by David Stillwagon

Created on: June 26, 2009

Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder where the airway in the throat is blocked while trying to sleep. This condition is usually called OSA obstructive sleep apnea. There is another type of sleep apnea called central sleep apnea this occurs when the brain stops sending messages to the muscles that control breathing. OSA is more common than central sleep apnea. There are several types of treatment for sleep apnea.

The most popular type of treatment for sleep apnea is the use of the cpap machine. Cpap (continuous positive airway pressure) machines blow air through a tube to a face mask that the sleep apnea sufferer is wearing at night. The continuous air pressure helps to keep the soft palate or the tongue from blocking the throat airway. The pressure of the air is determined by how badly the sleep interruptions occur. This varies greatly from patient to patient. Before receiving a cpap machine the patient has an overnight studydone where the cpap machine is calibrated to the patient's needs.

There are different types of air pressure machines. APAP, which stands for Automatic Positive Airway Pressure, fine tunes the amount of pressure on a breath to breath basis, thus eliminating the constant pressure being forced down the patient's throat.

There is also the bipap (Bi-level Positive Airway Pressure) machine which delivers two levels of pressure to the airway, to adjust for exhaling. This is similar to the APAP machine.

The types of CPAP machines have greatly improved the lives of many who suffer from sleep apnea. Unfortunately not everyone can adjust to sleeping with the mask on their face or with the air continuously blowing down their throat.

Another treatment for sleep apnea is dental appliances that keep the jaw and the airway unblocked during sleep. They are mostly successful with mild to moderate cases of obstructive sleep apnea.

If the cpap machine and the dental appliances fail to provide relief from sleep apnea, then surgery is an option.

Types of Surgery:

Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) This surgery removes tissues from the back of your mouth and if you haven't already had your tonsils out they might take them too. It requires a hospital stay and they use a general anesthetic. It's more successful for stopping snoring than Sleep Apnea because there may be more tissue farther down the throat.

Maxillomandibular advancement, the upper and lower part of your jaw is repositioned. It enlarges the space between your tongue and soft palate eliminating some of the obstruction.

Tracheostomy is for severe sleep apnea when all else has failed. A hole is made in your throat in order for a tube to be placed in it. During the day the hole is covered up but at night its open and you breathe through the tube in the hole.

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