OSA is a commonly seen disorder in the US and a potentially serious one too. The earlier a person is diagnosed with the disorder and provided treatment for it, the better. If treatment is delayed, it can lead to strokes, road accidents and heart attacks in adults and slowed growth, increased bedwetting, heart trouble and attention deficit problems in children. At this point, this question may be moving through your head “How do I know if I have obstructive sleep apnea?” Well, this article looks at the symptoms/warning signs that you and your sleeping partner should be aware of. Though both men and women can get the sleeping disorder, middle-aged heavy men (with a neck size exceeding 17 inches) are more likely to develop it.
Symptoms of Obstructive Sleep Apnea You Can Notice
If you have this disorder, you may fall asleep rather quickly. When you wake up, you would notice symptoms such as these:
• Excessive sweatingrn• Headachern• A racing heart or palpitations – This is because of the lack of oxygen that the disorder causesrn• Gummy front teeth and an extremely dry mouthrn• Not feeling refreshed despite the nocturnal sleep of 6 to 8 hoursrn• A need to nap or sleep often in the day however the short naps are not very effective in refreshing yourn• Lower pain thresholdrn• Loss of memoryrn• Poor concentrationrn• Depressionrn• Irritabilityrn• Mood swingsrn• Fatiguern• Tend to fall asleep when eating, talking to someone or driving a car
The following are symptoms that you won’t realize but your partner would:
• Constant and loud snoringrn• You sleep with your mouth openrn• Very often wake up for a couple of seconds to get some air
It is more difficult to identify the symptoms in children so if you have any doubts, don’t hesitate to discuss them with your primary care physician.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea Treatment
If you have some of the symptoms described above, chances are that you do have OSA. In that case, the first thing you should do is consult a certified sleep medicine physician. Following that, you would undergo a sleep study called a polysomnogram to evaluate the degree of seriousness of your OSA. Though the majority of patients are usually advised use of a nasal CPAP machine initially, the device is cumbersome and difficult to comply with. Surgical treatment is a more convenient option. The different types of procedures performed for the purpose at established plastic surgery centers are:
• Tonsillectomyrn• Genioglossus advancementrn• MMA (Maxillomandibular advancement)
• UPPP (Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty)
• Hyoid myotomyrn• Distraction osteogenesisrn• Tracheostomy
Now you not only have the answer to “How do I know if I have obstructive sleep apnea?” but have also become aware of the different treatment options. You can get more information about the different types of surgery from a plastic surgeon who specializes in sleep surgery.