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SNORING AND SLEEP APNOEA

Sleep disorders are as individual as you are, because they are influenced by your body size, shape and overall health. That is why an individualized approach to your sleep treatment is so important. 

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Sleep Apnoea is a common sleeping disorder marked by shallow breathing, pauses in breath and labored breathing punctuated by gasping or snoring sounds. Pauses of breath can last from several seconds up to minutes and can happen from five to thirty times or more per hour. A pause may be followed by a choking or snorting sound as the sleeper involuntarily gasps for breath.

As oxygen is restricted to the lungs, blood and brain, the sleeper is less likely to fall into deep, or REM sleep. A lack of quality sleep can lead a variety of serious health concerns including heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes and depression.

 

There are three types of Sleep Apnea:

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  • Central Sleep Apnoea- CSA is when the brains respiratory control centers are imbalanced during sleep; your brain is not getting enough oxygen to tell you to breathe.

  • Obstructive Sleep Apnoea- OSA is the most common type and is caused by an obstruction or collapse of the upper airway.

  • Mixed Sleep Apnoea- MSA is a combination of Central and Obstructive Sleep Apnoea.

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Sleep Apnoea is broken down into severity groups:

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The American Academy of Sleep Medicine has published methods for grading the severity of Sleep Apnoea. One method is based on the number of breathing disruptions per hour of sleep.

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  • Mild

  • Moderate

  • Severe

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TREATING SLEEP APNOEA

There are multiple methods of managing the symptoms associated with sleep apnoea. An individual should work with their doctor to find a treatment plan that is effective and comfortable. The goal of sleep apnea treatment is to restore ease to breathing during sleep and to alleviate associated symptoms such as excessive daytime tiredness and snoring. By treating sleep apnea, a patient may also reduce associated health risks including heart disease, diabetes, stroke and high blood pressure. Treatment options include lifestyle changes, breathing devices, dental appliances and surgery.

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The circumstances often vary from person to person, since the underlying causes may be different. Generally speaking, the options can include one or more of the following:

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  1. Weight loss – For anyone who is overweight, losing weight is recommended. While this may not necessarily cure the OSA, it usually improves snoring and OSA, and can help other treatments work more effectively. It also provides general health benefits.

  2. Reduce alcohol consumption – Alcohol usually worsens snoring and OSA due to the throat muscles relaxing. For some people drinking alcohol makes their OSA worse. If this is the case for you then less or no alcohol may be a useful treatment.

  3. Body position during sleep – Snoring and OSA are usually worse when lying on the back. This is because of the effects of gravity on the tongue. Avoiding sleep in this position can improve OSA. In some people it can completely control the problem. This is best achieved by wearing a device that makes it uncomfortable to sleep on your back. Some such devices can be purchased or it can be as simple as sleeping with a tennis ball sewn into a pocket on the back of your pyjamas.

  4. Managing blocked nose – A blocked nose causes mouth breathing, which can lead to snoring and OSA. The blocked nose can be due to different problems, such as allergies, sinus disease, and a deviated septum. Your doctor can assess and provide treatment, depending on the problem. This may involve the use of nasal sprays to relieve congestion. Sometimes surgery is required to correct anatomical problems.

  5. CPAP (Continuous Positive Airways Pressure) - This is generally considered to be the most effective way to treat OSA. It involves the use of a special machine during sleep, connected to a nose or face mask via tubing. The machine gently increases air pressure in your throat holding it open, thus preventing snoring and OSA. See our CPAP link.

  6. Oral Appliances – Dr Delcanho specialises in fitting these special custom made dental plates that are worn during sleep. They push your lower jaw forwards so that your throat opens up, reducing the risk that it will vibrate (snore) or obstruct. The appliances have various names such as Mandibular Advancement Splints (MAS) or Mandibular Advancement Devices (MAD) or Mandibular Repositioning Appliances (MRA). Your suitability for this form of treatment is best discussed with your sleep physician, or Dr Delcanho. For more information click here and our Oral Appliances link below.

  7. Surgery – Surgery may help in cases of OSA caused by a discrete blockage of some part of the nose or throat. There are many types of operations depending on where in your nose and/or throat the problem lies. The decision about whether surgery is right for you may require the expert input of an ENT surgeon. The risks and benefits need to be weighed up in each case. In adults, surgery is often the last resort, after other treatments have been tried first. Nasal surgery may be useful to help CPAP treatment by allowing nasal masks once the nasal blockage is repaired. In children with OSA, surgery to remove tonsils and adenoids is quite commonly done and is often very helpful.​

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For more information regarding Snoring and Sleep Apnoea, link to: dentsleep.com.au

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