For several individuals, snoring is an annoying late-night disturbance and can be very inconvenient. However, one may not realize the underlying health issue indicated by snoring – a disorder known as sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is not an uncommon occurrence. It is a sleeping disorder that occurs when an individual is sleeping, and his or her breathing repeatedly starts and stops. It can often be ignored or remain undiscovered. Sometimes, specific symptoms may persist, and one may have to go in for a sleep study. For snoring and sleep apnea in Winnipeg, check in with a dentist in Winnipeg at the earliest.
Kinds of Sleep Apnea
There are three types of sleep apnea. They are:
• Obstructive sleep apnea
• Central sleep apnea
• Mixed/Complex sleep apnea
1.Obstructive Sleep Apnea
The most common form of sleep apnea, obstructive sleep apnea, transpires when the airway in the throat is obstructed by soft tissue that lies at the back of the throat as the airway relaxes. The obstruction causes loud snoring in individuals.
2. Central Sleep Apnea
A form of sleep apnea that is not as common as obstructive sleep apnea. A lack of communication from the central nervous system causes this type of sleep apnea. When the central nervous system fails to communicate, the brain cannot prompt the muscles to control the individual’s breathing. Snoring is often not associated with this type of sleep apnea.
3.Mixed/Complex Sleep Apnea
This type of sleep apnea is made from a combination of broth, Obstructive Sleep Apnea, and Central Sleep Apnea.
What causes sleep apnea?
During the sleep study, while determining if an individual has sleep apnea (the cause of all the loud snoring and disruption of sleep), the dentist or medical professional will also look for other factors that could be causing your sleep apnea. They are:
1.Body Composition
Individuals who are overweight and possess excess fat in their body could develop sleep apnea. They are more prone to obstructive sleep apnea. Individuals who have a neck that is over 15.75 inches in circumference are also at heightened risk of falling prey to sleep apnea.
2.Gender
As cliché as it may sound, sleep apnea is more common in males. Particularly in males who have a family hereditary of sleep apnea are more prone to this sleeping disorder.
3.Habits and Lifestyle
The kind of lifestyle and habits an individual follows in their lives also contributes to sleep apnea. For individuals who smoke, especially older individuals, are more prone to suffer from the disorder in comparison to individuals who are non-smokers. Lifestyle habits such as unhealthy eating and lack of exercise is also a contributing factor to sleep apnea.
Severe illnesses such as neurological disease, stroke, heart disease, and brain stem injuries are often associated with central sleep apnea. Most common in males over the age of 65, individuals who are undergoing treatment for any medical condition should also consider undergoing a sleep study for sleep apnea.
How can sleep apnea be treated?
Each type of sleep apnea can be medically treated, and there are several treatment methods to treat it. Treatments vary from home remedies such as at-home exercises to even advanced medical surgeries. Sleep apnea treatment is prescribed by either a dentist near you or a medical professional specializing in sleeping disorders. Medical professionals and dental professionals work together to resolve the issue with a dental device, which most often works for obstructive sleep apnea.
If you feel like you may have sleep apnea and want more information on snoring & sleep apnea near you, get in touch with a medical professional or a dental professional to sort the right diagnosis and treatment at the earliest.