Obstructive sleep apnea, or OSA, is a sleeping disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of abnormal pauses in breathing or significant decrease in airflow caused by collapse of the upper airway in the respiratory system. By definition, apnea episodes last about an average of ten seconds.
Apnea may occur hundreds of times in a single night, one to two times a minute in severe obstructive sleep apnea victims, and is often accompanied by wide swing s in heart rate, an abrupt decrease in saturation of oxygen, and brief electroencephalogram arousals associated with stertorous breathing sounds as a burst of air is exhaled when the airway reopens.
Three major symptoms of sleep apnea include snoring, drowsiness, and other significant abnormalities during sleep apnea episodes. These signs help clinicians and dentists in assessing patients for obstructive sleep apnea. It has proven to be valuable in educating people to be sensitive in the detection of the sleeping disorder. It is also helpful if someone close to the victim can have knowledge about obstructive sleep apnea because, oftentimes, the sleeper is unaware that he is actually suffering from obstructive sleep apnea. In fact, he can regard himself as a good sleeper just because he can sleep anytime, anywhere. Sleepiness is one of the most morbid symptoms of sleep apnea, owing to the accidents that can result because of it.
According to a dentist Memphis Tennessee has, obstructive sleep apnea is a very important diagnosis for dentists and physicians to consider because of its strong relevance with the most critical medical conditions, including hypertension, cardiovascular illnesses, coronary artery disease, insulin-resistant diabetes, depression, and sleepiness-related accidents.
Obstructive sleep apnea is an increasingly rampant condition in both children and adults. Based on the statistics by a licensed dentist Memphis TN has, approximately 24% of men and 9% of women have obstructive sleep apnea. These figures do not include excessive daytime sleepiness victims. The prevalence in children is less certain but an increasingly large portion of the adolescent population is suspected of having sleep apnea. Most of these adolescents are suffering from obesity and have similar symptoms to their adult counterparts.
Obstructive sleep apnea should be diagnosed and treated immediately, as cases of sleep apnea Memphis has is quite alarming. Sleep apnea can be quickly reversed with the proper titration of continuous positive airway pressure devices provided by dentists specializing in sleep apnea cases. Continuous positive airway pressure devices are the standard treatment options for obstructive sleep apnea.
