What Is Severe OSA? | Vivos.com

Severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a serious condition that affects many people’s sleep and overall health. Many people wonder, what is severe OSA?

Severe OSA is a serious sleep disorder where breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep due to blocked airways. It leads to significant oxygen drops, frequent awakenings, loud snoring, and extreme daytime fatigue. Treatment is crucial to prevent heart problems and improve quality of life.

Understanding severe OSA is key to managing it well and keeping your body healthy. Let’s dive into the must-know facts about this condition to see how it affects life and what you can do about it.

Understanding Obstructive Sleep Apnea

OSA is a condition in which breathing stops and starts while you sleep. It happens when the throat muscles relax and block the airway. Let’s examine how this condition works.

Brief Explanation Of Normal Breathing During Sleep

When you sleep, your body relaxes, including the muscles in your throat. Yet, in most people, this relaxation doesn’t cause any problems.

As they sleep, air moves freely in and out of their lungs, which means they get enough oxygen and release carbon dioxide.

Causes And Mechanisms Of Obstructive Sleep Apnea

In OSA, the throat muscles that keep the airway open relax too much. This relaxation, combined with the weight of the neck pressing down, can block the airway.

Factors like being overweight, naturally narrow throat, or enlarged tonsils can increase the risk. When the airway closes, breathing stops momentarily, and you wake up briefly, often with a loud snort or gasping sound.

Differentiating Between Mild, Moderate, And Severe OSA

The difference between mild, moderate, and severe OSA lies in how often your breathing stops during sleep:

• Mild OSA: Your breathing stops between 5 and 14 times in an hour.
• Moderate OSA: Your breathing stops between 15 and 29 times in an hour.
• Severe OSA: Your breathing stops 30 or more times in an hour.

Identifying Severe OSA

Severe OSA is a serious health condition that requires careful attention. Understanding it fully can help manage its effects better.

Definition Of Severe OSA

Severe OSA occurs when a person’s breathing stops frequently at night — 30 or more times per hour. These stops are called apneas. They can last for more than 10 seconds each time, often leading to a drop in oxygen levels in the body.

Common Symptoms And Warning Signs Of Severe OSA

The signs of severe OSA are easy to spot once you know what to look for. They include loud snoring, choking or gasping for air during sleep, feeling very tired during the day, waking up often at night, and having headaches in the morning.

People with severe OSA often feel sleepy during the day, even if they spend enough time in bed.

Importance Of Seeking Medical Evaluation And Diagnosis

It is crucial to see a doctor if you think you or someone you know might have severe OSA. A doctor can check for OSA with a sleep study. This study measures how well you breathe when you sleep.

Once you find out you have severe OSA, getting the right treatment can make a big difference. It can help you sleep better, feel more awake during the day, and lower your risk for other health problems like heart disease and high blood pressure.

Risk Factors For Severe OSA

Severe OSA affects many people, but certain factors can increase your risk of experiencing it. Understanding these risk factors can help in managing or even preventing severe OSA.

Obesity And Its Association With Severe OSA

One of the main risk factors for severe OSA is obesity. Extra body weight can lead to fat deposits around the neck and throat. This extra tissue can block the airways during sleep, making breathing stops more frequent and severe. Losing weight can help reduce these interruptions.

Age And Gender As Risk Factors

Age and gender also play significant roles in the risk of developing severe OSA. It is more common in older adults, as muscle tone decreases with age, which can lead to more airway collapses during sleep.

Men are generally at a higher risk than women for severe OSA, although the risk for women increases after menopause.

Other Medical Conditions That May Contribute To The Severity Of OSA

Several other medical conditions can make severe OSA worse. Conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disorders are linked with OSA. Also, people with larger neck circumferences and those with a family history of sleep apnea are more likely to develop severe OSA.

Complications And Health Implications Of Severe OSA

Severe OSA does more than just disturb sleep; it can lead to serious health problems. Here’s how it affects different parts of your body and life:

Impact On Cardiovascular Health

Severe OSA puts extra stress on your heart. It raises your blood pressure and can lead to irregular heartbeats, heart attacks, and strokes. When you stop breathing, the oxygen levels in your blood drop, making your heart work harder.

Cognitive And Psychological Consequences

This condition not only affects your body but also your mind. People with severe OSA often have trouble with memory and find it hard to concentrate. They might feel moody, depressed, or anxious. These changes happen because the brain does not get enough oxygen at night.

Daytime Fatigue And Increased Accident Risks

People with severe OSA often feel very tired during the day because they do not sleep well at night. This tiredness can make it dangerous for them to drive or use machines. They have a higher chance of getting into car accidents or having workplace accidents.

Relationship Between Severe OSA And Metabolic Disorders

Severe OSA also links to problems like diabetes and liver issues. It can make your body resist insulin, a hormone controlling blood sugar.

This resistance can lead to type 2 diabetes. People with severe OSA are also more likely to have liver problems, including liver damage that is not caused by alcohol.

Diagnostic Procedures For Severe OSA

To find out if someone has severe OSA, doctors use specific tests. These tests check how well you breathe when you sleep.

Polysomnography As The Gold Standard For Diagnosis

Polysomnography, a sleep study, is the best test for diagnosing OSA. You spend the night at a sleep center, and specialists record many aspects of your sleep. They check your brain waves, oxygen levels in your blood, heart rate, and breathing. They also watch how your chest and belly move. This test shows how often you stop breathing during the night and for how long.

Other Diagnostic Methods And Portable Sleep-Monitoring Devices

Besides polysomnography, there are other ways to diagnose OSA. Some tests can be done at home. Portable sleep monitors are devices you can use in your bed.

They are simpler and measure fewer things than a full polysomnography. These devices track your breathing, oxygen levels, and sometimes heart rate.

Doctors use them to understand how severe your sleep apnea might be. However, if your test results show you might have severe OSA, your doctor might still recommend a full sleep study for a complete diagnosis.

Treatment Options For Severe OSA

Luckily, there are many treatments for severe OSA. They can help you find relief and sleep better. Let’s delve into some of the most common approaches:

Lifestyle Changes And Weight Management

Healthy lifestyle changes can greatly improve your OSA symptoms. This is true even in severe cases. Losing weight, if you’re overweight or obese, is crucial. Losing even a little weight can open your airway.

It will also reduce the frequency of breathing pauses. Also, quitting smoking and cutting alcohol can help. Keeping a regular sleep schedule can, too. These changes can all lead to better sleep and less severe OSA.

CPAP Therapy

CPAP therapy is one of the most popular treatments for severe OSA. You wear a mask connected to a machine, which gives you continuous positive air pressure.

This pressurized air keeps your airway open throughout the night, prevents breathing pauses, and improves sleep.

CPAP is effective. However, some patients find the mask uncomfortable or sleep-disrupting. And after so many recalls on them people are using less CPAP machines.

Oral Appliances And Their Role In Treating Severe OSA

Oral appliances are a relatively new and promising option for treating OSA. Recently, Vivos Therapeutics’ C.A.R.E. devices received the first ever FDA 510(k) clearance for oral device treatment of severe OSA in adults. This approval is a big step. It shows the value and power of oral appliance therapy, which treats severe cases of OSA

The Vivos C.A.R.E. appliances are also intended to treat moderate obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in adults 18 years of age and older, along with positive airway pressure (PAP) devices and/or myofunctional therapy, as needed.

These custom-made devices gently reposition your jaw and tongue to keep your airway open during sleep.

Surgical Interventions For Severe Cases

In some severe cases, surgery may be recommended to address the underlying anatomical causes of OSA. Surgeons may remove extra throat tissue, enlarge the airway, or insert devices to stiffen it. However, due to its invasive nature, surgery is typically considered a last resort.

Adherence To Treatment And Long-Term Management

Sticking to treatment and managing severe OSA over the long term is key to improving health and quality of life. Let’s explore the steps and challenges in detail.

Challenges With PAP Therapy Adherence

Using a PAP machine every night can be tough. Some people find the mask uncomfortable or the machine too noisy. Others may feel strange or self-conscious about using the machine. These feelings can make it hard for people to use their PAP every night, as their doctors suggest.

Importance Of Follow-Up Appointments And Adjustments

Regular check-ups with your doctor are very important. These appointments let your doctor see how you are doing and change your treatment if needed. They might adjust your PAP machine settings or try a different mask to help you breathe easier and sleep better.

Incorporating The Treatment Plan Into Daily Life

Making your treatment a regular part of your life is crucial. Set up a routine for using your PAP machine. Keep it next to your bed and ready to use each night.

Explain to family members why this treatment is important so they can support you. By making these habits, you can manage your severe OSA effectively and live a healthier life.

Conclusion: What Is Severe OSA?

Severe OSA is a serious health condition in which breathing stops frequently during sleep, more than 30 times per hour. This can lead to major health problems like heart disease and extreme tiredness during the day.

It is vital to see a doctor if you think you have severe OSA. Treatment can make a big difference, improving your sleep and health. Understanding and treating severe OSA can help you breathe and sleep better.

How Dr. Jung Can Help

Your sleep & airway focused dentist in Mansfield is an excellent starting point for addressing sleep concerns because we are skilled in recognizing the signs of this condition, especially those related to oral and facial development. Dr. Jung can identify the dental impacts of sleep apnea. Our familiarity with your oral health history makes us well-positioned to detect and address these issues. Dr. Jung has also undergone specialized further education and training to address sleep apnea, making her an expert in these areas. Here are some of our specialized services:

• Collaborative Care: We collaborate with other healthcare professionals for holistic care, addressing any related respiratory or sleep issues.
• Laser Therapy: The DEKA QuiteNite laser can be used in various ways to help treat sleep disorders. This is done by tightening areas in the mouth that could limit airflow, which causes snoring. This is a painless procedure.
• Oral Appliance Therapy: Most of our patients benefit a great deal from sleeping with a special mouthguard that encourages proper jaw alignment and nasal breathing. Learn more about oral appliance therapy here.