Obstructive Sleep Apnea Guide

By: Ayu Wuryandari

In Greek term, apnea means “without breath”. So, if someone has a sleep disorder which makes him repeatedly stop breathing during his sleep, the sleep disorder is called sleep apnea. It can go on for a minute or more, and many times every sleep time. This disorder can be also caused by complete blockage of the airway or by partial obstruction. There are three types of sleep apnea, obstructive, mixed, and central. Among the three types, obstructive sleep apnea is the most common case suffered by many people.

Generally, the place of the obstruction in the airway is the soft palate. It extends to the site at the tongue’s base. There are no sturdy structures to keep open the airway’s passageway. In the daytime, the muscles in this area keep the airway open. But in the night when the sufferer of obstructive sleep apnea sleeps, the muscles become relaxed, so that the airway collapses and get hampered.
When the airway is hampered or blocked, breathing stops. The sufferer then gets awakened and gasping for breathing. This may only persist a few seconds, however, this sleep disturbance actually disrupts continuous sleep. It can prevent the sufferer from getting the deeper levels of sleep. As soon as the sufferer corrects his breathing, he falls asleep again, and the same sleep disturbance will repeatedly happen throughout the night.

There are several treatments for obstructive sleep apnea available. The most common treatment used are CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) and surgery. CPAP is still the best treatment since it is very safe and effective to treat the sleep disorder. It is generally successful for all degrees of the disorder severity from mild to very severe case. It does need time to get adjusted in using CPAP. It may take 2 – 3 weeks for most people to become adjusted. The real problem is getting accustomed to sleep with a mask.
Another treatment for obstructive sleep apnea is surgery. For people who fail with CPAP treatment can take this different option. In most cases, surgery usually improves the impairment in sleep-related breathing disorders, and generally, there is a reduction in the severity of the sleep disorder after surgery. Of course, whatever treatment to take, consulting first with a doctor is an imperative.

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