What is Sleep Apnea? How Does Sleep Apnea Occur? What are the Symptoms of Sleep Apnea? In people with sleep apnea, respiratory arrest occurs during sleep.
WHAT IS SLEEP APNEA?
Sleep Apnea occurs when there is a breathing disorder during sleep. In people with sleep apnea, respiratory arrests occur during sleep. These can be in varying numbers depending on the severity of the disease. The number of stops per hour is important for us. People with the disease experience obstructions in breathing during the night. This is mostly reported by relatives of the individual. The statements are more like "Your breathing stops, you are blocked, you have difficulty breathing in and out". They also have other problems themselves. These are waking up too much at night, headache in the morning, excessive fatigue during the day, falling asleep, individuals have such complaints. Apart from this, there is loud snoring. People with sleep apnea snore very loudly.
SYMPTOMS OF SLEEP APNEA
Sleep is a vital process for us. It allows us to function during the day. If we cannot sleep, if we cannot get our sleep, our mental functions and metabolic functions are impaired. The most common conditions in people with sleep apnea are attention concentration disorders, insomnia and depression. Apart from this, hypertension is a condition seen in people with sleep apnea. Apart from hypertension, heart diseases also cause sleep apnea. Sleep apnea causes obesity. No matter how much they diet, they cannot lose weight. Sleep apnea is more common in obese individuals with more fat in their neck areas. The person may not realize this very much. However, when they go to a doctor, the doctor can tell them. In children, especially children with tonsils and adenoids are at risk. This should also be taken into consideration. Since the child's breathing is blocked, he/she cannot grow and his/her school success decreases. It should also not be neglected in children. However, sleep apnea is slightly more common in men. Women are also at risk if they have thickening in their neck areas.
WHAT THE SLEEP LAB IS FOR
People come with sleep problems. The most frequently reported problem is 'I sleep all the time during the day, my wife says that I get blocked while sleeping'. In such cases, in the sleep laboratory, we attach electrodes to the muscles and legs where respiratory movements are made and record sleep. We provide treatment accordingly.
STAGES OF SLEEP APNEA
There are mild, moderate and severe stages of sleep apnea. We call it mild when the number of respiratory arrests per hour is between 5 and 15, moderate between 15-30 and severe if it is over 30. When it is mild, the patient's relatives notice it less. We have very interesting patients. He wakes up a few hours after going to bed at night. He went to many doctors, was given sleeping pills and they did not cure his problem. We found that he had a sleep apnea that was not very severe. When we treated it, he started not waking up. We see problems such as waking up at night and not being able to sleep in our mild and moderate patients.
SLEEP APNEA TREATMENT
If the discomfort is mild or moderate, surgical treatment is possible. Especially if there is a stenosis. This is more preferred in children. If there is adenoid, a condition that blocks the throat, removing it causes it to expand. Apart from this, we give device treatment. We give air to the throat through a hose. This helps to keep the airway open. Although this may sound uncomfortable, it is not. After using it for a few nights, you do not feel its presence or absence. Especially patients with heart failure need urgent treatment
When left untreated, sleep apnea can cause high blood pressure, heart failure and even sudden death in sleep. Especially patients with blood pressure and heart failure need urgent treatment. Especially patients with heart failure need urgent treatment. Sleep apnea can lead to diabetes. It can be treated with diabetes medication, but since the main problem is sleep apnea, it cannot be fully treated. People with sleep apnea cannot lose weight with diet. These patients lose weight only after treatment. After treatment, we can see patients who reduce their sugar medication, stop their blood pressure medication and lose weight. Since it is a disorder that seriously affects from the cardiovascular system to metabolism, treatment should not be neglected.
