Sleep apnea is a condition that affects inhalation and exhalation during sleeping. It often causes snoring. Sleep apnea can easily be identified if you have slept a full night, and still wake up feeling tired.
Common symptoms of Sleep Apnea
If you have experienced loud snoring, episodes in which you stop breathing during sleeping, usually reported by another person monitoring you are common symptoms of sleep apnea. Along with these, gasping for air, awakening with a dry mouth, insomnia, hypersomnia, difficulty in staying attentive being awake, and irritability are sleep apnea symptoms.
Types of Sleep Apnea
Obstructive Sleep Apnea: This condition usually occurs when the muscles of the throat relax.
Central Sleep Apnea: This condition occurs when the brain stops sending proper signals for controlling breathing to muscles.
Complex Sleep Apnea Syndrome: This condition comprises both obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea.
Causes of Sleep Apnea
The changes in the lifestyle and sleeping patterns of people lead to a growing prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea with increasing work stress. In addition, the rising cases of sleep disorders with associated health conditions such as obesity and heart disease lead to the increasing demand for sleep apnea devices.
Sleep Apnea Treatment
The sleep apnea treatment provides ease in opening the airways for better inhalation and exhalation during sleeping. There are numerous devices to treat such conditions. CPAP is a most common technology comprised of numerous mouth appliances, machines, and specially designed machines.
CPAP
CPAP stands for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure. These machines are equipped with a mask that fits over both nose and mouth or only the nose. It blows air at pressure for keeping the airways open during sleep.
Mouth Devices for Sleep Apnea
Mandibular Advancement Device: It is a device that looks similar to a mouth guard worn by athletes. This snaps over both the tooth lower and upper. The hinges keep the lower jaw forward, which makes the tongue and soft palate stable to keep the airways open while asleep.
Tongue Retaining Device: It is similar to a splint that keeps the airway open by holding the tongue in place. Usually, doctors provide it as MAD.
Position Pillows: If you have ever searched for solutions online, then you must have found types of pillows to provide relief. These pillows can be used either the ways with or without a CPAP machine. You may find these pillows in different styles such as wedge shape that lifts the upper body.
Nerve Stimulation Devices
A hypoglossal nerve stimulator is utilized in a condition when the tongue or other tissue falls back and blocks the airway. It is a small size about the size of a pacemaker. Doctors may insert it in the chest through surgery. It can be turned on and off through a remote. This device monitors breathing patterns and sends signals to nerves for controlling muscles, including the tongue.
The major companies operating in the industry are Natus Medical Incorporated, BRAEBON Medical Corporation, Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Limited, ResMed Inc., SLEEPON Inc., Alaxo GmbH, and BMC Medical Co. Ltd.
Therefore, radical shifts in lifestyle, stress, obesity, and cardiac diseases, lead to growing prevalence of sleep disorders.