Health question    How is Sleep Apnea treated?
453931
If she is only using the nasal C-PAP, she needs the FULL mask.  If she IS using the full mask, then her C-PAP machine needs to be adjusted to be more forceful to keep the upper palette of the mouth from blocking the airway.  If this doesn't help, there are minor surgeries that are done on the upper palette that will take care of this problem.  I suggest that she see the doctor that prescribed her C-PAP with these questions.  However, I would get another opinion and another sleep study somewhere else if at all possible because I was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea at one hospital, but another hospital told me that I didn't have sleep apnea at all.  I'm still waiting for the results of my last study to tell me what my sleep abnormalities are since they don't think that it's sleep apnea.  Good luck.  I hope this helps.  If not, ask more - I'll be watching just in case.  \nAl
1048279
ONE WAY IS TO GO TO A SLEEP CLINIC AND VARIFY THE APNEA AND IF SO, GET A BREATHING MACHINE PRESCRIBED TO HELP YOU BREATH BETTER AT NIGHT.
158956
Yes, the strips seem to help.  There is also a spray that you spray in your mouth before going to bed - you can get it without a prescription.  some say it helps.\n\nSome people need surgery to reduce snoring.\n\nIf you are overweight, lost weight.  It often reduces snoring.\n\nSleeping on your side or stomach rather than your back often reduces snoring.\n\nSome people say the special pillows help - I haven't found that they do.\n\nCan someone tell you whether you sort of stop breathing when you snore, then after several seconds take a big breath and snort and start all over again?  If you do, that is called sleep apnea and is very serious, even life threatening.  If you have sleep apnea, and some snorers do, see your doctor.\n\nCheck out the website I've attached.  It has lots of information.  Good luck with it.
1064347
First, snoring can be an indicator of a more serious medical problem. Although snoring may be harmless for most people, it can be a symptom of a life threatening sleep disorder called sleep apnea, especially if it is accompanied by severe daytime sleepiness. Sleep apnea is characterized by pauses in breathing that prevent air from flowing into or out of a sleeping person's airways. People with sleep apnea awaken frequently during the night gasping for breath. The breathing pauses reduce blood oxygen levels, can strain the heart and cardiovascular system, and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Snoring on a frequent or regular basis has been directly associated with hypertension. Obesity and a large neck can contribute to sleep apnea. Sleep apnea can be treated; men and women who snore loudly, especially if pauses in the snoring are noted, should consult a physician."\nhttp://web1.tch.harvard.edu/chnews/01-2004/sleep/myths.html\n\nHowever, for simple snoring, one quick and easy fix is to change sleeping position. Most snoring occurs when lying on the back, so have your spouse sleep on his or her side.
939230
You should get an appointment with a sleep specialist. Snoring can be a symptom of a serious condition called sleep apnea. If untreated it can damage your heart or even kill you!\n\nSleep apnea is very common in overweight people, but people of normal weight can have it, too.\n\nSleep apnea is easily treated with the use of a night-breathing aid called a CPAP machine. This COMPLETELY eliminates snoring, and the user typically starts feeling more energetic and alert within a night or two of use.\n\nSnoring is not just an inconvenience - please make an appointment to be tested right away.
461025
I went to a sleep clinic and it was much easier to initially fall asleep than I firt thought it would be.  They do attach electrodes to your skin, but it doesn't hurt.  It can be cold if they keep it the standard 68 degrees in the hospital.  Just lie back, relax, and don't pick your nose, people are watching.  Depending on how you do, it is likely they will wake you in the middle of the night and have you wear a CPAP machine, which blows air in your nose to keep your nostrils and upper respiratory tract from closing.  At first it will seem like an enormous amount of air, but you will get used to it.  In all probability, if you've made it this far, you'll be diagnosed.  Getting used to the CPAP at home isn't too bad, and the degree to which your life will improve is significant.  The two or three years I spent just prior to being diagnosed with apnea, people thought I was stoned all the time, as I was always falling asleep in inapproriate places.  My attention span was low.  Anything comfortable at all made me wnat to close my eyes and snooze.  While you first get adjusted to the CPAP, you will only sleep a few hours a night because your body will getthe amount of rest it's used to in that amount of time.  Over time however, your body will become accustomed to more rest and you will sleep through the night.
590966
CPAP is for people with sleep apnea...that is, those who stop breathing in their sleep.  It takes a while to get used to it but, when you do adjust, you will wonder why you didn't use it sooner!  Your tiredness will improve so you will feel rested and have more energy.  Also, you know that you will breathe all night and wake up in the morning.  \n\nYes, it will get better; just allow time to adjust to it.
613243
Sleep Apnea\n\n\n\nDescription\nAn in-depth report on the causes, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of sleep apnea.\n\n\n\n\n\nIntroduction\nSleep apnea is a disorder in which a person stops breathing during the night, perhaps hundreds of times, usually for periods of 10 seconds or longer and sometimes for as long as a minute. These gaps in breathing are called apneas. (Apnea literally meaning absence of breath.) It is usually accompanied by snoring. People who have sleep apnea may not even be aware of the condition, but it inevitably causes daytime sleepiness.\n\nSleep apnea is generally categorized as obstructive, central, or mixed. A less severe form of obstructed breathing called upper airway resistance syndrome (UARS) is also worth mentioning.\n\nObstructive Sleep Apnea\nObstructive sleep apnea (OSA), the most common form of apnea, occurs when tissues in the upper throat (or airway) collapse at intervals during sleep, thereby blocking the passage of air. In general, OSA occurs as follows:\n\nOn its way to the lungs, air passes through the nose, mouth, and throat (known as the upper airway).\nUnder normal conditions, the back of the throat is soft and pliant and tends to collapse inward as a person breathes.\nCertain muscles, called dilator muscles, work against this to keep the airway open. Interference or abnormalities in this process cause air turbulence.\nIf the tissues at the back of the throat collapse and become momentarily blocked, apnea occurs. Breath is temporarily stopped. In most cases the person is unaware of it, although sometimes they awaken and gasp for breath.\nIn some cases, the interference is incomplete (called obstructive hypopnea) and causes continuous but slow and shallow breathing. In response the throat vibrates and makes the sound of snoring. Snoring can occur whether a person breathes through the mouth or the nose. (It should be noted that snoring also occurs without sleep apnea.)\nApnea decreases the amount of oxygen in the blood, and eventually this lack of oxygen triggers the lungs to suck in air.\nAt this point, the patient may make a gasping or snorting sound but does not usually fully wake up.\nObstructive sleep apnea is defined as five or more episodes of apnea or hypopnea per hour of sleep that occur in individuals who have excessive daytime sleepiness.\n\nCentral Sleep Apnea\nCentral sleep apnea is much less common. It is caused by some problem in the central nervous system, most likely a failure of the brain to signal the airway muscles to breathe. In such cases, oxygen levels drop abruptly and usually the sleeper wakes with a start. Often people with central sleep apnea recall waking up. They generally experience less sleepiness during the day than people with obstructive sleep apnea.\n\nMixed Apnea\nMixed apnea is the term used when the two apneas occur together.\n\nUpper Airway Resistance Syndrome (UARS)\nUpper airway resistance syndrome (UARS) is a condition in which patients complain about excessive daytime sleepiness and they may snore and wake frequently during the night. However, UARS patients do not have the breathing abnormalities that characterize sleep apnea and they do not show reduction in oxygen levels in the blood. Unlike apnea, UARS is more likely to occur in women than in men. Treatments are similar to those of sleep apnea. It is not known if UARS has any serious health complications.\n\n\nHealthy Sleep\nIn sleep studies, subjects spend about one-third of their time asleep, suggesting that most people need about eight hours of sleep each day. Individual adults differ in the amount of sleep they need to feel well rested, however. (Infants may sleep as many as 16 hours a day.)\n\nThe daily cycle of life, which includes sleeping and waking, is called a circadian (meaning "about a day") rhythm, commonly referred to as the biologic clock. Hundreds of bodily functions follow biologic clocks, but sleeping and waking comprise the most prominent circadian rhythm. T
335991
I went through the same things before I was diagnosed with sleep apnea. Now I use a c-pap machine and it doesn't happen anymore. Talk to your Dr.
841338
I have sleep apnea...ask me anything you want to...send me your email address via IM and I'll send you a note
1166064
Weight loss and exercise can help tone up your breathing passages and stop the collapse that causes snoring. More advice contained in the attached link.
921752
Well i work for a company who specializes in people who have Sleep Apnea. Some of the symptoms are not being able to breath at night. All of our patient state that they stop breathing. They experience Daytime Sleepiness. Feel tired and sleepy all the time. Patient with Sleep Apnea experience difficult concentrating,overweight,heavy snoring,gasping for air. Also waking up tired. Some even fall asleep while they are driving. You should really see a Dr for this. This is very serious you need to take care of it. Their is a machine that helps you it is called a Cpap machine. Your Dr should help you with having them do a payment plan. He will probably send you to do a Sleep Study test. They do two studies, one called a Cpap titration and a polysomnography. The first night they will put you on a Cpap machine and then the next night you will be off of it. That way they can determine how bad your Sleep Apnea is.
1146630
How to stop your partner from snoring may not be the best question in this case. You may want to consult doctor if he is suffering the Sleep Apnea.\n\nThere is a reason why your partner is snoring. Also, if he is suffering Sleep Apnea, he is likely to have some other health issues such as high blood pressure and other cardiovascular disease, memory problems, weight gain, impotency, and headaches.\n\nOnce he is diagnosed, there are means, such as CPAP machine (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure), to help him.\n\nPlease check below link for further information on Sleep Apena. (I'd rather like to have you read more formal explanation than mine so that you can make your own judgement)\n\nhttp://www.sleepapnea.org/info/index.htm...\n\nThis CPAP machine or sometimes BiPAP (Bi-level Positive Airway Pressure) machine is a very small mechanical ventilator designed to help the patient with Sleep Apena.\n\nUnfortunately, public is not aware this serious Sleep Apnea as you find answers from others....
517907
You can help prevent snoring by:\nAvoiding the use of alcohol and medications that slow your breathing, such as sleeping pills and tranquilizers. \nEating sensibly, exercising, and maintaining a weight as close as possible to a healthy weight. \nGoing to bed at the same time every night and getting plenty of sleep. Regular sleep patterns help you sleep better, and more restful sleep may decrease snoring. \nSleeping on your side, not on your back. Sleeping on your back can increase snoring. Try sewing a pocket in the middle of the back of your pajama top, putting a tennis ball into the pocket, and stitching it closed. This will help keep you from sleeping on your back. \nQuitting smoking. This reduces inflammation and swelling in the airway, which may contribute to the narrowing of the airway. \nRaising the head of your bed 4 in. (10 cm) to 6 in. (15 cm) by putting bricks under the legs of the bed (using pillows to raise your head and upper body will not work). Sleeping at a slight incline can prevent the tongue from falling toward the back of the throat and contributing to a blocked or narrowed airway. \nPromptly treating breathing problems, such as a stuffy nose caused by a cold or allergies. Breathing problems can increase the risk of snoring.
928519
Sleep apnea occurs when you regularly stop breathing for 10 seconds or longer during sleep. It can be mild, moderate, or severe, depending on the number of times in an hour that your breathing stops (apnea) or becomes very slow (hypopnea). Apnea episodes may occur from 5 to 50 times an hour.
240317
See:\nhttp://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000621.htm#Treatment
869453
Well, snoring can actually be a symptom of the potentially fatal condition knows as apnoea, where the sleeping person actually stops breathing for a few seconds and then emits a loud burst of snoring.  In fairness to the snorer, you really should tell him or her to get to the GP and get checked out.  There are steroid sprays and anti-histamine pills available that can help (if it is a form of allergic rhinitis) and the sufferer may be required to be assessed more fully by an ENT specialist.\n\nIn any case, it is doing no one any good, so it needs to be addressed and hopefully resolved.