Airway Sleep Disordered Breathing Q & A

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What is airway sleep-disordered breathing, and what causes it?
Loud snoring, upper airway resistance syndrome, and obstructive sleep apnea are all examples of upper airway sleep-disordered breathing. These disorders are caused by the same problem, but they vary in severity, with sleep apnea causing major health issues.

The muscles in your tongue and the soft tissues around your throat relax and slide toward the airway in your throat while you sleep. When you inhale, the tissues that partially enclose the airway vibrate. Snoring is caused by vibrating tissues. A substantial airway blockage is indicated by loud snoring.

 

When your soft tissues fully block your airway, you have obstructive sleep apnea. As a result, you are unable to breathe, which sets off a chain of events. Your heart rate and blood pressure rise, oxygen levels in your blood fall, and your brain activate, reawakening you just enough to let you breathe again.

Depending on the severity of your apnea, these apneic episodes may occur 5-30 times or more every hour. Sleep apnea causes daytime symptoms and puts you at risk for major health issues like high blood pressure, an irregular heart rhythm, and weight gain if left untreated.

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What are the signs and symptoms of airway sleep-disordered breathing?
Many people snore, but this does not necessarily indicate that they have sleep apnea. Everyone with sleep apnea, on the other hand, snores loudly.

 

The following are some of the signs and symptoms of sleep-disordered breathing:

• snoring loudly

• Excessive drowsiness during the day

• Urinating in the middle of the night

• Headaches in the morning

• Concentration problems

• Loss of memory

• Mood swings

• Irritability due to weight gain

• Problems with learning (in children)

• Growth is slow (in children)

Most of the time, you aren't aware that you snore since your brain doesn't fully wake you up; it only nudges you enough to get you to breathe.

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What is the treatment for airway sleep-disordered breathing?
Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is the standard treatment for sleep apnea (CPAP). Many adults and children, however, are unable to tolerate the CPAP mask. When you're looking for a therapeutic alternative, orofacial myofunctional therapy, either alone or in combination with a custom-fitted oral device, can help you feel better.

Ms. Shahar employs exercises to improve your tongue and throat muscles during orofacial myofunctional therapy. As a result, when you sleep, these tissues are less likely to roll back and cover your airway. She may also use additional airway procedures to target the position of your tongue and structures such as your soft palate.

Call TASL Speech Therapy Consultants or book an appointment online immediately if you need help with airway sleep-disordered breathing.