The obstructive sleep apnoea is a disorder which the patient suffers from while sleeping. It is respiratory disorder where the throat narrows or closes down while a person is sleeping. As the throat closes down the air is unable to reach the lungs.
This lowers the level of the oxygen in the brain which forces the person to wake up. Even while the person is sleeping the breathing is not even. It has several pauses. The pauses are so long that it appears that a few breaths are easily missed. This goes on happening as long as the person is asleep. This can also be referred as a sleep disorder.
Symptoms of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea
A person who generally suffers from obstructive sleep apnoea disorder snore very badly through out the night. Apart from snoring the person wakes quite often in the night though that may not be remembered by the person. The people sleeping along with them also get disturbed.
When the person wakes up from sleep he/she might find their throat to be very dry and also experience a headache. As the sleep was quite disturbed the person might be quite irritated and tired. A person who is suffering from severe OSA runs a greater chance of developing high blood pressure. Chances of heart attack are also more. As the person is always tired she/he runs the greater risk of accidents.
Who are Affected by Obstructive Sleep Apnoea?
It has been seen that the men are mostly affected by the obstructive sleep apnoea. Though many people suffer from the disorder they are totally unaware of it. People within the age group of 30 to 60 suffer from this disorder. Individuals who have a decreased muscle tone have greater chance of suffering from this disorder.
Sometimes obesity also leads to this discomfort. One out of every 25 men and one out of every 50 women suffer from this disorder. Though men are more likely to suffer from this disorder, women and children also suffer from the disorder. It has also been seen that the older people have more chance of falling prey to this disorder.
Treatment for Obstructive Sleep Apnoea
A mask is worn over the nose which helps in providing air pressure to the nasal area so that the airways are kept open while the person is asleep. Sometimes patients are also suggested with changing their lifestyle. They are advised to avoid alcohol and smoking which in turn helps in keeping the muscles relaxed.
Losing of weight also helps to a certain extent. If they sleep at an angle of 30 degree it helps in safe passing of the air. People suffering from obstructive sleep apnoea are advised to sleep in lateral position. If a person sleeps in a lateral position then the airway is not blocked which in turn helps the person to a greater degree. Sometimes “Breathing machines” are used to provide relief to patients. In extreme cases a person is operated upon so that the tissues can be widened or tightened which will allow the air to pass on uninterrupted.
There are many people who suffer from usual snoring which is not in any way related to obstructive sleep apnoea. Snoring happens due to the movement of air between mouth, nose and throat. A person who snores loudly does not necessarily suffer from OSA. It can be diagnosed if the snoring stops along with the breath. The person finds it difficult to breathe and gasps for breath even while asleep.
This is when that a person can be said suffering from OSA. The snoring stops in between because there is not enough air in the respiratory track to create the noise. This is one of the most common methods of telling whether a person is suffering from OSA.
People suffering from acute obstructive sleep apnoea might run the risk of a heart attack. The irregularities in breathing can sometimes take a dangerous turn and might prove fatal. Sometimes some drugs are also responsible for such a situation to arise. Even low level of drugs can be harmful. Hence one should be very careful some drugs are prescribed.
