If your spouse and kids are constantly teasing you about your loud snoring and say that you literally shake the house, it’s not just annoying but it’s also indicative of an underlying health issue called sleep apnea. By causing your upper airway and airflow to become blocked, sleep apnea causes oxygen levels to the brain and blood to drop to dangerously low levels— leaving you with shallow, loud breathing (queue the snoring) or even deep pauses in breath while sleeping. If you think that you may have sleep apnea, stay informed on the causes, the treatment options, and what it could mean for you and your family. Read on to learn more.
Causes of Sleep Apnea
There are several common causes of sleep apnea including obesity, family history, if you are a smoker, having enlarged tonsils, cardiovascular problems, nasal congestion, and an overly relaxed tongue muscle. If you fit into one of those categories and are showing signs of sleep apnea such as extreme fatigue even after sleeping for more than 8 hours, loud snoring, and shallow breathing, then you may have sleep apnea.
Diagnosis of Sleep Apnea
In order to be fully diagnosed with sleep apnea, you have to undergo some sleep testing where you will be monitored during the night. By monitoring things such as your blood flow and heart rate, the doctors will be able to see what your body is doing exactly while you are sleeping.
Treatment for Sleep Apnea
There are a few treatments of sleep apnea that are ranked in categories.
- Light Treatment: If you are overweight and it is assumed that you have sleep apnea because of your weight, then you will be encouraged to diet and exercise. By losing weight, you can be cured of sleep apnea.
- Medium Treatment: As the most common form of treatment, patients will be encouraged to wear a CPAP mask while they sleep— this will help to control breathing and ensure that you are getting enough oxygen to your blood and brain.
- Extreme Treatment: If your body doesn’t react to a CPAP, then you should consider getting a surgical procedure done by Dr. Nancy Gill.
Get a good night’s sleep that you deserve by getting treated and tested for sleep apnea. If you suffer from sleep apnea, get it under control by visiting Dr. Nancy Gill today!