Discover Why Snoring Is A Serious Illness?
Most people think of snoring as just an annoyance and nothing to worry about but it could actually be a serious health problem known as Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). This condition causes the snorer for a few moments at a time to actually quit breathing (10 seconds or more) because of an airway obstruction during sleep. A person with an extreme case of OSA can have hundreds of these episodes a night and not be aware of it.This causes a build up of carbon dioxide in a person’s system and a lack of oxygen raises the blood pressure which shocks the body into awake mode. A person with OSA is a very light sleeper because without knowing it they are trying to maintain airflow by keeping their throat muscles tense. The number one symptom of Obstructive sleep apnea is sleep deprivation from the body waking up numerous times during the night. If OSA is left untreated it could possibly lead to an enlarged heart, high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, heart disease, heart attack and stroke. OSA also left untreated could because of lack of oxygen trigger the body to make unneeded adrenalin, leading to diabetes in some people.
A person who has a history of snoring and is sleep deprived should see a physician to determine if they have Obstructive sleep apnea. The doctor will then send the patient on to a sleep clinic to test sleep patterns. OSA is treated by use of a breathing type machine called a C-PAP that gives the person a constant flow of air keeping the airways open and also by behavior modification therapy. Radiology tests may also find if there is anything blocking the airways that need to be surgically removed. In closing, snoring is not something to “sleep” on .see a doctor.