Obstructive Sleep Apnea Symptoms Causes Risk factors Diagnosis Treatment

 Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common breathing disorder that occurs during sleep. People who suffer from OSA stop breathing during sleep, which leads to serious health problems. Patients experience excessive daytime sleepiness, fatigue, and impaired concentration.

What causes obstructive sleep apnea, Guest Posting and what are the symptoms?

The most common cause of OSA is difficulty breathing during sleep. It occurs when the muscles in the upper neck relax and block the airway, making breathing difficult or impossible. This stoppage or difficulty breathing is apnea, which results in snoring, gasping, or choking during sleep.

Other possible causes include obesity, long soft palate, small jaw, large tongue, and other anatomical factors.

Below are the symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea:

Snoring is louder or stops at times during sleep.

Gasping for air during sleep.

Sore throat in the morning.

Morning headaches.

Drowsiness during the day.

Mouth breathing.

High blood pressure.

Heart disease

Who is at risk?

OSA is a disease that affects men and women of all ages. The most common risk factor is obesity. Obstructive sleep apnea is vulnerable to people with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more. Other risk factors include a large neck, a family history of OSA, allergies, and the use of sedatives.

How is obstructive sleep apnea diagnosed?

Polysomnography is the gold standard for diagnosing OSA. This is a medical test that measures brain waves and sleeps patterns to detect any irregularities. During polysomnography, sensors are attached to the patient that monitors their breathing, heart rate, oxygen level, and leg movement during sleep at an ENT specialist clinic or hospital.

What is the best way to treat obstructive sleep apnea?

There are two basic forms of treatment: lifestyle changes and drug therapy.

Losing weight, quitting smoking, limiting alcohol consumption before bed, and sleeping on your side instead of your back are examples of lifestyle improvements.

Drug therapy is usually the first treatment for OSA. Treatment for sleep apnea snoring includes wearing a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device to help keep the airway open, or an oral appliance that repositions the jaw or tongue to prevent the airway from collapsing.

How to prevent obstructive sleep apnea?

To prevent the development of OSA, one must have a healthy lifestyle and good habits, such as eating well, exercising, and maintaining an average weight.

Must realize that everyone snores from time to time. To find out if you have OSA, ask yourself these questions:

Do I wake up gasping for air?

Do sleepy or tired during the day?

Do irritable or distracted during the day?

Do I fall asleep behind the wheel of the car or at work?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, make an appointment with an ENT specialist immediately. Snoring, gasping, and excessive fatigue are all symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea. If you want to prevent major health consequences, you should act now and immediately contact the nearest ENT clinic.