Sleep apnea is a Sleep disorder that is on a rise globally. Despite its prevalence, the illness frequently goes undetected. Because the majority of the frequent and characteristic signs of Sleep Apnea occur while people are sleeping, many people may be unaware that they are suffering symptoms and go undetected and untreated.

There 3 types of sleep apnea conditions. These include:

• Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)
• Central Sleep Apnea
• Complex Sleep Apnea
• Obstructrive Sleep Apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea, often known as OSA, is the most frequent type of sleep apnea. OSA occurs when the throat muscles in the back of your throat, which usually relax during sleep, collapse too much to allow normal breathing. The soft tissues in the back of the throat, such as the soft palate, uvula, tonsils, and tongue, are supported by the throat muscles, so when those muscles collapse too much, those tissues can fall back into the throat, partially or fully restricting the normal flow of air in your airway. When your brain detects a lack of oxygen, it sends a signal to your body to wake up enough to reopen your airway, which may cause you to gasp for air during the night.

Treatment

• Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP): A CPAP machine keeps the airway open by continually blowing air into the throat through a mask worn over the nose (or the nose and mouth). It keeps a person’s upper airway open while they sleep by “stenting” it with pressured air.
• Surgery: By removing extra tissue or remodelling the airway, surgery can address structural abnormalities in the mouth and upper airway.
• Oral appliances: By preventing the tongue from slipping back on the soft palate, certain appliances can assist maintain the airway open.

• Central Sleep Apnea

Central Sleep Apnea is less common than Obstructive Sleep Apnea.  It’s also more difficult to diagnose and treat. Central sleep apnea occurs when the brain does not deliver the necessary information to the muscles that control breathing, unlike obstructive sleep apnea, which is caused by a mechanical condition that restricts the airway. While central and obstructive sleep apneas share many symptoms, such as breathing pauses, frequent awakenings during the night, and excessive sleepiness during the day, central sleep apnea commonly affects people who have underlying illnesses, such as a brain infection or other brainstem conditions.

Treatment

• The underlying cause of central sleep apnea should be addressed, as this may help to resolve the apnea. It will not, however, always heal the problem
• Although CPAP equipment can help with central sleep apnea, in some circumstances, specialist positive airway pressure modes may be required. It may be beneficial to use bilevel positive airway pressure or adaptive servo-ventilation. When a person stops breathing, these gadgets give breaths.

• Complex Sleep Apnea

Complex sleep apnea, a combination of obstructive and central sleep apnea, has recently been recognised by doctors as a third type of sleep apnea. Patients with this type of sleep apnea may appear to have obstructive sleep apnea at first, but unlike typical obstructive sleep apnea patients, their symptoms are not adequately addressed by CPAP. Breathing issues persist in people with complex sleep apnea syndrome even when the airway blockage is addressed and treated, indicating that something other than collapsing throat muscles is contributing to the apnea.

Treatment

• Treatment for complex sleep apnea syndrome may include a combination of approaches, such as treating any underlying problems and using CPAP or other positive airway pressure devices.

In conclusion, these are 3 types of sleep apneas, Sleep apnea can have a negative impact on a person’s quality of life, as well as being a risk factor for a variety of potentially fatal conditions. The appropriate treatment can assist a person in getting a decent night’s sleep while also lowering the risk of developing chronic health problems. People who are weary during the day or wake up frequently at night should speak with their doctor about having a sleep study performed.

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