Sleep apnea is one of the most common sleep disorders. It is a condition in which a person experiences abnormal breathing when they are asleep. People having sleep apnea don’t even know they have it most of the time but they wake up during the night due to extended pauses in their breathing. This leads to poor sleep quality which further disrupts other functions of the body as sleep is important for the body to relax and heal.
Due to poor breathing during sleep, a low level of oxygen reaches into the body and may cause some other serious health conditions. Sleep apnea affects children, adults and mostly the elderly.
Symptoms of Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea mostly goes undiagnosed due to a lack of awareness about it. Symptoms of sleep apnea may include:
- Strong headaches
- Feeling irritated and disgruntled
- Drowsiness
- Poor memory
- Hyperactivity
- Depression
- Poor performance in simple daily activities
- Loss of interest
- Leg swelling during sleep
Treatment
The treatment of sleep apnea includes ways to stop poor breathing patterns. Some treatments include:
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Weight Loss
One way to improve breathing is to lose excess weight and fats. Loss of fat also helps clear the nasal passage and the airflow improves with physical exercises.
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Nasal Decongestants
This is a more preferable treatment option if sleep apnea is at a mild stage. Nasal decongestants include medications that reduce nasal and chest congestion. These medicines may be taken orally or applied topically in form of inhalers, nasal sprays, liquids etc. You can easily get nasal decongestants from online pharmacy service upon prescription.
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Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP)
CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) therapy is the next option if the sleep apnea is more severe. CPAP is given through a special mask that is worn during sleep. This mask helps with the airflow through the nasal passage. This is a highly effective treatment option for sleep apnea patients.
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Positional Therapy
Sleep quality greatly depends upon the position of the person. Sleep apnea patients get more difficulty breathing when they are sleeping on their back. Positional therapy includes experimenting with different positions that help improve the airflow.
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Surgery
Most severe cases of sleep apnea may need surgery to remove the extra tissues from the back of the throat. This procedure is the most common and effective treatment optio for sleep apnea patients but it needs to be done when all other options have been exhausted.
