snoring and sleep apnea?

Question

ok just posted 2 questions, what age do you start to snore and what age can sleep apnea start.
The reason being, my g/f has told me that i have sleep apnea(no doubt about it she said). And go see a doc. And it was the first night we were together lol. I said whats sleep apnea as im 37, and surely i cant have a problem. But she reassured me i have. I have always felt kind of tired since i left school, lol. i get a good nights sleep and can still feel tired. Though that could be anything and not sleep apnea, stress or something. Thats why i posted the 2 questions. I did see my doc about the sleep apnea but he just laughed. I am slightly overweight and sleep on my back. Now im wondering how long i could have had sleep apnea ?? help!!!!!!!

Answer 1

The Greek word "apnea" literally means "without breath." There are three types of apnea: obstructive, central, and mixed; of the three, obstructive is the most common. Despite the difference in the root cause of each type, in all three, people with untreated sleep apnea stop breathing repeatedly during their sleep, sometimes hundreds of times during the night and often for a minute or longer.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is caused by a blockage of the airway, usually when the soft tissue in the rear of the throat collapses and closes during sleep. In central sleep apnea, the airway is not blocked but the brain fails to signal the muscles to breathe. Mixed apnea, as the name implies, is a combination of the two. With each apnea event, the brain briefly arouses people with sleep apnea in order for them to resume breathing, but consequently sleep is extremely fragmented and of poor quality.

Sleep apnea is very common, as common as adult diabetes, and affects more than twelve million Americans, according to the National Institutes of Health. Risk factors include being male, overweight, and over the age of forty, but sleep apnea can strike anyone at any age, even children. Yet still because of the lack of awareness by the public and healthcare professionals, the vast majority remain undiagnosed and therefore untreated, despite the fact that this serious disorder can have significant consequences.

Untreated, sleep apnea can cause high blood pressure and other cardiovascular disease, memory problems, weight gain, impotency, and headaches. Moreover, untreated sleep apnea may be responsible for job impairment and motor vehicle crashes. Fortunately, sleep apnea can be diagnosed and treated. Several treatment options exist, and research into additional options continues.

If you suspect that you have sleep apnea and need to see a doctor about your symptoms, we suggest that you first check your insurance policy before making any appointments. You may be required to get a referral to a sleep specialist from your primary care physician and/or you may be required to go to a certain testing facility. In some cases, your primary care physician orders the tests and receives the results for you. Keep in mind that you may be tested in a sleep center or laboratory or in your own home. Some insurance policies require specific consultation or procedures. You could undergo a "split-night" study in the sleep lab. (During a split-night study, the first half of the night is the testing phase. If the study shows you have sleep apnea, during the second half of the night you begin treatment for sleep apnea.)

Doctors who know sleep medicine may be pulmonologists (specializing in lungs), neurologists (the brain), otolaryngologists (the ears, nose, and throat), psychiatry (mental health), or primary care physicians such as internists or family practitioners. Their expertise in the field of sleep may come from having trained with other sleep specialists and/or having studied sleep medicine through a residency program, continuing medical education (CME) courses, and scientific meetings. Some have taken additional tests and are "certified" by the American Board of Sleep Medicine (ABSM). In any case, a sleep doctor may hold one of many degrees that meet the requirements of the ABSM: an MD, DO, MB (the European equivalent of an MD), a PhD, or a PsyD in a health-related field. In addition, some dentists have studied sleep apnea and, when appropriate, treat sleep apnea patients by fitting them with an oral appliance. You should ask any doctor or dentist about his/her credentials and experience. You should also be satisfied with the explanations and how it will be diagnosed and treated in your particular case.

The sleep study uses several devices to record activity during sleep. These generally include an electroencephalogram (EEG) to measure brain waves and an electroculogram (EOG) to measure eye and chin movement, both to monitor the different stages of sleep; an electrocardiogram (EKG) to measure heart rate and rhythm; chest bands to measure breathing movements; and additional monitors to sense oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the blood as well as monitors to record leg movement. None of the devices is painful and there are no needles involved.

If your sleep study is negative (i.e., if the results show that you do not have sleep apnea) but you still have symptoms of a sleep disorder, such as falling asleep easily and/or sometimes inappropriately even after obtaining enough sleep at night, you may need to be tested again. You may also need to be tested with more sophisticated equipment, equipment that is not always used in every sleep study. For more information, talk to your doctor or sleep specialist.

Answer 2

Snoring and sleep apnea are not necessarily the same thing. Sleep apnea is when you quit breathing while sleeping, usually by obstruction. Sleep apneics do snore, but just because you snore does not mean you have sleep apnea. This can be determined by a sleep study, which determines if you do actually stop breathing while sleeping, and how frequently. Medical treatment includes the use of a cpap machine, and losing weight usually helps. Try sleeping on your side, (you can put a tennis ball in a pocket in the middle of your t-shirt back to keep you from sleeping in that position). People with sleep apnea rarely make it into the deep sleep your body needs because they wake themselves up when they quit breathing, so they are tired despite enough hours of sleep. Make an appointment to get it checked out, because it can affect your health, and if you go for surgery, make sure you mention it to the anesthesia team (can affect the kind of anesthesia you receive) . Good Luck

Answer 3

The signs and symptoms that follow apply to both adults and children suffering with sleep apnea)

Additional signs of obstructive sleep apnea include restless sleep, and loud snoring (with periods of silence followed by gasps). Other symptoms are non-specific: morning headaches, trouble concentrating, irritability, forgetfulness, mood or behavior changes, decreased sex drive, increased heart rate, anxiety, depression, increased frequency of urination, nocturia (getting up during the night to urinate), esophageal reflux and heavy sweating at night.

The most serious consequence of obstructive sleep apnea is to the heart. In severe and prolonged cases, there are increases in pulmonary pressures that are transmitted to the right side of the heart. This can result in a severe form of congestive heart failure . This is SERIOUS.... See a Sleep specialist ASAP.

Answer 4

If your doctor just laughed, you need a new doctor. Sleep apnea has been diagnosed in children as young as 6 years of age. It can contribute to things like heart disease and kidney failure. Find another doctor and get a referral for a sleep study.

Answer 5

sounds like you have had it for awhile=ask the Dr to send you to a sleep clinic for the test to see if you do have sleep apnea =this will ease all your minds

Answer 6

Well it might help if you drop a few pounds if you think you need it, but also you can stop sleeping on your back and start sleeping on your stomach, or on your sides...that feels much better....I thought I had that too once...but it went away because I chose a different position to sleep in...trust me, it works!

Answer 7

the doctor laughed? what a jerk.

you can research it at WebMD.com or just talk to another doctor...