This article covers diagnostic tests and treatment strategies for combating Sleep apnea.
Outline
•Diagnostic tests to detect sleep apnea
Polysomnography at hospital and home
•Treatments of sleep apnea:
Life style changes
Oropharyngeal muscle exercises,
Tracheostomy
CPAP/ APAP/BPAP machines
•Diagnostic Tests for sleep apnea: (Tests to detect sleep apnea)
To detect sleep apnea, healthcare providers typically use overnight sleep studies Polysomnography or home sleep apnea tests which monitor breathing, heart rate, blood oxygen levels, and brain activity during sleep
Nocturnal Polysomnography. During this test, you're hooked up to equipment that monitors your heart, lung and brain activity, breathing patterns, in arm and leg movements, and blood oxygen levels while you sleep.
Polysomnography is the gold standard for diagnosing sleep apnea. During this test, you sleep in a sleep laboratory while sensors monitor your heart rate, breathing, blood oxygen levels, brain activity, and other physiological functions.
Home Sleep test:
A simplified version of a polysomnogram, allowing you to sleep at home while wearing a device that monitors breathing, heart rate, and blood oxygen levels.
Precautions during a Sleep Study:
Sensors: You'll wear sensors on your fingers, chest, and head to monitor various functions.
Overnight monitoring: The study typically takes place overnight in a sleep laboratory or at home.
Data Analysis: A sleep specialist will analyze the data collected during the study to determine if you have sleep apnea and its severity.
•Treatments of sleep apnea:
There's no cure for sleep apnea, but treatments and lifestyle changes may reduce your sleep apnea symptoms.
You cannot treat sleep apnea yourself. It is a medical condition that requires proper diagnosis and treatment by a healthcare professional or sleep specialist.
However, you can practice the natural remedies to reduce your risk of developing sleep apnea or make your treatment more vegas effective.
Keep your nasal passages open while you sleep.
Research shows that even a 30-minute walk can contribute to weight loss, better breathing, and reduced sleep apnea symptoms.
Additionally, researchers have discovered that brisk walking or weight training can improve sleep apnea symptoms by 25%. Regularly moving your body is also a natural way to control blood pressure, which is beneficial if you suffer from sleep apnea since it is linked to several cardiovascular issues.
Mouth and throat exercises, also known as Oropharyngeal muscle exercises, can improve obstructive sleep apnea and reduce snoring.
Diaphragmatic breathing ise the best exercise for sleep apnea
Inhale deeply through your nose as your stomach pushes outward against your hand. Exhale slowly through your nose. The hand on your chest should remain still at all times. Repeat this exercise for 5-10 minutes every day.
There's no cure for sleep apnea, but treatments and lifestyle changes may reduce your sleep apnea symptoms.
If nonsurgical treatment fails to help you sleep through the night without interruptions in breathing, specialists at NYU Langone may recommend surgery to reduce obstructive sleep apnea and snoring. Some people may have several causes of obstruction, and more than one procedure may be necessary
Tracheostomy:
The surgery called tracheostomy (which puts a permanent opening in your neck to your windpipe) almost always cures sleep apnea that is caused by block of upper wind pipe.
While tracheostomy can be effective, other treatments for OSA, such as CPAP, surgery to address the upper airway, and weight loss, are often considered first.
Considerations:
Tracheostomy is a major surgery and can have complications.
It requires ongoing care and management of the tracheostomy tube.
The decision to proceed with a tracheostomy should be made in consultation with a medical professional, considering the individual's specific circumstances and the potential risks and benefits.
CPAP machine is used to treat obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) CPAP machine uses a hose connected to a mask or nose piece to deliver constant and steady air pressure to help you breathe while you sleep..
CPAP therapy is safe when used as prescribed by a medical professional. In fact, CPAP therapy is designed to improve your lung function by ensuring you receive a steady flow of oxygen throughout the night
. A typical CPAP machine costs around $500 to $1,650.
CPAP is more commonly used because it's been well studied for obstructive sleep apnea and has been shown to effectively treat the condition. People who have difficulty tolerating fixed CPAP might want to try BPAP or APAP . Don't stop using your positive airway pressure machine if you have problems
Auto-adjusting positive airway pressure (APAP) machines are similar to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines. Both machines are designed to treat obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a condition where the throat muscles relax during sleep and block the airway.
BAP commonly known as BiPap or BPap. It's a type of device that helps with breathing (ventilator). This is a noninvasive ventilation. It's called noninvasive because no tubes are placed into your body or lungs, unlike traditional ventilators.
Information complied by Dr.Bhairavsinh Raol
