Undiagnosed Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea can result from underlying health conditions and it can be the cause of new health conditions some of which can be quite serious when sleep apnea goes undetected.  Modern medical research has shown that sleep apnea can exacerbate existing hypertension and significantly increase the risk of a stroke or heart attack.

Sleep apnea is defined as the weakening of air passages during sleep which results in several seconds of air blockage at repeated episodes during the course of a night’s sleep.  The interior of the air passages weaken as the result of throat muscles that relax more than normal during sleep which compromises breathing during sleep.

Organ Stress

When your breathing is reduced the oxygen that circulates in the blood is reduced which causes your heart to work harder.  The reduction in oxygen supply also affects other organs in your body by causing undue stress on the organs that depend upon an adequate supply of oxygen and restful sleep to function properly.  When the oxygen is reduced this increases stress on the organs which in turn causes other related health problems.

Cardiovascular Issues

When you have multiple episodes of apnea during the night this results in elevated blood pressure this can result in a wide variety of cardiovascular problems which include irregular heart beat, heart disease, angina, and other disorders related to the heart. 

Modern medical research has also discovered links between sleep apnea and atherosclerosis.  Sleep apnea causes reduced blood oxygen levels which can also contribute to the increase in inflammatory cells and chemicals in the blood stream.  When inflammation exists in the blood stream it leads to obstruction in the arteries which is diagnosed as atherosclerosis.

Sleep apnea can also be a major contributor to hypertension or high blood pressure caused by increased levels of epinephrine and norepinephrine which are substances that are increased by the effects of sleep apnea and promote inflammation of the blood vessels around the heart.  As a result, the effects can lead to angina, heart attack, and heart failure.

Other Health Risks of Undiagnosed Sleep Apnea Include:

If sleep apnea is left untreated or undiagnosed there are other health risks that can result when a sleep disorder is allowed to get out of hand.  Some of the health problems can include:

• Stroke:  Since one of the symptoms of sleep apnea involves a drop in blood oxygen levels this problem can lead to blood clots which are the leading cause of a stroke.

• High Blood Pressure:  Sudden reduction in blood oxygen levels that result from breathing blockage during sleep apnea can also lead to hypertension.  If the fluctuation in blood oxygen is allowed to go on for an extended period of time, the result is high blood pressure which in turn causes additional health problems.

• Depression:  Although depression is not a common side effect of undiagnosed sleep apnea it has been known to occur, especially if sleep apnea has gone untreated for any extended period of time.  Depression can result from sleep disruption, low blood oxygen levels, and other factors that come into play with sleep apnea.

• Accidents:  Ongoing episodes of sleep apnea cause daytime drowsiness which means the person will fall asleep at inappropriate times of the day including while driving or operating machinery.  This places the person with sleep apnea at risk of injury as well as other individuals on the road or in the workplace.

• Obesity:  After a long period of suffering from sleep apnea episodes this causes you to become fatigued to the point where you do not feel like doing anything that involves physical activity.  Obesity can exacerbate sleep apnea and cause the symptoms to become worse.  If the disorder is undiagnosed this further increases the risks of the symptoms becoming more severe.

If some of these symptoms sound familiar to you it may be worth your while to undergo a few tests and a sleep study to determine if sleep apnea is playing a role in the way you feel during the daytime.  Even if it turns out that sleep apnea is not a factor, at least you will be able to rule it out as a possibility so you can move on to other tests that will help to identify any other health conditions you may have.

If you think another family member is suffering from sleep apnea try to encourage them to see your health care provider to undergo a sleep study and other necessary tests.  If you capture the sleep apnea early this will prevent other health risks and help your family member to live a more energetic and fulfilled life.

Treatments for Sleep Apnea

When you seek treatment for sleep apnea the type of treatment that you healthcare provider recommends will help to restore restful and recuperative sleep by restoring your normal breathing patterns during sleep. By improving your sleep habits other health issues you are experiencing will likely improve as well.

There is a wide variety of treatment options that your healthcare professional will discuss with you.  Some of the options include breathing devices that you will use while you sleep, lifestyle changes, and in extreme instances surgery may be recommended.  The following information will provide you with an overview of the various treatment options and how they are used to relieve the symptoms of sleep apnea.

Mouthpiece Devices

If you suffer from mild sleep apnea or a problem with your jaw structure creates air blockage while you sleep, your healthcare professional may recommend that you use a special mouthpiece while you sleep.  The mouthpiece is custom fit to your mouth and is usually created by a dentist or an orthodontist.

Once the mouthpiece is created you must insert it each night before going to sleep.  The mouthpiece will adjust your lower jaw appropriately and position your tongue to allow your air passage to remain open while you sleep.  When you start wearing the mouthpiece it may feel uncomfortable and prevent you from sleeping though the entire night.  In this case it is important to tell you dentist or orthodontist as it may require a few adjustments before the mouthpiece is comfortable.

Lifestyle Changes

You healthcare professional may recommend changes in your lifestyle to help improve the symptoms of sleep apnea.  More often than not lifestyle factors can be the main cause of sleep apnea.

If you are overweight this causes the buildup of fat disuse in your air passages which can aggravate sleep apnea.  Even losing a few pounds can dramatically improve the symptoms of sleep apnea.

If you suffer from sleep apnea it is highly likely you probably use some type of sleep aid.  This can actually exacerbate the symptoms of sleep apnea since it will make it difficult for your throat to remain open during the course of the night.  Avoid the sedatives altogether as well as any other habits that you have developed in an effort to induce sleep such as drinking alcohol before you retire at night.  Also, if you smoke try to find a way to quit by talking with your physician about the best way to go about it.

If you tend to sleep on your back there are special pillows and therapeutic shirts that you can use to ensure you do not inadvertently end up sleeping on your back at night.  Sleeping on your back is one of the main causes of air blockage when you suffer from sleep apnea.

Breathing Devices

Breathing devices that help to keep your airways open during the night are a very common treatment for sleep apnea.  The device is known as a CPAP or ‘continuous positive airway pressure’ and is a mask that you are required to wear while you sleep.  The mask is fitted over your nose and mouth and is connected to a machine that keeps air flowing into your windpipe to ensure it remains open so you can breathe.  The airflow creates pressure on you’re the walls of your windpipe which helps it to remain open while you sleep.

A CPAP device can be uncomfortable but the good news is that there are many different types and it may take a period of trail and error before you find the setup that is right for you.  The majority of people feel better and have increased energy once they start using the CPAP device.  This is because their sleep cycle is no longer being interrupted by episodes of air blockage.

Surgery

Surgery is used for sleep apnea when other forms of treatment have not proven to be successful.  Surgery is used in extreme cases of sleep apnea and in cases where there are problems associated with the physical structure of the neck, excess tissue in the mouth, or irregular structure in the lower jaw.

Depending upon hat is causing sleep apnea in a patient the surgery can involve removing excess tissue from the throat, removal of the tonsils if they are causing a blockage, resetting the lower jaw, or shrinking the tissue by using a treatment that involves injections.  In the case of young children your health care provider may suggest waiting on surgery to see if the tissues shrink as your child gets older.

As you can see, there are a lot of options you can pursue if you suffer from sleep apnea.  Of course, before one or more of these options are recommended you will be subject to a series of diagnostic tests to identify the specific type of sleep apnea that you may have.