Sleep apnea information

Christopher R. Tyson

Sleep Apnea Information
What is sleep apnea and what are the treatments

Now that I have been diagnosed with sleep apnea, what is it, what is the cure or what it the treatment options.

Basically sleep apnea occurs when your airway becomes occluded, closed or obstructed, and you stop breathing, this can last several seconds to a couple of minutes, until your brain realizes you are not breathing and wakes you up so you will take a deep breath and start breathing again.

Things that help control or treat sleep apnea can range from stop drinking alcohol, lose weight, wear an oral appliance or use a CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) machine while sleeping.

More to come ...

What is sleep apnea? - The most common form of sleep apnea is Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). As the name suggests this condition is caused when your airway is obstructed (occluded) not allowing one to breathe.

What is the definition of apnea? - Apnea literally mean "without breath."

What are the three type of apnea? - The three types of sleep apnea are: Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), Central Sleep Apnea (CSA), and Mixed Sleep Apnea (MSA).

How is sleep apnea diagnosed? - Sleep apnea is diagnosed in a sleep center where one is connected with EEG wires and other devices to let the sleep center measure how and when one is breathing or not.

Treatments for sleep apnea. - The most popular treatment of sleep apnea is the CPAP machine. Another treatment is an oral appliance that is made by a dentist.

What is CPAP? - CPAP stands for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure. This machine applies a constant air pressure to your airway through a mask that fits over ones nose or mouth and nose. This pressure keeps the airway open so one can continue breathing without interruption.

Other things that can help. - If you are overweight, then losing weight will help.

Resources:
- www.cpap.org
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| Sleep Apnea | Westmoreland Park |

Mattaponi, Virginia - Revised: 19 April 2009 crt