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OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA

SYMPTOMS

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a condition that causes breathing to repeatedly start and stop during sleep. This is caused by tissues in the neck blocking the airway, which then leads to pauses in breathing (apnea) and decreased oxygen levels in the blood (hypopnea) resulting in multiple awakenings that disrupt the normal sleep pattern. There are many symptoms of OSA, snoring being one of the most noticeable symptom. Here are others that could indicate OSA:

  • Gasping or choking during sleep
  • Witnessed pauses in breathing
  • Teeth grinding
  • Sore jaw muscles
  • Dry mouth
  • Excessive daytime fatigue
  • Morning headaches
  • Changes in personality or irritability
  • Problems with attention and/or memory

DIAGNOSIS

If you think you may have OSA, then you should consider a sleep test. Sleep tests are done inside a lab or a patient’s home, and the test can help your physician make an official diagnosis. During the test, your sleep is monitored and the physician can get information on your brain waves, oxygen levels, limb movements, and the number of times you stop breathing, all while you sleep. There are several important numbers that will be in a patient’s sleep report.

  • Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI): Measurement of the number of apneic and hypoxic events that occur in one hour. Apnea is defined as the cessation of breathing for at least 10 second.  Hypopneas are defined as a reduction in airflow by 50% for at least 10 seconds.
  • Respiratory Effort-Related Arousals (RERAs): Characterized as a series of breaths where airflow is decreased and respiratory effort is increased. They last at least 10 seconds and lead to awakenings that disturb the normal sleep pattern
  • Respiratory Disturbance Index (RDI): All apneas + hypopneas + RERAs per hour of sleep
  • Lowest Oxygen Saturation: The lowest oxygen concentration in your blood reached during the sleep study

OSA is divided into different severity levels depending on the number of AHIs.

  • < 5 AHI/hour = OSA not present
  • 5-15 AHI/hour = Mild OSA
  • 15-30 AHI/hour = Moderate OSA
  • > 30 AHI/hour = Severe OSA

Although, they are not full on OSA, RERAs and RDIs should not be overlooked. Whenever sleep is interrupted on a regular basis, multiple times a night, it can severely impact a person’s quality of life. It can also cause excessive fatigue and other symptoms. These symptoms may indicate Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome, or UARS, considered by many physicians to be the “bridge” between snoring and OSA. 

TREATMENT

 

There are several options for the treatment of OSA, including:

  • Weight loss
  • Avoidance of alcohol, tobacco, and sedatives before bedtime
  • Improved sleep hygiene
  • Adjustment in sleep position
  • Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP)
  • Surgery
  • Dental Sleep Therapy

If lifestyle modifications are not enough to treat the disease, dental sleep therapy (DST) may be an option. During this therapy, a custom, adjustable mouth instrument is manufactured to be worn. Once created, the instrument is worn nightly to push the lower jaw in a more forward position. This keeps your airways from being blocked by your tongue and other soft tissues, thus leading to a decrease in snoring, increased oxygen levels and improved sleep.

The Center for Sleep will work with you to create a personalized treatment plan that will ensure the most optimal health for you. We will work closely with your other medical providers to determine what treatments are best for your diagnosis. We are only successful when our patients get treatment plans they actually use, and they begin to see the results. We want to see you get a better night’s sleep, so let us help you today!