How to Easily Understand Sleep Apnea in Your Loved One

When you have a loved one who snores at night and complains of constantly feeling tired during the day despite sleeping at night, it’s time to look into it. Your loved one may be suffering from a severe sleep disorder.

A sleep disorder may be why they don’t sleep well at night and are always tired during the day. Seeking medical treatment for their sleep disorder will positively impact their general health.

Additionally, when your loved one seeks treatment, they will increase their productivity and spare you from sleepless nights at the same time. It’s advisable to visit a doctor for examination and assessment.

To diagnose and treat a sleep disorder like apnea, your loved one must visit a sleep specialist or a dentist. At the doctors, they will have a comprehensive examination and oral evaluation. After the examination, a doctor will develop an ideal treatment plan for your loved one. A sleep specialist or a dentist may recommend oral appliances and therapy to help with the apnea.

Causes of Sleep Apnea

The leading cause of sleep apnea is blockage in the upper airway while a person sleeps; this usually happens when the soft tissues at the rear of the throat collapse. The throat and upper airways consist of some cartilage and muscles. When these muscles in the upper airways weaken, they fall on themselves or collapse during sleep, blocking the airways.

At other times, a person may experience snoring caused by a weakened soft palate (a soft palate is a muscle that ensures that food doesn’t go up in the nose but ends up in the esophagus). When sleeping, most muscles relax, including the soft palate, which may lead to variations in airflow if it is incredibly relaxed. Sometimes, the tongue may relax too much and put unwanted pressure on the upper airways, thereby blocking it.

Types of Sleep Apnea

• Central Sleep Apnea
•  Complex Sleep Apnea
• Obstructive sleep apnea

Symptoms of Sleep Apnea

Both obstructive and central apnea have similar symptoms, making it difficult to differentiate between the two. It is easier to notice sleep apnea symptoms in adults than in children. 

Some of the common signs to look out for when determining if your loved one has sleep apnea include:

• Loud snoring while sleeping.
• Shortness of breath as you sleep.
• Gasping for air while sleeping.   
• Morning headache.  
• Being overly tired during the day.
•  Inattention while awake. 
• Experiencing insomnia (the ability to stay asleep).
•  Waking up with a dry mouth.
• Episodes of not breathing (your bed partner will report this). 
• Excessive sleepiness during the day.
• Sexual dysfunction. 
• Trouble while concentrating.    
• Night sweats.

It can be tricky to realize if your child is suffering from sleep apnea. However, the following signs will help you:

• A decrease in school performance.
• Night sweats.
• They will develop some behavioral or learning disorders.
• They take unusual positions while sleeping, like sleeping on their knees and hands. Sometimes, you will notice they have extended their necks extensively.
• Bedwetting.
• Excessive tiredness during the day.

Effects of Sleep Apnea

If a person does not receive treatment for sleep apnea on time, it may lead to some of the following health issues:

• Stroke, 
• Hypertension
• Diabetes,
• Heart attack
• Congestive heart failure,
• Arrhythmias, and
• Cardiomyopathy.
• It may cause a road or a work-related accident,
• Poor academic achievements in children,
• Job impairment

When you realize you or your partner has sleep apnea, you will need to find out the severity of the disorder to receive the best care that will ease the condition. 

A sleep specialist will determine the severity of sleep apnea by the number of pauses during sleep.

For mild apnea, you will have between five and fourteen episodes of breathing interruptions within one hour. 

In moderate sleep apnea, your breathing will have between 15 to 30 episodes of breathing interruptions within one hour.

 While in severe sleep apnea, you will experience more than 30 sleep interruptions within one hour.

Treatment for Sleep Apnea

Once your doctor diagnoses you with obstructive sleep apnea, they will offer you some treatment options. Some of these treatments will include using a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine or oral appliance therapy.

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP)

In this treatment method, a positive pressure above the atmospheric pressure is applied continuously on the upper part of the respiratory tract of the affected person. This positive pressure will help prevent the upper airway collapse in obstructive sleep apnea or where the patient suffers from acute heart failure as it reduces breathing work.

CPAP is one of the most effective methods of treating mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea. The gentle, positive pressure assists in preventing the upper airways from being blocked or collapsing. If used correctly following the doctor’s instructions, CPAP is 100% effective in treating obstructive sleep apnea. 

How Does a CPAP Machine Operate?

A CPAP machine has a motor designed to utilize room temperature by pressurizing it and then delivering this air at a constant pressure to the patient via a nose mask. The continuous pressure prevents the upper airways from blocking or collapsing and keeps them open when breathing in and out.

Situations Where a CPAP Is Not Applicable

There are some instances where CPAP may not be used on a patient even though they are suffering from obstructive sleep apnea like:

• When a person suffering from sleep apnea cannot breathe on their own.
• When the patient is suffering from facial burns or trauma,
• Unstable patient due to a respiratory condition.
• An anxious or uncooperative person.

Sometimes, you may stop using a CPAP to treat obstructive sleep apnea if you experience nasal congestion, your mask leaks, or if you experience abdominal bloating and general discomfort. All these may lead you to try oral appliance therapy.

Oral Appliance Therapy

You should consult your dentist and physician to determine if you can opt for an oral appliance to treat obstructive sleep apnea effectively. You can have a custom-made oral appliance fitted by your dentist. You will then place the device in your mouth while sleeping to prevent blockage or collapse of your upper airway during sleep. 

The appliance usually prevents your tongue and oropharyngeal tissue from blocking your upper airway, enabling you to sleep uninterrupted.

Various oral appliances will ensure your upper airway doesn’t collapse or have a blockage. These appliances generally move your mandible, soft palate, and tongue to provide enough pharyngeal space. Oral appliances operate by stabilizing and repositioning your soft palate, mandible, hyoid bone, and tongue in a forward position.

For stabilizing and repositioning, your dentist will use a custom-made oral appliance on your mouth rather than a non-custom-made device. Your dentist should evaluate you for any adverse effects of the appliance on you over time.

Benefits of Oral Appliance Therapy

• They are easy to use
• Custom-made to suit your mouth
• It is tranquil
• You can use them if you are unable to tolerate PAP
• You can travel with it since it is easy to carry
• It doesn’t require electricity
• It reduces snoring at night and helps improve OSA symptoms like fatigue and moodiness.

Risks Associated with Oral Appliance Device Therapy

Though the benefits associated with oral appliance therapy are numerous, several risks come with this device. Before you go for oral appliance therapy, you should go through the risks with your dentist and determine if it is still worth it. Some of the risks include:

• Your bite will change
• Experience TMJ (temporomandibular joint), teeth, and jaw pain
• You may experience excessive drooling,
• Your teeth may loosen
• Experience mouth dryness
• After all is done, you may need to have a dental replacement.

How is Oral Appliance Device Fitted?

Once you’ve weighed the risks and benefits of oral appliance devices and decided to go forward with the therapy, you will need to consult an experienced dentist and evaluate them. Your dentist will then determine if you qualify for the treatment, and if you do, they will make an impression that resembles your teeth. Once your oral appliance device with your appearance is ready, your dentist will call you back to check if it fits.

After removing the appliance, your dentist will also give you a repositioner to help with your bite in the morning. The work of a repositioner is to realign your bite after a night with the oral appliance. You will also receive instructions on using the oral appliance device at night and cleaning the appliance after use in the morning. Visiting your dentist to adjust the appliance to fit optimal care and use is advisable.

Types of Oral Appliances Therapy Devices

There are three main types of oral appliance therapy devices, namely:

Mouth Guard

Mouthguard uses the boil-and-bite method, where you put the plastic mold in some boiling water for a short time. The plastic softens, and you can then place it on your lower jaw, where it molds onto your teeth. This device helps reposition your lower jaw to a lesser degree and protects your upper airway from collapsing or blockages. 

Snore Guard

Your dentist can fit a snore guard if you suffer from mild or moderate sleep apnea. A snore guard will move your lower jaw, creating an underbite that will help your tongue pull out, making it easier to avoid blocking your airways. When this intentional underbite lasts for some time, it leads to a lasting altered bite. You should make sure to visit your dentist as the process is slow and takes time.

Mandibular Advancement or Repositioning Device

These devices snap over your upper and lower teeth and have metallic screws and hinges which can tighten and push your lower jaw forward while you sleep. A mandibular advancement device is made up of molded hard plastic. Your dentist can make a mandibular advancement device custom-made to fit in your mouth, but ensure that an experienced dentist does it.

Tongue-retaining devices

 You can have a tongue-retaining device to hold your tongue out and forward throughout the night. This device is made of a soft plastic material that you place around your tongue. A tongue-retaining device can be very uncomfortable and usually leaves your mouth dry.

Contact A Sleep Specialist or Dentist Near Me.

When you face symptoms that indicate you are suffering from sleep apnea, you should contact your local dentist, who will direct you to an experienced sleep specialist. If you do not have a dentist, you can consult your local health provider, who will guide you in the right direction. 

Remember to ask about all the available treatment options for your condition. Please do not shy away from seeking medical attention, as this will ease your discomfort and guarantee your partner receives their much-needed sleep.