Posts Tagged ‘sleep apnea’

The dangers of central apnea avoided by City of Leeds dentist

Thursday, February 4th, 2010

Sleep apnea is a condition that affects breathing during sleep. Often confused with snoring which is the sound of breathing during sleep, apnea is the actual cessation or interruption of breathing which often causes a choking, snore-like sound. Because apnea happens during sleep, many people who have the condition are unaware, unless they have been told by a loved one or friend about their problem.

There are two types of sleep apnea caused by different things. Obstructive sleep apnea is caused when the palate at the back of the throat collapses blocking the airway. This will usually right itself but can be the cause of interrupted sleep and the underlying cause of stress and lack of concentration. It can be treated at a City of Leeds dentist with the application of an oral device that will keep the airways open during sleep.

The other form of apnea is not so easily treated. Known as central sleep apnea, it occurs when the brain omits to send a message to the lungs to continue breathing. This happens in the respiratory area of the brain and the exact causes are unknown. What is certain however is how serious this can be. Repeated episodes during the night can place an enormous strain on the heart and lungs and has even been known to cause heart failure during the night. Treatment can be complex and involve the use of supplementary oxygen and medication.

A City of Leeds can help diagnose your sleep apnea of you are having trouble sleeping or think you may be affected. They can treat most forms of obstructive apnea but can also refer you should be suffering from the less common central Apnea.

Link between sleep apnea and heart failure broken at Leeds dentist

Monday, January 25th, 2010

The condition causes the actual cessation of breathing during sleep. It has two main causes which have led to two distinct varieties of the disease. The most common is known as obstructive sleep apnea and is caused in the throat when soft palate tissue collapses, momentarily blocking the airway and causing the patient to emit a choking-like sound. Apnea is often confused with snoring because the sounds are not dissimilar even though snoring is the sound of breathing when asleep.

The other type of apnea is called central apnea and occurs when the respiratory centre of the brain forgets to send a message to the lungs to breath. This again causes a temporary stopping of breathing which causes patients to choke and splutter. Although both forms of the condition are caused by different malfunctions, they can both be very serious and have long-term and even fatal consequences.

Apnea can often be one of the main causes of anxiety and stress as a lack of good sleep causes the body to work much harder without sufficient rest. This can also cause many children to under perform at school and can cause sever lack of concentration. More worryingly though is the fact that both kinds of apnea can put a lot of strain on the heart which can even cause fatal heart attacks.

Both apneas can be treated in different ways. Central apnea may need more medical advice and medication but obstructive apnea can usually be treated with an appliance fitted at a Leeds dentist. If you are concerned or thin you may have sleep apnea then make an appointment to see a dentist as soon as possible and get your sleeping patterns back to normal.

Central Leeds dentist treats sleep apnea to beat heart failure

Monday, December 7th, 2009

Sleep apnea is a disorder caused by the interruption of breathing during sleep. It is often incorrectly confused with snoring which is only the noise caused by obstructed breathing during sleep. Sleep apnea is the choking sound that occurs when breathing has actually stopped. As frightening as sleep apnea sounds, incredibly 90 per cent of sufferers have no idea that they have the condition and those that do have most likely been informed by a family member. Sufferers of sleep apnea can stop breathing a s much as one hundred times in a single night.

The two main types of sleep apnea produce the same results but stem from very different causes. Obstructive Sleep Apnea, commonly referred to as OSA, occurs when the soft tissue at the back of the throat collapses and blocks the airway. This temporary blockage causes the patient to splutter and choke before the tissue rights itself. The other form of sleep apnea happens when the respiratory control centre of the brain temporarily stops sending messages to the lungs to breathe. This malfunction of the respiratory centre is known as Central Sleep Apnea

There are several risk factors that make people more likely to suffer from sleep apnea. Patients who are overweight are more likely to suffer from OSA, especially if they are male and over the age of forty. Other patients with genetic factors such as large tonsils are also at risk from the condition.

Although rarely directly responsible for any deaths or long-term damage, sleep apnea is believed to be an underlying cause for many other health problems. It is believed that many cases of hypertension and stress are caused by inadequate sleeping due to sleep apnea. More worryingly, sleep apnea has been linked to heart failure due to the amount of stress caused to the body by the condition. In children, sleep apnea is a thought to be responsible for underperformance in school and other activities.

Central Leeds dentists are able to treat sleep apnea with specially made and fitted dental appliances that can be worn safely and comfortably during the night. These dental moulds support the soft palate, helping to keep airways open to allow a good night’s sleep. If you think you or your child are suffering from sleep apnea, then make an appointment with a Central Leeds dentist for a thorough examination.

Oral device form Central Leeds dentist prevents sleep apnea

Tuesday, November 10th, 2009

Sleep apnea is a sleeping disorder that causes a person to actually stop breathing during sleep. The interruptions to breathing can happen up to several hundred times a night. Incredibly, people who suffer from sleep apnea very rarely know that they have the condition, with as many as 90 per cent being completely unaware. It is only when they have been told by a partner of family member that they become aware of the condition.

Sleep apnea is sometimes confused with, or passed of as, snoring but this is not the case. Snoring is the noise caused by breathing during sleep where as sleep apnea is the actual cessation of breathing that causes a patient to emit choking noises.

There are two main types of sleep apnea, the most common of which is called Obstructive Sleep Apnea, also known as OSA. This occurs when airways are blocked by collapsing soft tissue at the back of the throat, during sleep. The other type of sleep apnea is far less common. It occurs not as the result of physiological condition like OSA, but occurs when the brain stops sending signals to the muscles to breathe due to a malfunction in the respiratory control centre.

Sleep apnea can affect any patient of any age but there are a number of factors that increase risk. Being male and overweight increases a patient’s risk of suffering from the condition. As does being over the age of forty. Having large tonsils and a genetic disposition to the condition can all be contributory factors.

While sleep apnea itself is not considered to dangerous it can be the underlying cause behind a number of other medical concerns. Hypertension, strokes and even heart failure can all be caused in some part by sleep apnea, but only in tandem with other pre-existing circumstances. Recent research has also shown that children with sleep apnea frequently under perform at school and in general activities.

Dentists play an important part in the treatment of sleep apnea. Patients respond differently to different treatments but the most successful treatments are dental appliances such as lower jaw adjusters and other oral devices. It is important to correctly diagnose sleep apnea, so if you think you may be suffering from the condition consult a Central Leeds dentist and ask about treatment.