what is sleep apnea and what causes it?

Question

i stop breathing at times when i'm sleep. my throat feels funny, like it's rubbery.

Answer 1

In some people, apnea occurs when the throat muscles and tongue relax during sleep and partially block the opening of the airway. When the muscles of the soft palate at the base of the tongue and the uvula (the small fleshy tissue hanging from the center of the back of the throat) relax and sag, the airway becomes blocked, making breathing labored and noisy and even stopping it altogether. Sleep apnea also can occur in obese people when an excess amount of tissue in the airway causes it to be narrowed. With a narrowed airway, the person continues his or her efforts to breathe, but air cannot easily flow into or out of the nose or mouth. Unknown to the person, this results in heavy snoring, periods of no breathing, and frequent arousals (causing abrupt changes from deep sleep to light sleep). Ingestion of alcohol and sleeping pills increases the frequency and duration of breathing pauses in people with sleep apnea.

Answer 2

Well you already gave the answer to your first question part. Sleep Apnea is when you stop breathing while you are asleep. And there are or can be several reasons for it. High blood pressure, overweight, head in a bad position. I have sleep apnea and have been told by my Dr. that all the reasons I listed are part of my problem. I have NOT had any episodes for the past year. or so. I have my blood pressure under control. I have lost like 70 pounds, and I no longer use a pillow when I sleep.

Answer 3

Sleep Apnea - Treatments
http://www.askaquery.com/question/Sleep-Apnea--%28dash%29--Treatments.html

Recognize Sleep Apnea
http://www.askaquery.com/question/Recognize-Sleep-Apnea.html

Answer 4

Stop Snoring Sleep Apnea Forever - http://Snoring.neatprim.com

Answer 5

I don't beleive that fans can cause the baby to have sleep apnea. Just make sure that the breeze from the fan is not blowing directly on the baby. Very young babies may find it hard to breathe in a very strong wind.

Answer 6

as far as i know sleep apnea happens when you are in the deepest of sleeps. do you ever wake up with a jump?? that usually happens because when we get so relaxed, and possibly stop breathing, it the bodies natural way of waking it's self up because it's shutting down to an extent. you need to have it monitored. the worse case scenario is that you brain suffers due to lack of oxygen, and that could be serious. either way get it checked.
all the best

Answer 7

Soft tissue in the back of the throat flaps around and closes from time to time. It's caused by being overweight and having a genetic predisposition for it.

Answer 8

1

Answer 9

You may be overwieght.
You may need surgery.
It is flabs of skin vibrating and restricting your air passages.

Answer 10

One in five adults suffers from at least mild sleep apnea. 40 million Americans have undiagnosed sleep apnea. Sleep apnea can be life-threatening. Sleep apnea treatment has a 70% success rate.

If you snore and you also have other signs of disrupted sleep like excessive daytime sleepiness and headaches, you might be experiencing sleep apnea. Below are some questions to consider. If you answer yes to any of them, keep reading and consult your doctor.

* Do you snore on a regular basis? Does your snoring cause you or your sleeping partner to wake up?
* Do you ever wake up suddenly, gasping or choking for air?
* Do you experience excessive sleepiness during the day? Do you often have trouble staying awake, even when occupied?
* Do you experience headaches, sore throat, or dry mouth in the mornings after waking up?

Sleep apnea is a dangerous and progressive sleep disorder (it gets worse as you age). Not only does sleep apnea result in sleep deprivation, but it also can threaten your life. This article discusses the symptoms of sleep apnea, causes, diagnosis, dangers, and treatments.
What is the difference between snoring and sleep apnea?

Snoring is a loud sound that a person makes as they breathe during sleep.

Sleep apnea is a true breathing obstruction, which requires the sleeper to awaken to begin breathing again. A person with sleep apnea wakes up many times a night to regain breathing, but usually remembers nothing at all about the awakenings. The sleep partner of a person with sleep apnea remembers a great deal about the awakenings and is generally a good witness of the incidents.

Distinctive signs of sleep apnea include

* Frequent waking episodes at night
* Disrupted breathing, gasping, gagging, or choking for air during sleep
* Sleep apnea is a breathing problem during sleep that creates a sleep disorder.

Snoring is a common symptom of sleep apnea, a result of the obstruction, and sometimes even a cause of sleep apnea. Snoring by itself does not involve the cessation of breathing.
What are the symptoms of sleep apnea?

Sleep apnea causes a person to stop breathing periodically throughout sleep, which upsets the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood. The brain senses the reduction in oxygen and the increase in carbon dioxide and sends a signal to resume breathing. The person wakes up in response to the breathing arousal signal from the brain. The muscles of the tongue and throat awaken to enlarge the airway and allow carbon dioxide to escape and oxygen to enter. The waking episodes are necessary to restart breathing (and save the person's life), but they prevent the individual from getting high-quality sleep.

On a physical level, the sleep apnea sufferer cannot breathe because they have an obstructed airway. The throat muscles and tongue relax too much and may be enlarged or misshapen, so the air passage is narrowed during sleep.

Sleep apnea sufferers awaken frequently to restart breathing, but they remember little or nothing of being awake. Frequent waking at night may be a sign of sleep apnea. The frequency of waking episodes varies, but may be between ten and sixty per night. Severe sleep apnea may cause the sleeper to experience more than 100 waking episodes in a single night. One measure of sleep apnea is that the person must stop breathing for a period of at least ten seconds or more, five times within an hour. Sleep apnea sufferers may stop breathing for as long as two minutes.

Signs and symptoms that can alert you to sleep apnea are

* Frequent cessation of breathing (apnea) during sleep. Your sleep partner may notice repeated silences from your side of the bed.
* Choking, gasping, or gagging during sleep to get air into the lungs
* Loud snoring
* Waking up sweating during the night
* Feeling unrefreshed in the morning after a night’s sleep
* Headaches upon awakening
* Daytime sleepiness, including falling asleep at inappropriate times, such as during driving or at work
* Lethargy
* Rapid weight gain
* Memory loss and learning difficulties
* Short attention span
* Poor judgment
* Depression
* Personality changes

If you or a sleep partner experiences symptoms that might indicate sleep apnea, seek the advice of a doctor.
What determines a diagnosis of sleep apnea?

A bed partner typically reports a sleep disorder involving breathing and can provide this information to a doctor, who can diagnose for sleep apnea. The easiest way to determine whether you have sleep apnea is to ask your spouse or sleeping partner to record your sleep habits. A sleep diary and a tape recorder are useful recording devices. Because your partner is awake anyway, keeping a record of awakenings can be a constructive way to move toward solution of the problem. You can also automatically audiotape yourself during sleep with a noise-activated audio recorder.

To make a sleep diary, your bed partner can keep a notepad, a pen, and a flashlight near the bed, and they can make written records for an entire night every so often. Whenever they wake up, they can note

* How loud the snoring is
* Whether you are asleep or not
* Whether you are having trouble breathing (choking, etc.)

See Helpguide’s Sleep Diary for a sample sleep record.

If you don't have someone to record your sleep patterns, it may be helpful to consult your doctor and go to a sleep clinic to be observed and diagnosed.

To more intelligently discuss with your doctor your sleep disorder and breathing problems, become as educated as possible about the condition by reading this article. If your family doctor is not knowledgable about sleep apnea, you may need to see a sleep specialist.

To diagnose for sleep apnea, a doctor will probably

* Perform a physical examination of your mouth
* Recommend an overnight sleep study in a sleep clinic

Sleep tests in a sleep clinic help to diagnose sleep apnea by measuring how frequently you stop breathing. Polysomnography is a test that records body activities, such as electrical activity of the brain, eye movement, muscle movement, heart rate, respiratory effort, air flow, and blood oxygen levels during sleep. The Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT) measures the speed of falling asleep at different points in the day. You can get comprehensive tests during an overnight stay at a sleep center. You may be able to obtain a home sleep evaluation; this option is useful if insurance coverage prevents testing at a sleep center for a diagnosis of sleep apnea.
What are the types of sleep apnea?

There are three types of sleep apnea:

* Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA): Obstructive Sleep Apnea is the most common type of sleep apnea. OSA is caused by an obstruction in the airway, which actually stops the air flow in the nose and mouth. Throat and abdominal breathing continue normally. Obstructive Sleep Apnea is commonly accompanied by snoring and causes the sleeper to wake up, gasping or snorting, and then go back to sleep again.
* Central Sleep Apnea (CSA): Central Sleep Apnea is a much less common type than Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Central Sleep Apnea is due to a brain signal problem: the brain signal that instructs the body to breathe is delayed. With CSA, oral breathing and throat and abdominal breathing all cease at the same time. The periods of breathing interruption may last a few seconds, and breathing may be too shallow to provide oxygen to the blood and tissues. Central sleep apnea may be associated with irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, heart attack, and/or stroke.
* Mixed sleep apnea: When individuals experience a combination of the two other types of sleep apnea, Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Central Sleep Apnea, they have mixed sleep apnea.

This article primarily discusses the sleep disorder called Obstructive Sleep Apnea.
What are the causes of sleep apnea?

The causes of sleep apnea are:

* An obstructed airway
* A central nervous system disorder such as a stroke, a brain tumor, or even a viral brain infection
* A chronic respiratory disease

What can cause an obstructed airway? The following risk factors predispose you toward having an obstructed airway, and therefore are causes of sleep apnea. If you have a number of these risk factors, and you suspect you are not sleeping well, you might wish to see a doctor for a diagnosis of sleep apnea.

* Obesity or excessive weight gain: Fatty cells in the throat tissue narrow and block the airway when the muscles are relaxed. A large neck or collar size is associated with sleep apnea, whether or not the person is obese. Note that almost half of people with sleep apnea are not obese.
* Age: Aging is usually accompanied by a loss of muscle mass and tone. Among these muscles that become more lax are those near the windpipe. With age, the tongue more easily falls back during sleep and blocks the airway, and the soft palate becomes looser and can impede the free flow of air. Sleep apnea very commonly appears in people who are in their late 40s or 50s.
* Gender: Men are more likely to experience sleep apnea because they have narrower airways than do women. However, sleep apnea may be underdiagnosed in women.
* Irregular sleep hours, particularly a difference between work days and non-work days, can throw off your sleep cycles. Stage 1 sleep (when you first fall asleep) and REM sleep (when dreaming is prevalent) are extremely responsive to disruption. Unstable breathing during those parts of the sleep cycle can be the result. Chronic sleep disturbances, such as a snoring bed partner, a new baby, aggravation from the day’s events, not following a natural preference to sleep during nonconventional hours, or overuse of caffeinated products can all disrupt important Stage 1 and REM sleep. This can cause sleep apnea.
* High blood pressure is another risk factor for sleep apnea
* Anatomic abnormalities or facial deformities, such as nasal obstruction, an enlarged tongue, a narrow airway, a receding chin, a small jaw, tissues blocking the airway, a deviated septum, polyps, or certain palate and jaw shapes, can cause sleep apnea
* Snoring itself is not only a result of sleep apnea, but also a cause. The repeated vibrations of the soft palate during snoring can cause the soft palate to lengthen, which can obstruct the airway.
* Enlarged tonsils or adenoids often cause Obstructive Sleep Apnea in children.
* A family history of Obstructive Sleep Apnea: No specific genetic marker has been discovered, but OSA seems to run in families. This may be a result of facial and neck characteristics or anatomic abnormalities that are passed along to succeeding generations.
* Immune-system abnormalities may cause sleep apnea. High levels of some immune factors are related to fatigue, breathing problems, obesity, and pumping problems in the heart.
* Use of alcohol and sedatives before bedtime can relax the musculature in the upper airway, which obstructs breathing
* Smoking causes inflammation and swelling of the upper airway, which restricts the flow of air. A history of smoking or exposure to secondhand smoke is also a risk factor for sleep apnea.
* Hypothyroidism, acromegaly, amyloidosis, vocal cord paralysis, post-polio syndrome, neuromuscular disorders, Marfan's syndrome, and Down’s syndrome all can contribute to obstructed breathing, and therefore to sleep apnea
* Nasal congestion, nasal blockages, and nasal irritants such as household dust and dander can inhibit breathing through the nose and force breathing through the throat, which may also be blocked
* Severe heartburn or acid reflux (gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD) is another cause of sleep apnea

What are the results or effects of sleep apnea on health?

Sleep apnea has serious health consequences and can even be life-threatening. Some of the symptoms of sleep apnea are actually results of the obstruction.

The sleep deprivation that is a result of sleep apnea affects both the sleeper and their bed partner. The effects of sleep deprivation are

* Daytime sleepiness
* A compromised immune system and slower healing
* Poor mental and emotional health
* Lack of smooth functioning of the body
* Decreased productivity
* A negative mood, irritability
* Low energy
* Unclear thinking, lack of concentration
* Slower reaction time

Some mild effects of sleep apnea are

* Frequent bathroom visits to urinate during the night
* Heartburn
* Excessive sweating during sleep
* Dry mouth in the morning
* Loud snoring
* In children, a concave chest during sleep

The more serious health problems from sleep apnea that can result from reduced oxygen going to the brain are

* Restless sleep, insomnia
* Premature death
* Type II Diabetes. Mild sleep apnea is associated with increased glucose intolerance and insulin resistance, conditions that lead to diabetes.
* High blood pressure
* Hypertension
* Stroke
* Heart disease
* Hypercapnia, or excessive carbon dioxide levels
* Right-sided heart failure
* Arrhythymia, or abnormal heart rhythm (irregular heart beat)
* Memory impairment, learning difficulties, and lack of attention
* Rapid weight gain and obesity. Sleep apnea disturbs rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep, a disruption that increases the risk for obesity.
* Impotence, sexual dysfunction, or reduced libido
* Morning headaches
* Depression
* Sevenfold increase in involvement in auto accidents
* Sudden infant death syndrome may be a result of sleep apnea in the infant.

What are the treatments for sleep apnea?

Treatment for sleep apnea is determined by the individual's specific sleep apnea characteristics. Treatments include:

* Behavioral changes
* Physical or mechanical therapy
* Surgery
* Medication is not usually an effective treatment for sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea responds well to treatment. You may wish to try several treatments, either in succession or simultaneously.
What behavioral treatments can cure sleep apnea?

Behavioral therapies are an important part of the treatment for sleep apnea, especially in cases where a doctor has identified a specific cause of the obstructed airway. The following are the most effective home remedies you can try.

* Lose weight: One of the most significant remedies for sleep apnea is weight loss. Overweight individuals who lose even 10% of their weight can reduce sleep apnea during the night and dramatically improve the quality of their sleep.
* Eliminate the use of alcohol, tobacco, and sedatives such as sleeping pills: Avoiding the use of alcohol, tobacco, and sleeping pills can reduce the likelihood of airway closure during the night.
* Sleep on your side: People who experience sleep apnea only when they sleep on their backs can benefit from special pillows or folk remedies that encourage side-sleeping, such as the tennis ball trick. (See Helpguide’s article on Snoring: Symptoms, Causes, Cures, and Treatment for more tips to help prevent snoring.)
* Regularize your sleep hours: Irregular sleep hours can throw off your sleep cycles and lead to breathing problems during the most important sleep stages. Stabilizing bedtime hours across the week and eliminating disturbances to your sleep can reduce sleep apnea.
* Learn to play the didgeridoo: Swiss medical scientists, publishing in the British Medical Journal, found that regular playing of the didgeridoo (an Australian wind instrument) improved snoring, sleep apnea, and daytime sleepiness, and reduced sleep disturbances to bedroom partners. The reason for this improvement may be that training to play the didgeridoo decreased the collapsibility of the upper airways.

What is a didgeridoo? If you are as curious as we were, you can see an economical didgeridoo and hear a sound clip at this commercial site (no endorsement intended).
What physical or mechanical treatments can cure sleep apnea?

Physical devices or mechanical therapies are effective for many cases of sleep apnea. These solutions fall into the following categories:

* Oxygen administration
* Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP)
* Surgery
* Dental appliances or jaw adjustment devices

What is oxygen administration in relation to treatment for sleep apnea?

In certain cases of Central Sleep Apnea, which is caused by heart failure, oxygen administration can allow the patient to sleep safely through the night. Oxygen administration, while ensuring the person gets enough oxygen, does not improve the quality of sleep. The person will still experience waking episodes and daytime sleepiness.
What is Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, or CPAP, for the treatment of sleep apnea?

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) is one of the most common long-term treatments for severe sleep apnea. The therapy requires the person to wear a mask over their nose during sleep. The mask blows air through the nasal passages, and the pressure is adjusted to keep the airway open during the night. CPAP is often successful in treating sleep apnea, although for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure to be effective, patients must consistently use the nasal mask and commit to other lifestyle changes as well, such as losing weight. Unfortunately, many people find Continuous Positive Airway Pressure a difficult treatment because of discomfort or claustrophobia. While CPAP is effective, it is often unsuccessful because of noncompliance.
What surgical treatments can cure sleep apnea?

Surgery to increase the size of the airway can be a successful treatment for sleep apnea. Younger patients especially may benefit from the removal of tonsils or adenoids. Other surgeries focus on reducing the excess tissue at the back of the throat (the soft palate and uvula) or reconstructing the jaw.

The surgical tools used in procedures to remedy sleep apnea include:

* A scalpel
* Laser
* A microwaving probe

The key to successful surgery for sleep apnea is to correctly identify ahead of time the tissue that is blocking the airway. The surgical techniques are very specific to the cause of obstruction. Performing the wrong surgery can make no difference or even worsen the sleep apnea. In addition, people respond differently to the same surgery. If unsuccessful, a surgical technique can impede the success of alternative future treatments.

The most common surgical techniques for remedying sleep apnea are:

* Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP), for severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea, removes soft tissues in the back of the throat and soft palate (uvula), and thus expands air passages. Sometimes the surgeon also removes the tonsils and other loose tissues. Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty does not remove obstructions at the base of the tongue. The usual tool for removal is a scalpel. UPPP requires three to five separate treatments, each with general anesthesia and an overnight hospital stay. LAUP (below) is a similar, more modern procedure that removes tissues with a laser beam.
* Thermal Ablation Palatoplasty (TAP) treats snoring and various types of Obstructive Sleep Apnea. The types of TAP include:
o Bipolar cautery
o Laser-Assisted Uvula Palatoplasty (LAUP) vaporizes the uvula and a portion of the palate with a laser in the doctor's office under local anesthesia. LAUP effectively removes obstructions to the airway, which may be causing snoring or sleep apnea. Laser-Assisted Uvula Palatoplasty has a higher success rate than UPPP, but it requires a surgeon with expertise in laser procedures.
o Radiofrequency ablation, or somnoplasty, shrinks excess tissue in the upper airway with a needle electrode. For snoring, the soft palate and uvula are reduced. For Obstructive Sleep Apnea, the base of the tongue is reduced. For chronic nasal obstruction, nasal turbinates are reduced. Somnoplasty does not require general anesthesia.
* Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy are recommended for children with serious snoring problems. These procedures remove the tonsils and adenoids.
* Genioglossusandhyod advancement prevents collapse of the lower throat tissues and pulls the tongue muscles forward to open the obstructed airway.

What are the types of dental appliances, oral devices, or jaw adjustment devices for sleep apnea, and how do they work?

A wide range of dental appliances, oral devices, and lower jaw adjusters can reduce sleep apnea episodes. Oral devices work by bringing the lower jaw forward during sleep. Most of the products fit inside the mouth, but some products are worn around the head and chin to adjust the position of the lower jaw.

Most of the products that fit inside the mouth are acrylic and look similar to an athletic mouth guard or an orthodontic appliance. Two examples of dental appliances are:

* Mandibular Repositioning Device (MRD): The Mandibular Repositioning Device works by bringing the lower jaw forward during sleep. If the lower jaw and tongue remain forward during sleep, the air passage of the throat opens up. This is the most commonly used device.
* Tongue Retaining Device (TRD), or a splint, keeps the tongue in place while you sleep, so that it does not fall back and block the airway.

What are the advantages and benefits of dental appliances or oral devices for sleep apnea?

Oral appliances help certain patients who have Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) or snoring. Specific benefits of dental appliances include:

* Reduction in the frequency and loudness of snoring
* Improved quality of sleep
* Reduced daytime sleepiness
* Improvement of airflow
* Reduction in sleep apnea episodes
* Smaller size and portability. Dental devices are generally smaller than Continuous Positive Airway Pressure. The small size of oral devices makes them more convenient than CPAP for traveling.
* Easier to use. Oral devices are usually straightforward and easy to use. They generally fit inside the mouth and are left in for the entire night. Dental devices are an alternative to Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP), which can be cumbersome and difficult to maintain. Lack of proper use of CPAP prevents effective treatment of the problem.
* May be as effective as some surgeries, such as uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP), which tightens flabby tissues in the throat and palate and opens the airway.

What are the problems with dental appliances or oral devices for sleep apnea?

Common problems associated with the use of dental devices include:

* Discomfort and soreness from the device
* Saliva buildup during the night
* Damage to teeth, mouth tissues, and jaw joints
* Toothache and jaw joint pain
* Nausea
* Permanent change in the position of the jaw or teeth
* Lack of long-term effectiveness in treatment because of problems with using the device
* In a limited number of cases, the use of an oral device has made sleep apnea worse.
* To avoid problems with oral appliances:
* Make sure you are a good candidate for a dental device
* Monitor the effects closely after starting to use the device

The next section defines a “good candidate” for a dental appliance.
Am I a good candidate for a dental appliance or oral appliance to treat my sleep apnea?

Make sure that you are a good candidate for a dental device, and then closely monitor the effects of the device after you start to use it.

Dentists who specialize in treating snoring, sleep apnea, or jaw misalignment can help you evaluate the devices available and determine whether you might benefit from one of them. The following characteristics make you a good candidate for an oral appliance:

* Healthy teeth
* Lack of periodontal disease
* No significant temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disease
* Reasonable range of motion in the mandible (lower jaw)
* Normal weight or only moderately overweight
* Older than 18, but younger than 65
* “Buck teeth” and a small chin
* A jaw line parallel to the floor
* The airway obstruction is in the middle of the airway, rather than very high or very low
* You sleep on your back or stomach, rather than on your side
* Diagnosed with snoring or mild to moderate Obstructive Sleep Apnea (not severe OSA)
* You have moderate to severe OSA, but cannot tolerate or refuse CPAP treatment
* You don’t respond well to weight loss or change in sleep position, or these therapies are not applicable to you
* Failure to be effectively treated with throat surgery
* You refuse tonsillectomy, adenoidectomy, craniofacial operations, or tracheostomy, or these procedures are inapplicable to you

See your dentist to discuss whether you are a good candidate for oral appliance therapy.

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/SleepApnea/SleepApnea_WhatIs.htm
http://www.sleepapnea.org/resources/pubs/evaluated.html
http://www.aafp.org/afp/991115ap/2279.html
Follow up with a physician, sleep apnea can be life-threatening. You will feel like a new person once you receive treatment. Good luck! Hope the articles assist you.