If you think you are suffering with the disorder you must get it looked at by a medical professional. Usually to diagnose the problem the doctors will perform a lab test called a polysomnogram. This is a test were the patients sleep is monitored, electrodes are attached to important areas of the body. The electrodes will send the machine important data which is recorded.

This test will help the doctor decide how bad the patients sleep apnea is, mild cases of the disorder can be usually treated by the patient losing weight. Research has shown being overweight can make the disorder much worse. People when stronger cases of sleep apnea can often be treated with positional therapy. The patient is told not to sleep on their back, instead they are told to sleep on their side. This minimizes the throat muscles collapsing which is a cause of the disorder.

In more severe cases of sleep apnea, a possible sleep apnea cure is having surgery. This option is only usually applied if all other treatments fail. Like with any surgery there can be compications.

One piece of equipment that is used to diagnose the problem and its severity is the overnight sleep test polysomnogram. The patient’s body is hooked up to the machinery and the brains waves are measured to read neurological arousal shifts. Blood oxygen is also measured with other pieces of sleep apnea equipment.

When the person is diagnosed with sleep apnea there is several different types of treatment available. One such treatment and probably the most common is CPAP ( continuous positive airway pressure) this form of treatment consists of a medical pump, a flexible tube and a mask which is worn over the face. Sometimes over the nose or month, or both the nose and month.

There are many more different pieces of sleep apnea equipment but probably the most effective of them all is a sleep apnea mask. There are different types of masks available, but more importantly the newer models are much more comfortable and fit securely. This could not be said about sleep apnea masks of old.

Some pieces of sleep apnea equipment will require a doctor’s prescription before you can buy or use them. CPAP machines and oral devices must be medically approved before they are sold as well.

Don’t expect overnight results, losing weight safely and over the long term is a slow process, and anyone who tells you any different is wrong. The experts suggest you should look to lose around 2 pounds per week. Many people crash diet and lose much more but this is the wrong way to do it. Guess what happens when you end up eating normal again, you pile the weight back on and end up being heavier than when you actually started the diet.

Losing weight that will stay off is a long and slow process, it takes a lot of will power, most of us will make mistakes and eat that odd piece of pizza. When you do make sure you get back to the program straight way.

For sleep apnea weight loss has been found to be a fantastic treatment of the disorder, so if you are overweight this should be your first starting point. Before you begin any diet or exercise program it is always advisable you speak to your doctor first. They will be able to give you the best information you are looking for.

The masks work by using a continuous pressure which forces air past the obstructions in the throat, this helps the sufferer get a much better night’s sleep. Sleep apnea sufferer’s can wake up hundreds of times during the night, without even knowing it. So this is a problem that needs to be addressed and a cure found.

Old sleep apnea masks were badly designed and would often fall off the user’s face, the newer designs are much better and the best part is they are still relatively comfortable.

The problem with the old design of mask was the user would not use it every night due to the lack of comfort. This was why a lot of people who tried the masks were unsuccessful in treating their sleep apnea.

One problem of sleep apnea is the mouth dries out, this problem has been addressed in the newer design masks with the help of the mask supplying moisturized air. There are different designs as well some cover only the mouth and others cover both the mouth and nose. Some people claim sleep apnea masks to be just too uncomfortable to use even when using the user models. But the masks are often considered to be a better alternative to a lot of other treatments.

This test is usually executed in a sleep apnea test lab and the medical name for it is a polysomnography. The test monitors the patients sleep pattern, such as breathing, heart rate, sleep state monitoring, eye movement, muscle activity and blood oxygen levels.

A sleep apnea test will monitor all of these conditions and will record each event which will allow the doctor to diagnose how serious the condition is. This test is a very important diagnostic tool but like any tool it has its drawbacks. Such as the patient is taken away from their normal sleeping environment and connected to several monitors with wires attached to them. Several people are also viewing the patient sleep all in all this makes the patient very uncomfortable and more often than not the patient finds it very difficult to go to sleep.

To remove the awkwardness of a lab test you can also execute a sleep apnea test in the comfort of your own home. The equipment will monitor how the air is moved in the lungs and out of the lungs, heart rate, the exertion needed to breathe and the blood oxygen levels. For a home test the technician will go to the patients home set up the equipment, the sufferer will go to sleep as normal.The technician will return the following morning to pick up the equipment and data and will then send it to the physician.

A home sleep apnea test which is approved by the federal drug administration is the Watch PAT100. The equipment consists of a wearable wrist unit and a fingertip probe. Before going to bed the equipment is connective to the wrist and fingertip. Whilst the patient sleeps the device monitors changes in pulse rate and blood flow and blood oxygen saturation levels. A memory card records the information which then can be downloaded onto a P.C. for analysis by the physician.

Go To The Doctor

If you find out you are suffering from the condition you will want to find a treatment that has been proven to work, there are several treatments available, your doctor will be able to advise you, the one which is the best for you. One such treatment your doctor will probably recommend is the sleep apnea monitor.

The monitors work by checking for pauses in your breathing that last around 5 to 30 seconds, they are used at hospitals and are now even used in people homes. Depending on how severe the sleep apnea is they can be on at all times or set to be used at certain times.

Sleep apnea monitors are very important for people with chronic lung disease and aspiration pneumonia. It is also a very important piece of equipment for babies with tracheotomies and babies that are born premature.

Additional Treatments

Although sleep apnea monitors are very useful and beneficial for the suffers of sleep apnea, some people may still require additional treatment. One such treatment is bronchodilators, the medicine helps the suffer to breath easier and helps to open the airways in the lungs.

When you visit your doctor about sleep apnea they will probably recommend that you stop drinking and smoking. If you are overweight they will also suggest you lose weight because excess weight can worsen the sleep apnea disorder.

Visit a Doctor

The treatment for sleep apnea may depend on the severity of your condition and other health factors. One of the first recommendations your doctor may give you is a weight loss program. Losing weight may not cure your sleep apnea but it will certainly help. Excess fat in the neck area can restrict the airflow. But many have reported a vast improvement in the condition just by losing weight.

A weight loss program might not be for everyone though, because it can be very tiring and one of the symptoms of sleep apnea is fatigue, the smart way to do it if your feeling fatigued is to start a exercise program that isn’t too strenuous. People suffering with fatigue through sleep apnea will see better results by combining treatments for sleep apnea

Positional Therapy

The results of positional therapy is very good, it works on the idea that sleep apnea is likely to occur when a sufferer is lying on there back.The tongue may fall in to the mouth when in this position, which closes or partially closes the airway. There are several products available to purchase that may help this problem.

You can buy specially designed cushions and pillows that position the neck in such a way that helps to stop snoring and mild forms of sleep apnea. For people with serious sleep apnea there are alarms that are designed to go off when your position changes. This form of treatment for sleep apnea gets mixed results though because of the way it disrupts a person’s sleep.

People with sleep apnea should also cut down on the alcohol and other depressants and medications. People who take medications should try to avoid taking them close to bedtime.

Dental devices, Breathing masks and other mechanical products have been created for keeping the airway open during sleep, but not everyone needs to use these devices. Some patients are able to achieve the positional change needed to ease their breathing problem by using a sleep apnea pillow. People who have obstructive sleep apnea there muscles become relaxed in the tongue and throat whilst they are sleeping and fall into the airway. You can alleviate the problem by simply repositioning the head by using a sleep apnea pillow.

A person who is having difficulty breathing you need to reposition their head to open the airway as much as you can. Think about when a person is being ventilated and the head is tilted back to keep the throat open. To keep the airflow through the sinuses flowing you can use nasal strips, but the head needs to be in the right position and a sleep apnea pillow will help to do this.

People who suffer with obstructive sleep apnea usually have trouble sleeping on their back because their throats are narrower, which restricts the ability to breath. The head is tilted slightly back with a sleep apnea pillow, but it is still in a comfortable position. This product isn’t for everyone though, your doctor will help you to decide which form of treatment is right for you.

Types of Sleep Apnea

There are many causes, because there are many different types of sleep apnea. The most prevalent type is (OSA)Obstructive sleep apnea which is caused by the breathing being obstructed. The air pathway that allows air to flow in the throat or nose closes or even collapses, which in turn reduces the normal breathing pattern.

Another type is (CSA) Central sleep apnea which seems to be a result of a miscommunication between the central nervous system and the brain which tells the body to breathe. This type of sleep apnea is most likely caused by a disease, stroke or injury to the brain.

You can also get a combination of both which is called mixed sleep apnea and the required treatment must take both conditions into account. Opening up a airway alone is usually not sufficient for this condition, you must also improve the connection between the nervous system and the brain through drug therapy.

Whist doctors don’t agree on a definite answer to what cause sleep apnea, there seems to be several conditions evident in patients who have the disorder. People with narrow necks are more vulnerable to the condition because they have a smaller airway passage for air to flow through. Sleep apnea is also common in people with large tonsils and receding chins.

People who smoke or drink a lot of alcohol are also more prone to this condition. Sufferers of sleep apnea are also found to have high blood pressure or heart irregularities, but these problems are not 100% linked to sleep apnea.

It still isn’t fully clear what causes sleep apnea, but if you are diagnosed with this condition it is always best to get prompt and accurate treatment from your doctor.