My partner is very concerned because of my snoring. He suspects that I may have sleep apnea. Is there a difference between snoring and sleep apnea? What are the other symptoms of sleep apnea? And, what are the cures for sleep apnea?
Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome is the most common form of sleep apnea which is caused by the blocking of airway passage. This is usually caused by the sudden relaxation of throat muscles that may cause the throat to suddenly collapse, cutting off the passage of air. Other causes of obstruction are large tonsils, excess tissue in the airway and a large tongue.
Your partner was right to be concerned because loud snoring is one of the symptoms of obstructive sleeping apnea. It is, however, not synonymous to sleep apnea. Sleep apnea involves frequent stopping of breath so if your partner notices moments of silence in between your snoring, you may need to pay a visit to a doctor. This condition can also cause you to choke or gasp for breath while you are sleeping. Other symptoms are sudden awakenings, excessive perspiration while sleeping and waking up in a sweat during the night. Perhaps you should ask your partner to look out for these other symptoms while you are asleep.
If your partner confirms that you do exhibit these symptoms at night then you should go to a doctor so that he could test if you do have this condition and suggest cures for sleep apnea.
One of the most common cures for sleep apnea is the CPAP machine which prevents the occurrence of sleep apnea by forcing air into the passageway at a high pressure. A flexible tube is attached to the machine and carries the air from the machine to a nasal mask or mouthpiece. For more severe cases of sleep apnea, a Bi-level or Bi-PAP machine is usually used. This machine releases are at two different pressures. The pressure is higher when the person is inhaling and lower when the person is exhaling.