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Insomnia can be caused by many things including beverages rich with caffeine, stress and many other factors. However, it can be also a result of a silent but pretty dangerous condition known as sleep apnea. This condition causes intermittent breathing difficulties such as shallow breathing, gasping, and total stoppage for few seconds or even a couple of minutes in severe cases.Sleep apnea has been associated with excessive weight. Many studies showed that overweight people are more likely to suffer from sleep apnea. Race is also a factor, as other studies showed that African Americans and Hispanics are more likely to have sleep apnea than Caucasians. Sleep apnea can also be hereditary, if a member of your immediate family suffers from it you might be suffering from it too.
If sleep apnea is left untreated it may lead to many dangerous ailments including but not limited to heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure. That is why it is imperative to discuss with your doctor the best and most suitable treatment option for you if you are positively diagnosed with the condition.
There are multiple treatment options available for sleep apnea patients including air pressure masks known as CPAP , dental devices and surgery.
CPAP:
CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) is a face mask that goes over the mouth and nose area with straps that goes around the head to hold in place. The devices applies air pressure down the throat that keeps the air passage way open and clear, however, many people find it very uncomfortable to sleep with it.
Dental devices:
These devices are usually fitted by special dentists that will make a device that keeps the lower jaw from falling back during sleep thus keeping the airway passage open and clear. There are similar devices manufactured and sold over the internet nowadays that might help relieve the condition in mild cases.
Surgery:
This option is reserved for severe cases usually. There are 2 different surgeries the doctors can do to cure sleep apnea. The first one is done by taking out the adenoids and the tonsils, while also trimming the palate and removing the excessive fatty tissue close to the throat area. The other and more aggressive surgery is done by realigning the jaws properly, thus preventing the lower jaw from collapsing during sleep and blocking the airway passage.
Sleep apnea symptoms include morning excessive sleepiness, fatigue, dry mouth and throat and drowsiness while driving especially highway long distance driving. It is advisable not to drive for long hours or operate heavy machinery if you are diagnosed with severe sleep apnea.
