A CPAP device is not a cure for sleep apnea. But, is considered first-line treatment for mild, moderate, or severe obstructive sleep apnea. When CPAPs are used correctly, sleep problems usually get much better.

There are three types of sleep apnea: 1) central sleep apnea (CSA) caused an interruption of the signal from the brain that controls breathing during sleep, 2) obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) occurs when the throat collapses during sleep causing an individual to snort and gasp for breath and 3) complex sleep apnea which is a mixed of both.

The following video briefly describes obstructive sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea is a problem many people are suffering from and do not even know they are. When the soft tissues at the back of the throat collapse, they block the airway. This can happen hundreds of times a night and can be fatal. A solution for snoring and sleep apnea other than visiting your doctor which should be your first stop are sleep apnea pillows. These pillows have been used before. They are great for those who suffer from acid reflux. But now the design has been put to use for those who suffer from sleep apnea.

Why Would a Pillow Help?

Not just any pillow will help but the ones designed for people who snore can be very beneficial when it comes to getting a good night’s sleep. The pillows designed to be used for sleep apnea sufferers are a special shape and material. The pillow is made with the correct contours to cradle your head, stretch out your neck and keep your tongue from blocking the air you need to breathe.

There are several being made today by different manufacturers. The trouble with this is finding the one that actually works the best. If you are looking for one and do not know which one would be the best for you, it might help you to know the only one that has FDA approval at this point is the SONA pillow.

This is a triangular pillow which has two layers. This pillow is for those who sleep on their side. There are two surfaces which are inclined on each side and a flatter surface in the middle. Each part of the pillow has a place for your arm on the bottom side of the pillow.

Side Sleeping is Best for Sleep Apnea

Sleeping on your side and using the space underneath for your arm your head should be on the same side as your arm. When you sleep on your side with your arm underneath your head it keeps your jaw in the right alignment to prevent your tongue from being able to block the airway. This is one of the many benefits provided by this pillow. Not only do you sleep better because you are not waking every few minutes gasping for air and it prevents snoring. So you get the best of both worlds from this sleep apnea pillow.

The pillows are available at most larger retail stores. The SONA pillow may be purchased at pharmacies that are more up to date on their health supplies. You may want to try another type besides the SONA. There are several made that may be just as good. The other manufacturers are claiming the same results obtained from those using the SONA pillow. The SONA is a little expensive whereas the off brand is reasonably priced.  If you are suffering from sleep apnea, upon the advice of your doctor, you may want to try one of these pillows.

Essential Questions Which May Be an Indication of Sleep Apnea

* Are there periods when you are sleeping that you stop breathing for ten seconds or even longer?
* Do you feel tired and sleepy all day long?
* Do you snore when you sleep?
* Do you have a hard time staying awake during the day?
* Do you have headaches after rising in the morning?

If you answered yes to several of these questions, you are exhibiting symptoms of sleep apnea.  A visit to your physician could be beneficial if conditions persist.

While Sleeping

* Do you snore when you are sleeping?
* Do you wake up and feel as if you are choking?
* Do you have to sleep propped up by pillows?
* Do you wake often during the night for no reason?
* Have you wet your bed lately?

If you answer yes to these questions there is an indication of a sleep disorder that may or may not be sleep apnea.

Emotional Aspects May Be an Indicator

* Do you ever feel that you do not know what is going on around you, that you are unable to keep your mind on the task at hand or feel that you are losing you mind?
* Are you depressed? Do you see no point in getting up in the morning?
* Are you avoiding your friend because they tell you are acting strange?
* Does everything get on your nerves? Do you feel angry a lot of the time?

Yes answers mean something is not right. These are not normal emotions and could well mean the existence of an underlying disorder.

Physical Well-Being

* Can you breathe through your nose or does it stay stopped up all the time?
* Do you have any of the following?
1) high blood pressure
2) heart disease
3) pain in the joints
4) severe esophageal reflux

* Do you have relatives who have been diagnosed with sleep apnea?
* Are you heavier than you should be?
* Men – Do you have a collar size of 17 inches or more?
* Is your chin small and do you have a receding jaw?
* Do you drink alcohol before retiring for the evening?

The answers to these questions may mean that you are at risk for sleep apnea. You may already have it and this could be the reason for your yes answers to the above questions. If you have answered these questions positively you should definitely go to your family doctor for a physical exam and find out if you have sleep apnea. It does not hurt to check and it may just prolong your life if you find out you do have this disorder.  Left untreated sleep apnea causes serious health problems.

Sleep apnea is a period of time when you do not breathe. The bad part is you probably do not even realize you are not breathing because you are asleep. Statistics show that 90% of people who suffer from sleep apnea do not even know they have a problem. This may happen hundreds of times a night. If this disorder is not caught and treated it can be life-threatening.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common type and is caused by an obstruction which halts the air flow to the nose and mouth. Central Sleep Apnea (CSA) is less common than OSA. It is a disorder of the central nervous system that happens when the brain delays telling the body to breathe. This can be caused by many things.

For instance, brain tumors are one. A chronic respiratory disease, a viral brain infection or a stroke can cause CSA. Causes are different for all types of sleep apnea but the end result is the same – loss of oxygen, not enough sleep and ultimately death if it is not treated.

Some other causes of sleep apnea are being overweight. This is not a determining factor though. Half the people who have sleep apnea are not overweight. Other causes include a deviated septum, a receding chin, an enlarged tongue and even the shape of your head and neck. These are physical features that will cause the problem.

If your type of sleep apnea is obstructive, your throat closes while you are sleeping, which keeps air from reaching the lungs. Whether it is due to alcohol, drugs or just the aging process the muscles in the throat and tongue relax more when you are asleep. This type of sleep apnea may be genetic. The reason may be due to an anatomic abnormality. Or it could be a medical condition – irregardless this is a dangerous disorder.

Another reason for sleep apnea is the blockage of the nasal passages. This could be because you have allergies or a cold or even sinusitis. Smoking is another culprit.

Signs of Sleep Apnea

Some signs to watch for if you suspect sleep apnea, are being sleepy in the daytime and feeling like you did not get enough rest, choking during the night or gasping for air, periods of silence from the sleeping individual that happen often during the night and loud snoring. While snoring itself is not an indication of sleep apnea, it can mean abnormalities that could contribute to the condition.

Hopefully you have a sleeping partner that can tell you if any of these things are happening while you are sleeping. If not, there are other ways to determine if you are suffering from sleep apnea. Set up a tape recorder before going to bed to see if you capture the sounds of someone who is gasping for air as they sleep. This should tell you if you are having problems with this disorder. The tape recorder will capture it if so because this happens many, many times a night. If you suspect that you are a sufferer of sleep apnea, make an appointment and see a doctor or go to a sleep lab. Your very life may depend on doing this.

Since the 1990s sleep labs have been becoming popular.  They are a way of testing a person to determine if they are suffering from a variety of sleeping disorders. With the rising number of problems including sleep apnea, snoring and other disorders, the need for the lab is growing. Many people have sleep related problems. A sleep lab finds out what they are and helps to overcome them.

Accreditations

Many sleep labs are set up like bedrooms to put the patient at ease. Today in the U.S. there are approximately 3500 sleep labs operating. Almost half of them are accredited. They are awarded this accreditation when they have shown compliance with the standards set forth by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine or the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.

Most sleep labs are a 2-bed, 4-bed, 6-bed or 8-bed facility. Normally 2-bed labs are higher in the number of people being tested. The large number labs are normally located where the population is not very large. The physician education on sleep disorders is becoming more of a focus today as many doctors received no training prior to their debut into practicing medicine. Only in the last few years have medical schools begun to offer this very important aspect of medicine in their curriculum.

What to Expect

When going in for testing, you will be put in a private room. A trained technologist will be responsible for monitoring your breathing, brain wave activity, blood oxygen levels and the body movement you make while sleeping. Every part of the study is monitored by a physician. The study usually only lasts one night although there are times when more than one night may be required.

Sensors are fitted for monitoring and once you are asleep they will transmit the information to the equipment which is recording your sleep patterns. The process can take from 7 to 12 hours. If there is a problem during the study, normally a second study will be set up for the patient so that the problem can be studied a little more thoroughly.

If the attending physician determines that you do indeed have sleep apnea in the early part of the study, you may have a half night of sleep and then you will be awakened. The physician will fit you with a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure). Then the technician will monitor you and see if this method is effective. This can be a two night process in most cases or it could take longer.

A sleep study will help to diagnose and determine the best sleep apnea treatments for you. All this is available by spending a night or two in a sleep lab where you can get the results you need.

Mouthpieces

There is an appliance that can help those suffering from a mild form of sleep apnea. This has also been used to help those who snore. Mouthpieces can be made by a dentist so they fit your mouth correctly. The purpose of this mouthpiece is to keep your airways open so that you can breathe when sleeping. The mouthpiece will keep your tongue and lower jaw in the right place to help do this.

If this is your choice, you must keep periodic visits to your doctor for adjustments to the mouthpiece. If there is any pain this is another reason you may need to see a doctor. This could be because the mouthpiece needs adjusting.

Breathing Devices

Here is another solution for more severe sleep apnea. The continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is used by those that may be at risk for serious effects from sleep apnea. The machine uses a mask which fits over the patient’s nose or both the nose and mouth. The machine blows air into the throat which presses on the wall of the airway. When the right amount of air is adjusted to pass through the machine, it will be just enough to keep the airway open while you are sleeping.

Changes in Lifestyle

The instance of mild sleep apnea can be taken care of by making a few changes in the way you live. There are many things in your daily life that can cause this problem.

1) Drinking alcohol can affect this problem. Because the alcohol makes you sleepy, the throat has more trouble staying open.

2) Being overweight is another aspect that can cause trouble with breathing when sleeping.

3) Try sleeping on your side instead of your back. This will aid in keeping your throat open.

4) Give up your cigarette habit.

Surgery

If all else fails, surgery may be the answer. The surgery that is used is depends on the cause. The surgery is performed to widen breathing passages. This is done by stiffening, removing or shrinking excess tissue in the patient’s mouth and throat. Resetting the lower jaw is also a part of the surgery.

This surgery can be done in either a doctor’s office or the hospital. Sometimes there are a series of treatments needed. But the benefits have shown there is an increased ability to breathe when sleeping.

The person suffering from mild sleep apnea will probably be able to use a mouthpiece to help them breathe. Or their lifestyle can be altered to get rid of whatever is causing them to have problems breathing while sleeping. However, for severe sleep apnea, the only treatments that seem to bring relief are using a breathing device or surgery.

Do I Have Sleep Apnea?

How would you know if this is happening to you? If you wake in the night on one or more occasions and feel as though you are having trouble breathing, you may want to speak with your doctor. He can set up a polysomnogram which will determine if indeed you are suffering from sleep apnea. This entails an overnight study of your sleeping habits in a laboratory setting. If you are suffering from this disorder, it is imperative that you get treatment right away.

Because sleep apnea happens when the upper airway either collapses or is blocked, this can be a very dangerous problem. Not only could you stop breathing for good but you could develop high blood pressure, heart problems including failure and strokes.

What Causes Sleep Apnea?

There are two different types of sleep apnea. The one most people have is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). This is normally a problem caused by the soft tissue in the back of the throat. It collapses while you are asleep, blocking the air flow and causing the sufferer to stop breathing.

Central sleep apnea (CSA) is not caused by the airway becoming blocked. This is a result of the brain not telling the muscles to breathe. Either way you are not breathing so this can be very scary. Answer a few questions and see if you are included in the risk factor segment of the population.

Are you:

* a male
* overweight
* over age 40

Do you:

* have a large neck
* have a family history of sleep apnea
* have large tonsils
* snore loudly and habitually
* choke or gasp for air when sleeping
* feel sleepy all day long
* have trouble concentrating
* have a dry throat when you wake up
* feel easily annoyed during the day

These are a few of the symptoms that may mean you have sleep apnea. If you are worried that you may have it you really should see your doctor. This just may save your life. Sometimes the cure for sleep apnea can be as simple as removing your tonsils. This can cure it once and for all.

Since there are no blood tests that will reveal the diagnosis, the condition cannot be diagnosed without a test administered in a laboratory. The fact is most people do not even know they have sleep apnea unless someone else has noticed they wake often during the night gasping for breath. The mind does not register this is happening when you are asleep.

If you suspect that you may have sleep apnea, it would be in your interest to schedule a doctor visit to discuss this disorder. Since it can lead to other serious health problems as well, it is essential that you find out if you are suffering from this malady. Children can even have sleep apnea so the problem is not concentrated entirely on any one segment of the population.