Guide to Choosing the Best ENT Sinus Doctor for Treating Chronic Sinusitis
Sleep apnea is a severe condition that occurs when a person’s breathing gets interrupted during sleep. It can happen multiple times throughout the night and lead to daytime fatigue, irritability, and other health problems. If left ignored, sleep apnea could be fatal. There can be two main types of sleep apnea, obstructive and central according to Doctor. Obstructive sleep apnea is a more common type and occurs due to blocked airways during sleep. Central sleep apnea is rare and emerges when the brain doesn’t send the correct signals to the muscles that control breathing. Treatment for sleep apnea often includes lifestyle changes, such as losing weight, avoiding alcohol, and using a CPAP machine.
Let’s delve a little more into the typical treatment for sleep apnea, so you don’t feel surprised when you visit your ENT specialist.
Clinical interventions
Continuous positive airway pressure therapy (CPAP) is one of the treatments for sleep apnea. It involves using a machine to pump air into your lungs while you sleep. The air pressure is slightly higher than the surrounding atmospheric pressure, and it keeps your airways open, so you breathe easily and don’t snore. This method can be helpful for people across different age groups, whether their condition is mild or severe. If your doctor recommends CPAP therapy, you may decide to buy or rent a machine for home use. Remember, these machines come with different masks and settings. You have to select the most appropriate for your requirement.
However, if allergies cause sleep apnea, the doctor may use methods to treat your congested nose and help identify factors that trigger the issue so you can avoid them at best.
Lifestyle changes
A patient with sleep apnea typically spends more time in light sleep and less time in deep sleep, which leaves them feeling tired during the day. Sleep apnea can also cause heart problems. Because one’s lifestyle can be the culprit here, doctor can set goals to help improve your overall health and reduce your risk factors for sleep apnea. Weight loss can be one thing. Since sleep apneaaffects overweight and obese people more, losing weight can come in handy in this area. If you smoke, quitting smoking can be another essential step. Also, limiting alcohol intake can prove beneficial here.
Surgery
Several surgical procedures treat sleep apnea, and the best approach for a particular patient will depend on the condition’s underlying cause. Surgery becomes the default option where other treatments have failed, such as CPAP machines. One of the popular surgical procedures for sleep apnea is uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP). This procedure involves removing the uvula (the fleshy tissue at the back of the throat) and part of the soft palate to widen the airway and reduce snoring. Other surgical procedures are also there, but it is essential to discuss all the risks and benefits with a doctor before agreeing to anything.
ENT specialists tend to be an expert in treating this condition. They can offer medical and surgical treatment for this ailment by working on your situation. In some cases, surgery may be the best option. However, many people benefit even from lifestyle changes, such as losing weight or sleeping on their side. If you have sleep apnea, talk to an ENT specialist to learn about the treatment options.