• Snoring and Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)
• Snoring
• Causes of snoring
• Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)
• Dangers of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)
• Do you have OSA?
• What can you do about Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)?
Snoring and Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) are breathing disorders which occur during sleep due to the narrowing or total closure of the airways. Unlike snoring, sleep apnea is potentially a killer and requires attention. If you snore you may not have OSA but OSA is often associated with heavy snoring. There are many treatments on offer and some of them seem inexpensive but are you getting what you paid for? Your life is worth more than a few dollars for an off-the-shelf device. Everybody’s throat, mouth and nasal passages are different. It therefore makes little sense to self fit an “over the net device” with little or no knowledge of the real causes of your problem. Correct treatment must be individual and requires post-fitting evaluation. Before deciding on a suitable treatment option, you should know some important facts about snoring and OSA.
Snoring in itself is not dangerous but can be embarrassing and may be disturbing to partners and people sharing a room. Snorers may not be aware of their snoring at first and it can go unnoticed for some time. When falling asleep, the muscle tissues in the upper nasal cavity (soft palate) and throat area relax and start to vibrate thus creating the snoring noise. With increasing age and a more comfortable lifestyle (e.g. putting on weight, less activity) snoring may increase and at times the snorer can wake during the night gasping for air.
This may be the first sign of a much bigger problem – OSA (Obstructive Sleep Apnea).
Causes of snoring
Obesity and weight gain, particularly in the upper body and neck region, can increase the bulkiness of the soft tissues and restrict the upper airways. This may also be noticeable when awake e.g. breathing difficulties.
Alcohol consumption results in greater muscle relaxation, including the soft tissues of the upper airways, when sleeping.
Drugs including relaxants such as sleeping pills may have a similar effect to alcohol, and in addition to the snoring noises, limit the arousal response (waking up to breathe). This can leave the brain without oxygen for prolonged lengths of time resulting in brain cell damage.
Nasal problems and deformities can restrict the upper airways resulting in breathing difficulties. This may be due to enlarged tonsils, septum deviation, swellings of the thyroid, nasal polyps, etc.
Allergies to pollens, hay fever, food or animals (e.g. cats) can all contribute to snoring problems. These may be seasonal and/or temporary.
Males seem to snore more and at a younger age than females. However, women catch up to their male counterparts following menopause.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)
When snoring, the flapping, noise-creating soft nasal/throat tissues collapse and the airways partially or completely close for some time. This may result in very shallow breathing or no breathing at all for quite some time – this is called an Apnoea. Apnoeas may be as short as a few seconds or as long as several minutes resulting in a lack of oxygen supply to the blood and brain. The sufferer has to wake him/herself up to breathe again. The sleep is disturbed and interrupted. Even though OSA sufferers may experience hundreds of apnoea episodes each night they are unlikely to remember any of them. Partners of OSA sufferers are often the first to recognise the problem.
Dangers of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)
When suffering from OSA, not only is your quality of life diminished but your own life or the lives of others may be at risk. If left untreated, Obstructive Sleep Apnea may be life threatening and/or lead to the development of hypertension, cardiac ischemia, congestive heart failure, cardiac arrhythmias and possibly to cerebrovascular disease and strokes. These conditions can be a direct danger to your health and life and OSA may also put other people around you at risk and should be considered as an Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) issue. For example, with professional drivers and operators of heavy machinery, the danger is not only limited to the sufferer but also to the public, workmates and family as the chances of accidents are significantly increased.
Do you have OSA?
· How do you know if you suffer from OSA? If you are not sure, you may ask your partner to be tuned in and listen for an irregular breathing pattern during the night. If you live alone you may want to do a simple test such as the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) which is world recognised. The Epworth Sleepiness Scale is used to determine the level of daytime sleepiness. You can download the pdf test free by clicking here. With Obstructive Sleep Apnoea, there are some familiar symptoms to look for. Some of the most common symptoms are:
- Snoring (heavily) is the first and foremost sign, irregular breathing or/and breathing interruptions for short or long periods.
- High blood pressure.
- Sleep deprivation -- feeling very tired when waking in the morning and also during the day. Wanting to go to sleep when in the train, bus or car as a passenger. In extreme cases falling asleep while driving. Falling asleep when reading a book, watching TV or resting on the couch.
- Gasping for air when waking up during the night. Waking up during the night several times.
- Reoccurring dreams such as drowning, being able to breathe underwater or falling off a cliff.
- Falling asleep in less than 3 minutes when going to bed.
- Morning headaches or feeling like you have a hangover without having consumed alcohol the evening before.
- Lack of concentration, intellectual deterioration or having poor memory.
- Changes in personality, feeling unmotivated or depressed at times. Giving up easily.
- Being impatient and unusually aggravated for little or no reason.
- Passing urine at night or bedwetting.
- Breathlessness in the night or day.
- Reduced sexual activity.
What can you do about Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)?
A recent study conducted in 2008 by the Centre for Sleep Health & Research, Department of Respiratory Medicine, Royal North Shore Hospital and the University of Sydney, Australia suggests the need for an interdisciplinary approach between ENT Surgeons and Sleep Physicians in treating OSA – a condition demonstrating a multifactorial pathophysiology. Oral appliances have been shown to have a beneficial impact on a number of important clinical end-points including the polysomnographic indices of OSA, subjective and objective measures of sleepiness, blood pressure, aspects or neuropsychological functioning and quality of life. Therefore it is extremely important for your health-sake that you do not remain untreated. Seek immediate help.
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Velumount® - For the Prevention of Snoring and Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA)
