Obstructive Sleep Apnea (Obstructive Sleep Apnea): Frequently Asked Questions
What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea?
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a condition in which a patients breathing passage seals during sleep, causing the patient to stop breathing. Apnea is Greek for “without breath”. The body responds to this lack of oxygen by arousing, or waking from sleep. This cycle leads to the patient being unable to get the needed quantity of restful sleep and results in: (1) constant fatigue, (2) diffifulty focusing, (3) irritability. ...
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Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is when you stop breathing or your breathing slows down significantly while you're sleeping. This happens because the airway collapses and prevents air from getting into your lungs. As it only happens when you sleep, the only way to know if you're affected by it is to have a sleep study done.
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Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when air entering from the nose or mouth is either partially or completely blocked, usually because of obesity or extra tissue in the back of the throat and mouth. If these episodes occur frequently or are severe, they may cause a person to wake up frequently throughout the night. This may disrupt their sleep and make them sleepy during the day. Obstructive sleep apnea is more common among older adults and among people who are significantly overweight. ...
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Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when air entering from the nose or mouth is either partially or completely blocked, usually because of obesity or extra tissue in the back of the throat and mouth.
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This type of sleep apnea is characterized by repetitive pauses in breathing due to obstruction and/or a collapse of the upper throat paired with a reduction in blood oxygen saturation and followed by an awakening to breathe.
What is sleep apnea vs. obstructive sleep apnea?
Many people, including doctors and sleep professionals use the terms interchangeably. Technically, sleep apnea means a cessation of breathing while a person is asleep. Obstructive sleep apnea is a specific type of sleep apnea and the most common.
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What are the treatment options for obstructive sleep apnea?
The initial treatment of choice for moderate to very severe and/or symptomatic obstructive sleep apnea is nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). Alternative treatments include mandibular advancing devices (MADs), surgery, and behavioral modifications. For more information on your treatment options, visit our OSA Treatment page. If you have been diagnosed with OSA, read our Patient Guide to Diagnosis and Treatment.
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What are the Signs and Symptoms of Obstructive Sleep Apnea?
Loud snoring due to cessation of breathing Excessive daytime sleepiness Awakening during sleep that may include gasping or choking Fragmented or non-refreshing sleep Poor memory or difficulty with concentration Irritability and personality changes Decreased sex drive Morning headaches
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What are the risks of Obstructive Sleep Apnea?
OSA is a serious medical condition. Untreated OSA substantially increases a person’s risk of heart attack, high blood pressure, stroke, and motor vehicle accident. This is in addition to the chronic fatigue and sleepiness which are the hallmarks of the disorder and which can severely impair the quality of a person’s life. Fortunately, OSA can be treated and controlled.
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What are the symptoms of Obstructive Sleep Apnea?
Snoring, morning headaches, waking up gasping for breath, irritability, decreased concentration, impotence, and especially excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) are possible symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea. Few people have all the symptoms of OSA. Snoring and excessive daytime sleepiness are the most commonly reported symptoms. Excessive daytime sleepiness means that you are often struggling to stay awake. This could be during the day at work or when you come home in the evening.
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According to the American Sleep Disorder Association, it is estimated that 75 to 90 percent of all cases of sleep apnea are never diagnosed. This is often because OSA sufferers are unaware of whether or not their symptoms are a sign of a serious breathing disorder. As such, family members, especially spouses, most frequently witness the periods of apnea. ...
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According to the American Sleep Disorder Association, it is estimated that 75 to 90 percent of all cases of sleep apnea are never diagnosed. This is often because OSA sufferers are unaware of whether or not their symptoms are a sign of a serious breathing disorder. As such, family members, especially spouses, most frequently witness the periods of apnea. ...
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Common signs and symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea are: snoring excessive daytime sleepiness restless sleep (may include moving arms and legs) morning headaches light disorientation/memory lapses irritability personality changes pauses when the patient doesn't breathe during sleep
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What is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)?
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a debilitating and often life-threatening condition that affects 18 million people in the U.S. alone. OSA occurs when tissue in the upper airways blocks the breathing passages. There are three types of sleep apnea—obstructive, central, and mixed, however, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common. The National Institute of Health estimates that 2 percent of women and 4 percent of men over the age of 35 have sleep apnea in conjunction with excessive daytime sleepiness. ...
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OSA is a condition in which the upper airway collapses frequently throughout the night, causing breathing to stop.
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Apnea is a Greek word that means "without breath. " People with OBstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) stop breathing in their sleep. Breathing stops because the airway relaxes and collapses. The flow of air to th lungs is blocked. This causes sleep to be interrupted. People with OSA can be sleep and tired during the day.
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It is the interruption of the normal sleep pattern associated with repeated delays in breathing. Sleep apnea often shows rapid improvement after surgery. In most patients, there is a complete resolution of symptoms by six months following surgery.
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What causes obstructive sleep apnea?
The exact cause of OSA remains unclear. Generally, sleep apnea happens when enough air cannot move into your lungs while you are sleeping. When you are awake, and normally during sleep, your throat muscles keep your throat open so that air can flow into your lungs. However, with obstructive sleep apnea, the throat briefly collapses, causing pauses in your breathing. With pauses in breathing, your oxygen level in your blood may drop. ...
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Obstructive sleep apnea has many causes. Sometimes it is caused by structural constriction of the airways, such as narrow nasal passages that become easily clogged with mucous at night. Other times, sleep apnea may occur when the muscles of the throat relax, allowing the soft tissue of the throat to sag, constricting the airway. This is more prevalent in people with malocclusion (bad bite), whose mouth does not align ideally during waking or sleeping. ...
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Who is at risk for obstructive sleep apnea?
Risk factors for OSA include obesity, family history of OSA or snoring; and having a small upper airway (large tongue, large uvula, recessed chin, excess tissue in the throat and/or soft palate). Aging may be a prominent risk factor, as the loss of muscle mass is a common consequence of the aging process. Additionally, men appear to be at greater risk. ...
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Does obstructive sleep apnea require surgery?
Sleep apnea dentists can correct obstructive sleep apnea without surgery by using an oral appliance. Oral appliance therapy repositions the lower jaw and tongue keeping the airway open and reducing or eliminating apneic events. The oral appliance is molded to the inside of your mouth and worn at night. The oral appliance may be made adjustable to gradually move the jaw forward.
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What are the effects of obstructive sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea is a progressive disease. Mild snoring converts gradually to sleep apnea as more negative pressures are created because of weight gain, aging, etc. Initially this may be only a few apneas per night. As the number of apneic events increases, both physical and mental symptoms develop. These are usually not noted until there are at least 50 or more events per night. ...
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What causes OSA (Obstructive Sleep Apnea)?
The muscles that normally keep the airway open relax during sleep. This causes the airway to collapse and become blocked. Large tonsils may also create an obstruction in the airway. The brain senses that breathing is difficult. The work of breathing gets harder. The brain wakes up for a few seconds. We call this an "arousal". The airway then stiffens up and breathing returns to normal. The level of oxygen in your blood may drop at this time.
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What is obstructive sleep apnea syndrome?
Apnea literally means "no breath". Obstructive sleep apnea is a syndrome characterized by an obstruction of the upper airway repeatedly throughout sleep. It is serious, potentially life altering, and life threatening. It is both easily identified and effectively treated.
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How common is obstructive sleep apnea?
OSAS may affect as many as 20 million Americans. Some studies have suggested it is as common as adult asthma and approximately 80-90% of the population remains undiagnosed and untreated.
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What is (OSA) Obstructive Sleep Apnea?
Obstructive Sleep Apnea is a disorder in which breathing is briefly and repeatedly interrupted during sleep. The word "apnea" literally means "without breath. " Apnea is defined as a cessation of breath that lasts at least ten seconds. Obstructive apneas occur when the muscles in the back of the throat are not able to keep the throat open, despite efforts to breathe. This causes blockages in the airway and breathing interruptions, or apneas. ...
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What is the best treatment for obstructive sleep apnea?
Though the appropriate form of treatment in a given case must be individualized to the person being treated, it is generally agreed that for moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is the most effective treatment. In children, removal of tonsillar, and adenoidal tissue is often the preferred mode of treatment.
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When is the risk of obstructive sleep apnea increased?
Overweight patients have an especially high risk. In addition, the probability of the disease increases along with advancing age. Immoderate alcohol consumption and use of sedatives (including sleeping pills) should be avoided.
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Is OSA (obstructive sleep apnea) dangerous?
OSA is harmful to your health in both the short and long term. Immediate effects of sleep apnea include frequent morning headaches, tiredness throughout the day, irritability, and inability to concentrate. Long term affects may include heart attack and stroke. Not getting enough oxygen while you sleep requires your heart to work harder. People with OSA are also much more likely to get into car accidents because they are never fully rested.
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What is Sleep Apnea and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)?
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a debilitating and often life-threatening condition that affects 18 million people in the U.S. alone. OSA occurs when tissue in the upper airways blocks the breathing passages. There are three types of sleep apnea —obstructive, central, and mixed, however, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common. The National Institute of Health estimates that 2 percent of women and 4 percent of men over the age of 35 have sleep apnea in conjunction with excessive daytime sleepiness. ...
Source: www.smrtsleep.com
