Sleep Apnea Surgery, test. Oral appliance (mouthpieces)

Sleep apnea surgery

2012-05-16T11:53:00.000-07:00

Sleep apnea surgery may be used for treating obstructive sleep apnea only in those cases when other methods do not help you or you have some restrictions about them. Among variety of sleep apnea devices it is possible to distinguish such widely spread things as sleep apnea pillow and sleep apnea mask.

Choosing sleep apnea mask is a very important condition as it has to fit you perfectly. While choosing this important thing it is important first of all to pay your attention onto comfortableness of it. You will have to wear it every time when you go to the bed at night that is why this first item is of vital importance. The second thing you should know about sleep apnea masks is that they may be of two sizes: small and medium. So, be careful in choosing the proper size. In the case you have some doubts which is better for you it is better to choose the smaller one because the large one may be not useful for you as it is vulnerable to leaks. Sleep apnea masks may be divided into two types if take as the base the way the sufferer breathes. Masks which covers only nose may be used in the case if you or the person for whom you want to choose a mask breathe only with the help of the nose. If you are from the category of so called mouth breathers you should choose that kind of mask which covers both nose and mouth. This type of masks is called full face mask. In any case it is better to consult with your doctor, what is better for you and how to choose the proper size.

Sleep apnea pillow are widely spread among people who suffer from apnea and snoring. Among features of this apnea device it is possible to list the next items:

First of all it is the safest and common form of sleep therapy;
It is not expensive;
Such pillows are designed especially for snoring side sleepers;
Accommodates stomach and both side and back sleepers;
All pillows are orthopedic and will not bring any harm for other parts of the body.

Surgery for sleep apnea is possible when the patient does not respond on other methods of treatment. Sleep apnea surgery choices may include uvulopalatopharyngoplasty, tonsillectomy and/or adenoidectomy, tracheotomy, bariatric surgery and other surgical procedures which are aimed to repairing bones or problems in the mouth or/and throat.

The first listed method of sleep apnea surgery is the most widely spread surgery in the course of treatment among adults. It is connected with the making ways for passage of the air wider. This goal may be reached with the help of removing some tissue in the throat.

The second item – tonsillectomy and/or adenoidectomy – involves removing tonsils and/or adenoids as you can see from the name of this procedure. Some people who suffer from sleep apnea experience increasing sizes of adenoids and/or tonsils. This condition may be the cause of blocking airways during sleep. This is rather common cause of appearing the disease especially among children, and this kind of surgery quite safe and a lot of doctors have experience in making it.

The next option – tracheotomy – is not popular among doctors as it may lead to some other health problems. During this surgery (if it is really necessary) surgeons create a hole in the trachea.

Overweight may lead to worsening of the sleep apnea. To cure this state bariatric surgery are used – they help patients with loosing their weight.

Sleep apnea test

2012-05-16T11:51:00.007-07:00

Sleep apnea test is not that one which may be done at home accommodations. This kind of sleep disorder requires different facilities and should be done at the special centers. There you will be sure that sleep apnea diagnosis is made proper by the experienced specialist. It is impossible do get to know how deep your sleep is when you sleep at home, but it is the base of sleep apnea test. In the special sleep center doctors are able to measure this feature of the individual’s sleep. When you make an appointment with the doctor from a special sleep clinic you will have two possible variants of making the test. The first variant is connected with the overnight stay at the clinic. The second one is longer in time as it may take several days in a row to finish the sleep apnea test. When you make a decision that your sleep should be studied your doctor will ask you a lot of questions which are connected with your sleep patterns. This is normal practice for all sleep clinics. After such a conversation you will be taken to the room where specialists attach electrodes to different parts of your body. It is necessary for monitoring the state of the organism while you are sleeping.
Tests to detect sleep apnea may include: nocturnal polysomnography and portable monitoring devices. The first type of the test includes monitoring your heart, lung and brain activity through the different equipment. Also they measure the level of the oxygen in the blood, arm and leg movements while you are sleeping. Breathing patterns are also taken into consideration during this procedure. The second type of the test may be done by your doctor at home if for some reasons you are not able to visit a hospital. In this case he, doctor, will measure the blood pressure, hear rate, airflow and breathing patterns and the level of the oxygen in the blood. This is simplified test and if you want to get the most detailed examination it is better to visit a special sleep clinic. Also you should remember that not all case of this sleep disorder may be recognized by portable monitoring devices. If you or your doctor has some doubts about the result nocturnal polysomnography may be recommended for you.
You may think that such a procedure and the time you have to spend for diagnosing this disease is not very important, but you are false. Without correct diagnosing it is rather hard to find the proper way of treatment. In addition, if you leave your sleep disorder without examination (and as a result without treatment) it may lead to heart attacks, stroke, high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases, obesity, diabetes, arrhythmia, depression or memory loss. It is not the aim to scare you, but severe cases of this disease especially with the complications may cause death.

Among preventive sleep apnea solutions it is possible to distinguish avoiding alcohol, smoking, excessive usage of tea, coffee and other drinks which contain caffeine, especially in the afternoon or in the evening. It is harmful to eat a lot late in the evening. Regime of sleep and warm bath before going to bed are good preventive sleep apnea solutions. Physical exercising is also rather helpful but you should avoid excessive exercising in the evening time.

Body work and movement sleep apnea solutions may include moderate exercising and yoga.

Sleep apnea mouthpiece

2012-05-16T11:51:00.001-07:00

Sleep apnea mouthpiece is a device which is used for reducing blocked airways which may be caused by soft tissues of the mouth. This device protects airways from blocking by soft tissues and tongue. It is placed inside the mouth. If the person suffers from the mild or moderate type of obstructive sleep apnea the usage of mouthpieces may be a great helper in his or her everyday life. Sleep apnea mouthpiece may also be used as anti snoring device. The current market is able to offer a great variety of these devices. But in any case it is better to visit your doctor and consult with him about this or that type of mouthpieces. Actually there exist two main types of sleep apnea mouthpieces. They are mandibular advancement appliances and tongue retainer. The first one is the most common among oral appliance for sleep apnea. This device keeps the airways open due to pushing the tongue and lower jaw forward. As you might guess the “place of living” of mandibular advancement appliances is in the mouth where they are fitted by the sufferers. Also this oral appliance for sleep apnea is rather effective in reducing snoring because clear and wide airways reduce the noise which may be produced by snoring. The second type of sleep apnea mouthpiece is tongue retainer. It takes longer time to get used to it, that is why it may be not so common. But this condition does not diminish its effectiveness in preventing airway obstruction. This device engages and holds the tongue in a forward position which helps to keep airways clear.

A lot of people who experience the sleep apnea are looking for different devices which may help them to cope with the problem of obstructing airways and snoring. Quite a numerous group of patients experienced relief due to such option as sleep apnea mouth guard. It is possible to find these oral products in many pharmacies. Also the current internet-market may offer customers such mouth guards. They are not very expensive and every person may afford it. Of course the best sleep apnea mouth guard is that which is made exactly for you by the dentist. In this case you will have a unique device which is the most comfortable just for you. But this leads to bigger expenses comparing with the previous case.

You might see in a sport store some chewing gum shields. Actually mouth guards which are available at drug stores have something in common with them in their appearance, but of course those from drug stores are designed for reducing the evidences of the sleep apnea.

As any other way of treatment of different diseases dental appliance for sleep apnea have benefits and disadvantages. It is considered that these devices are very helpful for people who suffer from mild to moderate form of sleep apnea. If the person sleeps on the back or stomach it may be the best way to keep airways open and provide free access of the air. A lot of sufferers admit that their sleep improves due to these devices. Some of patients noticed that the snore disappear or at least it is not so loud when they use dental appliances.

Talking about disadvantages of a sleep apnea dental appliance it is worth to admit that it may be not as effective as CPAP therapy. Also after the long term of usage of these devices some part of patients decide to make a pause in using dental appliance for sleep apnea due to such side effects as dry lips, nighttime pain, tooth discomfort and excessive salivation.