Symptoms of Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Individuals with OSA may experience the following symptoms:
When To Schedule a Doctor’s Appointment
Patients should schedule a visit to their doctor if they or their partner observe the following:
During the visit, patients should ask their doctor about any other types of disorders that may cause symptoms such as chronic fatigue, sleepiness, irritability and daytime drowsiness.
Causes of Obstructive Sleep Apnea
OSA occurs when the muscles in the mouth, soft palate, tonsils and tongue relax, blocking airflow and disrupting breathing for 10 seconds or longer. This may cause decreased blood oxygen levels and a buildup of carbon dioxide.
The brain senses this impaired breathing and rouses the individual from sleep so that they can reopen the airway. The awakenings are very brief and usually not remembered. The individual may wake up with a snorting, choking or gasping sound anywhere from five to 30 times per hour, all night long. These awakenings keep the individual from reaching deep sleep and obtaining the rest they need to function normally during the day.
Many individuals with OSA are unaware that their sleep was interrupted and may think that they slept soundly during the night.
Risk Factors
The following factors may increase an individual’s risk of developing OSA:
Obstructive sleep apnea may lead to the following complications:.
- Daytime fatigue and sleepiness
- Cardiovascular problems such as high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, heart attack, heart failure and stroke
- Abnormal heart rhythms may lead to low blood pressure
- Complications with medications such as sedatives, narcotic analgesics and general anesthetics
- Complications after surgery, such as worsened breathing problems
- Eye problems, such as glaucoma
- Sleep-deprived partners
The physician will evaluate the patient’s symptoms; examine the patient’s mouth, nose and back of throat for extra tissue or abnormalities, and run a few tests to diagnose OSA. The patient may need to undergo a sleep study to give the physician a better understanding of their sleep patterns and rule out other sleep disorders.
OSA may be treated by wearing a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) mask or mouthpiece during sleep. Some patients may require surgery.