Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Why It Happens and How to Treat?

Obstructive sleep apnea is one of the worst types of sleep disorders that is not only distressful but can have long term complications, many of which are fatal, if the condition is not treated at the right time. Considering the seriousness of the condition and the urgency that is required in the treatment, it is imperative that you know as much as possible about the condition, in order to get relief at the earliest opportunity.

What is sleep apnea and when does it call for surgery?

Sleep apnea is a condition characterized by repeated pauses in breathing during sleep. A single pause may last for 10 seconds or more and an individual may stop breathing between 5 and 30 times during an hour. Because of the serious paucity of oxygen to the brain such cessations cause, sleep apnea is closely related to several heart ailments, many of which could be fatal.

Of the three types of sleep apnea, central, obstructive and mixed, obstructive sleep apnea is most common. Arising out of neglected snoring, obstructive sleep apnea happens when there is a complete collapse and blockage in the upper respiratory tract. Central sleep apnea is caused after a collapse in the coordination between the brain and muscles responsible for breathing. Mixed sleep apnea is a combination of these two types.

Since the root cause behind obstructive sleep apnea is usually untreated snoring, the link between sleep apnea and deviated septum needs to be understood. Deviated septum results in one nostril getting narrower than the other causing significant problems in breathing – snoring being most common. The obstruction created by deviated septum inevitably compels the victim to use the mouth for breathing, and this is also the beginning of snoring problems.

As far as treatment of obstructive sleep apnea is concerned, if the diagnosis reveals deviated septum as the main problem, then surgery for sleep apnea is usually the only option for doctors to treat the condition. Though, doctors try out several natural sleep remedies to treat the persistent sleeping problems, most of the time, these fail to yield the desired results.

Obstructive sleep apnea: the most preferred surgical option

There are several surgical options for treating sleep apnea, many of which depend on laser technology. Be that as it may, somnoplasty procedure, the FDA-approved surgical method is often the most preferred option, favored by both doctors and patients alike. This procedure is recommended for treating habitual snoring as well as obstructive sleep apnea.

Originally developed by Somnus Technologies, somnoplasty procedure is based on the radiofrequency tissue ablation technology and the two primary aims of the intervention are: to stiffen the obstructive tissues with the help of a pre-heated electrode, thereby reducing their volume; reposition and rectify the deviated septum in order to normalize breathing through the nasal airway.

Somnoplasty procedure has high success rate and the condition is treated completely after 3 to 5 sessions. Not requiring any hospital stay, the after effects of somnoplasty procedure are well within tolerable limits. It is done with the help of local or general anesthesia in the outpatient department of an ENT surgeon.