By Michelle Meadows
It’s a horrible feeling to be captain of the ship when the ship goes down. That’s how Antonina Radzikowski, 55, says she felt after falling asleep while driving down a Maryland highway one afternoon in 1994.
Radzikowski and her husband, Phillip, were heading home after dropping their teen-age son off at a gifted and talented summer program. Roughly 60 miles away from home on I-70 near
Often, people with sleep apnea do not know they have it. They are not aware that their breathing stops and starts many times while they are sleeping. Continue reading ‘For Family and Friends, What Can You Do To Help?’
Getting treatment for sleep apnea and following your doctor’s advice can help you and your family members.
Some people with sleep apnea may benefit from surgery. The type of surgery depends on the cause of the sleep apnea:
A mouthpiece (oral appliance) may be helpful in some people with mild sleep apnea. Some doctors may also recommend this if you snore loudly but do not have sleep apnea.
A custom-fit plastic mouthpiece will be made by a dentist or orthodontist. An orthodontist is a specialist in correcting teeth or jaw problems. The mouthpiece will adjust your lower jaw and your tongue to help keep the airway in your throat open while you are sleeping. Air can then flow easily into your lungs because there is less resistance to breathing. Continue reading ‘Mouthpiece’
CPAP is the most common treatment for sleep apnea. For this treatment, you will wear a mask over your nose during sleep that blows air into your throat at a pressure level that is right for you. The increased airway pressure acts to keep the throat open while you sleep. The air pressure is adjusted so that it is just enough to stop these airways from briefly getting too small during sleep.
Sleep apnea will return if CPAP is stopped or if it is not used correctly. Usually, a technician comes to your home to bring the CPAP equipment. The technician will set up the CPAP machine and make adjustments based on your doctor’s orders. Continue reading ‘Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP)’
Treatment is aimed at restoring regular nighttime breathing and relieving symptoms such as very loud snoring and daytime sleepiness.
If you have mild sleep apnea, some changes in daily activities or habits may be all that are needed:
Some of the ways to help doctors diagnose sleep apnea include:
The most common signs of sleep apnea are:
Your family members may notice the symptoms before you do. You will likely not otherwise be aware that you have problems breathing while asleep. Continue reading ‘What Are The Signs and Symptoms of Sleep Apnea?’
Anyone can have obstructive sleep apnea.
It is estimated that more than 12 million Americans have obstructive sleep apnea. More than half the people who have sleep apnea are overweight, and most snore heavily.
Adults most likely to have sleep apnea: Continue reading ‘Who Gets Obstructive Sleep Apnea?’
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