Do you know that anybody could have a sleeping disorder? When you are asleep, you are unconscious of what is going around you. Thus you have less chances of feeling any discomfort within you.

However, as your sleeping problem gets worse you will have more chance of waking and experiencing discomforts even when you started off asleep. Hence, you might have trouble sleeping.

There is one type of sleeping disorder known as sleep apnea and diagnosis is characterized by the presence of abnormal pauses in breathing or abnormally low breathing during sleep.

What Does Apnea Mean?

The term apnea refers to every pause in breathing which can last for a few seconds or even up to several minutes. In worst cases, an apnea may occur for about 30 times in one hour. Sleep apnea can be diagnosed with a test known as polysomnogram or “sleep study”.

Basically, there are three forms defined: the central (CSA), obstructive (OSA) and the complex sleep apnea which is the combination of the first two types. CSA is characterized by breathing interruption due to lack of respiratory effort while OSA results when there is a physical block to the airflow. Snoring is common among those people who experience OSA.

Types of Treatment for Sleep Apnea

If you are experiencing this kind of sleeping disorder, you are most likely looking for sleep apnea treatments. Perhaps you have heard of a particular type of sleep apnea treatment commonly used by people who are experiencing the same discomfort as you. Actually, it is best treated using one of the sleep apnea machines currently available.

There are two types of positive airway pressure machines used to lessen the symptoms. The first one is a sleep apnea machine CPAP (referring to Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) and the other one is the Bi-level Positive Airway Pressure type. CPAP is a noninvasive medical treatment. It consists of a portable machine which has a sleep apnea mask, tubes and a fan.

The patient is required to wear the sealed mask connected to a long hose while he is asleep. CPAP works by gently blowing pressurized air through the nasal passage of the patient. The air pressure must be high enough to prevent the throat from collapsing. CPAP is an extremely effective treatment. However, some patients may feel a little  uncomfortable with it and this in itself may interrupt sleep. Hence, these people are advised to have an oral or dental appliance instead.

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