleep specialist. If he suggests that you wear CPAP then DO IT. However, while your waiting to get your CPAP machine, or if you want to enhance your treatment of sleep apnea, then the above methods may help.

Sleep Apnea Facts And Information

Sleep apnea is a condition that can be caused by a medical condition, by your tonsils, or from an accident. Sleep apnea is a problem that affects thousands, possibly even millions, but there are methods of treatment to put a stop to those problems. If you have been in an accident and you have a problem with your nasal passage or your throat when sleeping, this could cause you to breath differently and interrupt your sleeping habits, as you are unable to breath when you sleep. If you have nasal problems, of you have an enlarged tonsil or gland, or you have excessive tissue in your air passages, you could be suffering from sleep apnea as well.

If you have not done so already, talking with your doctor about your sleep problems is going to be the first step in treatment. If someone in your home says that you are not breathing right when you are sleeping, this is a sign of sleep apnea. If you wake up with a headache every day, this is another sign of sleep apnea. If you have a dry mouth, if you are always tired, and if you just want to get a good nights rest for once, these are also signs of sleep apnea. Your doctor can arrange a sleep test, to test your breathing, your heart rate, and to monitor your body while you are sleeping. This is going to give the physician a good idea about what is really going on, and then how to proceed with treatment. The sleep test that is going to aid the doctor in determining if you are suffering from sleep apnea is also known as polysomnography.

Those who are suffering from sleep apnea because of deformities in the nasal passage or in the throat can have surgical treatments to lessen the sleep apnea or to dissolve the sleep apnea problem. Facial deformities, genetic or that are caused by an accident can cause sleep apnea. This situation can be surgically repaired but you have to tell or talk to your doctor so he or she is first aware you are having sleeping problems. Those how are suffering with sleep apnea, could have their tonsils or adenoids removed to solve the problem of obstructive sleep apnea. This easy procedure with little complications will ease how you sleep and how well you sleep. Parents who often notice their child is not breathing when they are sleeping have their child's tonsils removed to aid in the stabilizing and normalizing of the sleeping patterns.

Sleep apnea can be caused by accidents or by birth, involving deformities of the jaw. If the jaw is smaller in bone structure than it should be, it can actually cause breathing problems while you sleep. Other issues such as with the tongue can cause sleep apnea problems as well. If you find that you are not sleeping well, that others tell you that you snore al the time, and you are always tired, you should talk to your doctor about sleep apnea, and what you can do to solve your sleeping problems.

What Are The Health Effects Of Sleep Apnea?

There are many problems that can be the result of having sleep apnea. There are many people that have to deal with the fact that they are going to have a hard time dealing with the day ahead of them. They may feel tired and restless because they did not get enough sleep the night before. However, there are other problems that can happen because of lack of sleep.

There are health problems that many people will face because they are having difficulty sleeping. When a person is suffering from sleep apnea, they are going to have pauses in their breathing. During these pauses in breathing, the oxygen level in the blood drops. The brain will react to the drop in oxygen by waking up the person for long enough to resume breathing again.

For some, snoring is often the result of having sleep apnea. The cycle of snoring and not breathing will mean that you do not get enough of the quality sleep that is so necessary for a person to function properly. If a person does not get the quality sleep that they need each night, it will in turn take a toll on their body and their performance during the next day.

The effects of sleep apnea range from annoying to life threatening. Some of the problems that can persist because of sleep apnea are depression, high blood pressure, irritability, learning and memory problems to sexual problems. Many people will find that they are loosing relationships because of their inability to perform due to the lack of sleep that they are getting each night.

People with sleep apnea are more often likely to fall asleep at work or worse; they are falling asleep at the wheel of a car. There are more car crashes each year due to the fact that they driver does not get enough sleep at night. Many of these people are also more likely to suffer from a heart attack or stroke. This is due to the result of high blood pressure from the lack of sleep that a person is getting.

These are just a few of the reasons why sleep apnea can be dangerous to ones health. There are so many things that we rely on sleep for and it is important to get the right amount each night. This is important not only to stay safe, but to also keep the health that we need to live a happy and healthy life.