Sleep Apnea - Diagnosis And
Treatment
Are You A Victim Of Sleep Apnea? Get
A Diagnosis And Treat Your Problem!
If you suffer from sleep apnea, then you need to take diagnosis
and treatment carefully to bring sleep apnea under control.
Some people say that loud snoring is an idication of sleep
apnea but this isn't always the case. Snoring does accompany
some cases, but not all the time. If you think could be a
victim of sleep apnea and you have a sleeping partner, that
partner can help you make an initial diagnosis.
Your partner should be ready with paper and pen, and then
the number of times there is a disruption in your breathing
can be recorded down. It's easy to identify when it happens
because you'll either stop breathing, or you'll make gasping,
choking or snorting sounds when you try to get your breath
back. Making notes about your snoring is also helpful. You
can also get a tape recorder and put it on 'Record' while
you sleep.
Most of the cases of sleep apnea occur in men aged 40 or
older who are also overweight. If you belong to this category,
and you know you've experienced sleep apnea symptoms, your
doctor likely will suspect sleep apnea. If there are still
doubts, your doctor can look for obstructions in the nose
and mouth and examine your throat and nose using either an
endoscope or an X-ray. A CT scan of the neck and head is another
diagnosis tool.
Should more information be required, an absolute diagnosis
can easily be confirmed by spending a night in a sleep clinic
to monitor your sleeping patterns closely.
By using a CPAP
or Continuous Positive Airway Pressure machine, the treatment
can be provided for the individuals diagnosed with sleep apnea.
The machine is attached to a mask with a plastic tube measuring
several feet in length. The mask is then worn over mouth or
nose while asleep, a continuous supply of pressurized air
is forced through the tube which helps keep the airway open.
There is also a surgical procedure that can remove troublesome
tissue from the nose, throat or mouth. Some patients may find
that their jaws need to be reconstructed.
Besides the medical methods, you can also self-treat if you
are diagnosed with sleep apnea. One of the most effective
types of self-treatment is probably weight loss. By losing
10% of your body can make a dramatic difference. Once you
stop smoking and taking alcohol, you will also see the difference.
If you are on sedatives, you should stop using that too. On
top of that, you should get yourself on a regular sleep schedule,
one in which you can sleep during nighttime hours. If you
prefer sleeping on your back, it's time to switch to sleeping
on your side.
There's a mouth piece you can use to help with sleep apnea.
It works while sleeping by opening the airways and realigning
your jaw or tongue. Other than that, you might want to consider
other snoring
remedy that will relieve your snoring problem.
There are both benefits and disadvantages associated with
each of these treatments for sleep apnea, hence, you should
thoroughly discuss these with your doctor before proceeding.
Remember that, sleep apnea will not go away unless you take
action.
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