Sleep Apnea Treatment
Many men, women, and even children suffer from loud frequent snoring that may be a sign of a potentially life-threatening disorder: Obstructive Sleep Apnea, also known as OSA.
In the United States and many other countries, sleep apnea is fairly common. It is estimated that 1 in 5 adults has at least mild sleep apnea and 1 in 15 adults has at least moderate sleep apnea. OSA also affects 1% to 3% of children often due to large tonsils and adenoids. During sleep, the upper airway can be blocked by excess tissue, large tonsils, and/or a large tongue. Airway muscles also relax during sleep and collapse on the airways.
When breathing stops for brief moments it is called “apnea”. When the body detects moments of apnea, it triggers the brain to awaken the person just enough to restart the breathing process. This cycle repeats many times during the night and may result in poor sleep along with a number of health-related problems. Sleep apnea is typically defined as the presence of >30 apneic episodes during a seven-hour sleep. In severe cases, periods of apnea may last for as long as 60 to 90 seconds and may recur up to 500 times a night!
Symptoms of Sleep Apnea include:
- Loud snoring
- Witnessed episodes of not breathing during sleep
- Abrupt awakening with gasping or choking
- Waking up with a dry mouth or sore throat
- Excessive daytime fatigue
- Difficulty concentrating during the day
- Morning headache
- Decreased sexual drive
- Mood changes, such as depression or irritability
- High blood pressure
Obstructive sleep apnea can be a potentially life-threatening condition and it requires medical attention. Not treating OSA can put one at risk for a heart attack, stroke, irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, and heart disease. Furthermore, OSA causes daytime drowsiness that can result in accidents, lost productivity, and conflicts in interpersonal relationships. Symptoms may be mild, moderate, or severe.
How is Sleep Apnea Diagnosed and Treated?
If you have any OSA symptoms, it’s important you visit your primary care provider for a complete examination, testing, and accurate diagnosis.
Once diagnosed, obstructive sleep apnea can be effectively treated. Depending on the degree of OSA, treatment options may range from lifestyle modifications to oral surgery.
When lifestyle changes, weight loss, oral appliances, and other devices fail to improve symptoms and effects of sleep apnea, oral surgery may be considered.
Oral surgery for sleep apnea treatment is a viable option for some OSA patients. However, it is important to remember that surgery comes with risks and it is not right for everyone.
Common Surgical Procedures for the Treatment of Sleep Apnea include:
- Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP): This surgical approach is helpful when the airway collapses at the soft palate (the back of the roof of your mouth). UPPP is typically performed on those patients who don’t tolerate or for some reason cannot use a C-PAP machine. The UPPP procedure stiffens and shortens the soft palate by cutting the uvula and minimizing the edge of the soft palate.
- Hyoid Suspension: If the tongue base is where excess tissue is obstructing the airway, a hyoid suspension may be performed. The hyoid bone is a small U-shaped bone in the neck located above the level of the thyroid cartilage (a.k.a. the Adam’s apple) that attaches to the muscles of the tongue as well as other soft tissues of the throat. The procedure anchors the hyoid bone to the thyroid cartilage to stabilize this section of the airway.
- Genioglossus Advancement (GGA): The GGA procedure is designed to open up the upper breathing passage of the throat. The procedure tightens the front tongue tendon thus reducing the degree that the tongue will fall back into the throat. The GGA is usually performed with at least one other procedure such as the UPPP or hyoid suspension.
- Maxillomandibular Advancement (MMA): MMA is a surgical procedure that pushes the upper and lower jaws forward thus making more room in the airway. Along with the bones, the soft tissues of the tongue and palate are also moved forward, further opening the upper airway. For some individuals, the MMA is the only approach that effectively creates the necessary air passageway to resolve their sleep apnea.
Obstructive sleep apnea can be a potentially life-threatening condition and it requires medical attention. Not treating OSA can put one at risk for a heart attack, stroke, irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, and heart disease. Furthermore, OSA causes daytime drowsiness that can result in accidents, lost productivity, and conflicts in interpersonal relationships. Symptoms may be mild, moderate, or severe.
