Severe Sleep Apnea And Cpap Machine Treatment

By Author: Robin Hewitt
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Sleep apnea can be serious, and anyone can have it. According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute there are an estimated 12 to 18 million adults in America that suffer from the disorder as well as three percent of all children. Sleep apnea occurs when the person’s breathing either becomes very shallow or stops briefly during the sleep cycle due to closing of the air passages.This causes the person to wake themselves constantly throughout the sleep cycle never allowing them to reach a deep, REM sleep. Additionally, this causes a lack of oxygen in the blood which has additional health ramifications. Unfortunately, many sleep apnea sufferers do not realize they have sleep apnea; often it is a partner that first notices the irregular breathing or snoring while the person is asleep.


Sleep apnea can cause more than daytime drowsiness: sleep specialists think the sleepiness that results from sleep apnea leads to depression as well as mood and behavior problems; this sleepiness also triples the chances of being in a work-related or traffic accident. The combination of low quality sleep and drops ...
... in oxygen levels trigger stress hormones, which in turn can raise heart rate and blood pressure, boosting the risks of stroke, arrhythmia, heart attack and heart failure. Untreated, sleep apnea can alter the patient’s energy metabolism and increase the risk of developing diabetes and obesity.


Doctors typically diagnose sleep apnea by checking the nose, mouth, and throat for irregularities, taking a history of sleep habits and patterns, asking the patient to keep a log of sleep habits, and scheduling a sleep recording and multiple sleep latency test at a sleep testing lab. Mild sleep apnea is usually treated successfully by sleeping on the side, avoiding alcohol, smoking, and various medications, and by losing excess weight. Moderate and severe sleep apnea is typically treated successfully with Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) via a CPAP machine.


CPAP machines have been used successfully for sleep therapy for many years. The CPAP machine pumps air through a tube to an attached mask, which is worn over the nose or nose and mouth during sleep. Continuous constant air creates enough pressure to keep the air passages open and stop it from constricting during sleep. CPAP treatment usually reduces sleep apnea symptoms within a short period of use, and side effects are minimal. Possible side effects of a CPAP machine are sore eyes, headaches, stomach bloating, irritation of facial skin, and a dry or stuffy nose; most side effects can be treated by having the machine adjusted by a doctor or respiratory specialist or through a change in mask style.


In conclusion, if you are sleeping but not feeling rested, snore habitually or have been told your breathing sounds irregular during sleep, you may have sleep apnea. Scheduling an appointment with your health care provider is the first step; if you are diagnosed with severe sleep apnea you will most likely be prescribed a CPAP machine to alleviate the symptoms of this common sleep disorder.

Robin Hewitt is a freelance writer working with The CPAP Shop to inform people about continuous positive airway pressure therapy. For more information about CPAP Machines and CPAP Masks, visit our site today!