What Is Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

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Obstructive sleep apnea affects up to four percent of middle-aged adults, yet often goes undiagnosed. As with other sleep disorders, sufferers often experience sleepiness during the day, irritability and a number of other health problems. However, there are apnea treatment options, including surgery, that can relieve the symptoms of the condition. If you suspect that you have apnea, then read on for a list of symptoms to look for and options for treating the condition.

The most common features in patients with obstructive sleep apnea are loud snoring, disrupted sleep, nocturnal gasping and choking, daytime sleepiness and fatigue, and a short, thick neck. The patient is often brought to the physician’s office by a family member who is being disturbed by the patient’s loud snoring. The partner may describe episodes in which the patient stops breathing and then gives a loud gasp or snort when aroused by the apnea. These episodes may be worse after the patient drinks alcohol or takes sleep medicine because these sedatives decrease pharyngeal muscle tone.

Sleep apnea can come with other health conditions. Cardiovascular disease is common in patients. Hypertension and obesity increase the risk of cardiac disease and are frequent findings in patients with this sleep disorder. Patients with apnea who are smokers may also have coronary artery disease and obstructive airway disease. Psychosocial problems are common in patients who have sleep apnea. These patients often have depression, mood changes, poor memory, irritability and impaired concentration. Nocturnal panic attacks have also been associated with this sleep disorder.

Sleep medicine isn’t enough to treat apnea. Specialists usually recommend weight loss, and dental devices that modify the position of the tongue or jaw. Some doctors may prescribe the use of a CPAP mask. With this method, straps hold the mask firmly over the nose and the CPAP machine that generates the positive airway pressure sits on a table next to the bed. CPAP treatment is used in most patients who have sleep apnea. Jaw surgery is the most invasive surgical procedure used to treat this malady. The surgical procedure may be limited to pulling the tongue forward. An extensive procedure may entail moving both the mandible and maxilla. Extensive jaw surgery has a higher complication rate and a longer recovery time.

The severity of the symptoms will vary by patient, but it’s important to seek help as soon as possible because the condition can severely affect your overall health. In addition, obstructive sleep apnea causes daytime sleepiness which can result in accidents, lost productivity and interpersonal relationship problems. The sooner you get help, the sooner you can improve your quality of life.

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Living With Idiopathic Hypersomnia

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Having trouble keeping your eyes open during the day? Your daytime sleepiness could be the result of a prolonged period of inadequate nocturnal sleep. Idiopathic hypersomnia refers to either excessive sleepiness during the day or overly long periods of nighttime sleep. This condition can have an intense or even dangerous impact on your life. In this article, we’ll discuss the symptoms of this sleep disorder and how it can be treated.

Patients suffering from hypersomnia often lose the ability to function in family, social and occupational settings. The condition most commonly impacts teenagers, young adults and people who are overweight. This can exacerbate their weight problems, as their excessive sleep patterns means that they will use less energy. In addition to excessive sleepiness and long nighttime sleeping, symptoms include irritability, mild depression and difficulty concentrating. For this reason, people with hypersomnia should be cautious when driving or operating machinery. Kleine-Levin syndrome is a form of hypersomnia that features slightly different symptoms. Sufferers may sleep for eighteen or more hours a day and are irritable, uninhibited, and make indiscriminate sexual advances. People with Kleine-Levin syndrome often eat uncontrollably and rapidly gain weight. However, this form of recurrent hypersomnia is very rare.

Recurring hypersomnia involves periods of excessive daytime sleepiness that can last from one to many days, and recur over the course of a year or more. With recurring hypersomnia, a person will have prolonged periods where they do not exhibit any signs of the malady. However, persons experiencing idiopathic hypersomnia are affected by it nearly all the time.

There is no known cure for idiopathic hypersomnia, but a combination of lifestyle modifications and medication can help. A regular sleep schedule, even on weekends, will make a world of difference. It’s not unusual for patients to think they may have narcolepsy or hypersomnia, when the real problem is insufficient sleep time each night. It’s also important to avoid caffeine, alcohol, activities or medications that may affect sleep. Some drugs used to treat hypersomnia are also used to treat narcolepsy. These include medications that stimulate the central nervous system such as Provigi, Ritalin and various amphetamines. Provigi is a newer stimulant that isn’t as addictive as other medications and doesn’t produce the highs and lows often associated with other drugs. Amphetamines, while effective, can cause nervousness and heart palpitations in some patients.

Sleep deprivation or excessive sleeping can impact both your health and quality of life, so it’s important to see a doctor if you suspect that you are suffering from a sleep disorder. Because idiopathic hypersomnia can have dangerous consequences, it must be treated as soon as possible. A sleep disorder center can give you great medical care and support so that the condition doesn’t prevent you from participating in all of the activities that you normally enjoy.

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