Sleep apnea is a form of sleep-disordered breathing that impacts thousands of adults in Michigan. Whether you personally suffer from sleep apnea or know someone that does, most people encounter this condition at some point in their lives. In order to determine which sleep apnea treatment is right for you, we first need to figure out what version of this condition you have. Listed below are some common types of sleep apnea in Michigan.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common form of sleep apnea. This condition occurs when a person’s throat muscles relax during sleep, which allows the tongue to fall back and block the airflow to the body. This simultaneously blocks oxygen from getting to the brain, which will trigger the body to wake up temporarily. You may not feel yourself waking up, but your body will become alert to prevent you from suffocating yourself.
Studies show that 1 in 5 Michigan adults suffer from mild OSA (5-14 episodes per hour), and 1 in 15 have moderate to severe OSA (15-30+ episodes per hour). OSA can be treated with a special mouthpiece that is designed to prevent the tongue from falling back in the throat. Here at our Metro Detroit sleep apnea treatment center, we can create a custom oral appliance that is tailored for your mouth specifically. This will help you get solid rest at night so you can feel energized and alert throughout the day.
Central Sleep Apnea (CSA)
Central sleep apnea (CSA) is a condition in which the brain does not deliver proper signals to trigger muscles during breathing. In other words, your body cannot breathe the way it is supposed to because your brain and your muscles aren’t communicating like they should. Patients who have experienced a stroke, heart failure, Parkinson’s disease, or other medical conditions that affect the brain are at risk of developing CSA. Typically, CSA can be treated by treating the underlying cause of the condition, but it may also require a patient to use a CPAP or BPAP machine at night to keep breathing consistent.
Mixed Sleep Apnea
Mixed sleep apnea is a combination of OSA and CSA. In some cases, a patient who is undergoing CPAP treatment for obstructive sleep apnea will develop central sleep apnea after using the machine. There is not much research out at this time as to why this happens, but the treatment usually involves a CPAP machine at a low pressure setting.
