What Is The Big Difference Concerning Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Central Sleep Apnea?

We generally hear sleep apnea being discussed like a condition that's distinguished by loud, chronic snoring. But that is not always the case. When a person is affected with obstructive apnea, they snore as air pushes past a completely or partially blocked airway, with the breathing interruptions happening a minimum of 5 and often more than 30 times an hour. In the event you share your bed with someone who hasn't resolved his / her obstructive apnea, you are aware how annoying this really is. Not only do the breathing interruptions lead to your partner's moving from the state of deep sleep to light sleep, nevertheless they might have the same impact on you, leaving the two of you feeling tired, irritable and not able to concentrate during waking hours.

However, when your partner is suffering from central apnea, you may not know that she or he is experiencing sleep apnea. As opposed to obstructive apnea that results from a blocked airway, central apnea is brought on by the brain's ineffectively communicating the correct breathing actions towards the breathing muscles. Consequently, the sufferer intermittently gasps for air rather than snoring. Central apnea is less common that obstructive apnea, however it is no less dangerous to a person's long-term well being. Both obstructive and central apnea can increase an individual's risk for a myriad of negative health issues, including high blood pressure, hypertension, heart failure, diabetes, erection dysfunction, obesity, depression and poor concentration. However the most damaging effect of sleep apnea is its weakening of the immune system. As with all insomnia issues, the insufficient sleep that results form apnea causes immune cells to operate with less efficiency and therefore decreases your body's ability to fight off infection and disease.

So, what's the best way to determine the presence of apnea and then correct it? The initial step is to see your current physician or plan a consultation with a sleep medicine clinic. Your physician may be able to conclude that you are afflicted by apnea upon conducting a physical investigation, especially given that enlarged tonsils and obesity commonly lead to obstructive apnea. However when apnea is suspected and its cause isn't immediately obvious, getting a polysomnogram from a sleep clinic is the greatest method to determine the cause of apnea, especially in the situation of central apnea.

A polysomnogram is a non-invasive procedure which uses sensors to observe someone's brain functions and physical movements when they sleep. Once the test reveals the nature as well as the reason behind the apnea, the proper course of treatment is determined. Apnea treatments vary from sleep masks that stop the closing of airways to prescription medication to surgical treatments, with surgery being the very least common treatment.

Whatever type of apnea treatment your physician recommends, it is important that you or your partner have the treatment as quickly as possible. In the event that surgery is recommended and you also begin to believe that the sleep disturbances and daytime fatigue are better than undergoing surgery, remember that untreated apnea predisposes you to serious medical conditions which are also prone to require surgery.

Snoring is easily the most common symbol of obstructive sleep apnea. But simply because you don't snore does not mean you do not have sleep apnea. Central sleep apnea commonly happens without snoring but is every bit as dangerous. For help with apnea as well as other sleep problems, get hold of your physician or simply a sleep clinic. Visit FusionSleep.com for more information and get a good nights sleep.

While conducting research for this article, I learned about problems with sleep and sleep clinic at www.FusionSleep.com