Sleep Apnea

What Is OSA?

During sleep, the upper airway can be obstructed by excess tissue, large tonsils and/or a large tongue. Also contributing to the problem may be the airway muscles, which relax and collapse during sleep, nasal passages, and the position of the jaw. The cessation of breathing, or “apnea,” brought about by these factors initiates impulses from the brain to wake the person just enough to restart the breathing process. Sleep apnea is generally defined as the presence of more than 30 apneas during a seven-hour sleep. In severe cases, periods of not breathing may last for as long as 60 to 90 seconds and may recur up to 500 times a night.

Treatments

Depending on whether your OSA is mild, moderate or severe, your OMS will select the treatment that’s best for you. This can range from behavior modification to oral appliances to an air pressure device. Surgery may be a good alternative for some patients, but it’s important to keep in mind that no surgical procedure is universally successful. Every patient has a different shaped nose and throat, so before surgery is considered your OMS will measure the airway at several points and check for any abnormal flow of air from the nose to lungs.