Sleep apnea is a common condition that many people are suffering from. It is a usual nighttime breathing disorder that affects millions of Americans, which affects men and women. All ages are affected even by the children that suffer from sleep apnea. If this illness is left untreated, it may cause complications, such as:
- Daytime sleepiness
- Increased stroke and heart attack
- Poor daytime function
- Mood disorders
If you feel that you have sleep apnea condition, it is advised to see the sleep apnea hong kong specialists. To give some simple idea when sleep apnea attacks, it awakes you throughout the night. You will experience oxygen being completely cut off or restricted. Once the sleep apnea awakens, the breathing will be restored. But, it doesn’t put you enter the complete wakefulness state. It is like you just move or change in another position, so it is still scary.
Sleep examination
To prevent you from suffering sleep apnea, sleep test hong kong doctors perform an examination. The sufferers aren’t fully awake, the apneic events are continually unnoticed.
The doctor performs an evaluation based on the signs and symptoms, and from sleep history. The sleep specialist helps you determine the need for further evaluation. It involves overnight monitoring of the breathing and some other body functions while sleeping. Here are common tests to detect sleep apnea:
- Home sleep tests. Simplified tests are used, which are performed at home for diagnosing sleep apnea. The test will measure heart rate, airflow, blood oxygen level, and breathing patterns. Once the result is abnormal, the doctor might prescribe therapy with no further testing. The fact that portable monitoring devices can’t detect all sleep apnea cases, the doctor will recommend polysomnography.
- Nocturnal polysomnography. While on the test, equipment will be used for monitoring the heart, breathing patterns, brain and lung activity, blood oxygen levels, and arm and leg movements while you sleep.
A patient with obstructive sleep apnea will be referred by the doctor to have throat, ear, and nose to rule out the blockage in the throat or nose.
The treatment
CPAP or Continuous Positive Airway Pressure opens for milder sleep apnea cases. The doctor recommends lifestyle changes, such as quitting smoking or losing weight. Once a patient suffers from nasal allergies, the doctor recommends allergy treatment. Several other treatments are available if these measures don’t improves the apnea.
If you ask if sleep apnea can be treated, the answer is yes. It is not a risky illness yet can cause serious problem when ignored. So, the popular phrases “prevention is better than cure”, must be applied. But, if you have been suffering from sleep apnea for several months, then never ignore it. It is advised to visit a doctor and get their prescription, either you get medication or surgery.