Understanding Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Causes, Symptoms, and Management

Sign In

All Posts Conditions Community About

Explore Over 11,000+ Conditions, Medications, and Symptoms.

Get a personalized feed by signing up for free.

All Conditions

Obstructive Sleep Apnea

by Alike Medical Team ∙ Updated on June 13, 2023

Additional names

This group contains additional names: - OSA

General

Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common sleep-related breathing disorder. Sleeping with this condition causes you to repeatedly stop and start breathing. This type of apnea occurs when your throat muscles relax intermittently and block your airway during sleep. Snoring is one of the most noticeable signs of obstructive sleep apnea.

406 people with Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Learn from others who are experiencing Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

Signs & symptoms

Signs and symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea include: Sleepiness during the day Snoring loudly During sleep, there were episodes of stopped breathing A sudden awakening accompanied by gasping or choking You wake up with a sore throat or a dry mouth A headache in the morning Concentration problems during the day Changes in mood, such as depression or irritability Hypertension Libido decreases

Diagnosis

Your doctor will examine the back of your throat, mouth, and nose for extra tissue or abnormalities during the physical examination. Blood pressure and neck circumference might be measured by your doctor. Additional evaluations can be conducted by a sleep specialist to diagnose your condition, determine its severity, and plan your treatment. It may be necessary to stay overnight at a sleep center to monitor your breathing and other body functions.

Treatment

If you have mild cases of obstructive sleep apnea, your doctor might recommend lifestyle changes such as losing weight. Keep your body in shape. Alcohol should be consumed moderately, if at all. Before laying down to bed, avoid drinking. Smoking should be stopped. Decongestants and allergy medications can be used to relieve nasal congestion. Sleep on your side instead of your back. Do not take anti-anxiety drugs or sleeping pills that contain sedatives. Positive airway pressure. Positive airway pressure may be beneficial to people who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea. As you sleep, a machine delivers air pressure through a piece that fits into your nose or covers your nose and mouth. Mouthpiece (oral device). Some people with mild or moderate obstructive sleep apnea may benefit from oral appliances instead of positive airway pressure. Patients with severe sleep apnea who cannot use CPAP can also use it. Your quality of life may be improved by using these devices.

Note

☝ We provide information on prescription and over-the-counter medicines, diagnosis, procedures and lab tests. This material is provided for educational purposes only and is not medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

National Institutes of Health ∙ World Health Organization ∙ MedlinePluse ∙ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

☝ All information has been reviewed by certified physicians from Alike

Latest Discussions

SandiK

10mo

Weight Loss Injection for Sleep Apnea: Any Experiences?

PoetryJoy

Relief for Muscle Pain and Weakness from Sleep Apnea

Snowy

sorry for the delay. I had then removed partly because...

pandaqueen

Need advice for full face CPAP mask

Charlie26

Looking for Support with My Health Issues

tigershark98

REM-Related OSA: Anyone Else?

Alike Wisdom

Instantly get answers to medical questions with our AI, built from the collective wisdom of our community facing similar experiences