Types of Sleep Apnea, in Brief



There are three types of sleep apnea. First, obstructive sleep apnea characterized by interrupted breathing due to blockages in the airways. Second, central sleep apnea typified by intermittent breathing due to the absence of respiratory effort. Third, complex sleep apnea characterized by transitions from central to obstructive happen during the apneic events.

The differentiation is important because the sleep apnea treatment Toronto doctors will prescribe will vary with each type.

Diagnosis of Sleep Apnea

There are many factors taken into account in the diagnosis of sleep apnea.

First, you will be asked for your medical history as well as those of your family members. This is because sleep apnea seems to run in families, thus, this information is valuable towards making a final diagnosis and determination of the appropriate sleep apnea treatment. Toronto doctors will ask exhaustive questions so it is better to come prepared with basic family medical histories.

Second, you and your family will be asked about your symptoms. Your family's observations are very important because most sufferers of the sleep disorder are rarely aware of having apneic episodes and thus, become used to its effects on the body. The presence of objective third parties goes a long way towards diagnosis.

You might even be asked to make a sleep diary to monitor how much sleep you get in a day, what time do you go to sleep and the times you wake up, and the physical symptoms you have due to sleep deprivation, among other things. This sleep diary is significant in determining the right sleep apnea treatment Toronto doctors will prescribe for you.

Third, you will undergo a physical exam. Your mouth, nose and throat will be examined for abnormally large tissues that can block your airways, which can cause loud snoring and interrupted breathing.

In children, the physical exam and the medical history are often enough proof of sleep apnea. In adults, further studies might be necessary for a final diagnosis. Again, this is a necessary step to ascertain the right sleep apnea treatment Toronto sleep doctors will prescribe.

Fourth and the most definitive of all diagnostics tools is the sleep study, which accurately captures your breathing patterns while you sleep. You have to be admitted to a sleep center or a sleep laboratory for this diagnostic study.

In the sleep center, you will be made to undergo a polysomnography. This is a standard sleep test that records your brain activity, eye movements and muscle activity, breathing and heart rates, the amount of air moved during inhalation and exhalation, and the amount of oxygen circulating through the blood. This is done through the attachment of electrodes to various parts of your body.

The sleep doctor then reviews the results of your polysomnogram to determine the type and severity of your sleep disorder. From there, the best sleep apnea treatment Toronto doctors can come up with will be recommended for you.

The treatment can range from lifestyle changes like losing weight and abstaining from alcohol and nicotine, to medical interventions like CPAP masks, and to surgical operations like UP3. But whatever treatment is recommended, you must follow it to achieve a healthier body!