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Understanding Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments

Obstructive sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder that occurs when your upper airway becomes blocked while you sleep. This can lead to shallow breathing or even brief pauses in breathing, which may disrupt your sleep and cause various health issues. In this article, we'll explore the symptoms, causes, risk factors, complications, diagnosis, and treatment options for obstructive sleep apnea.

What Are the Symptoms of Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

Common symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea in adults include:

  • Daytime sleepiness or fatigue

  • Dry mouth or sore throat upon waking

  • Morning headaches

  • Difficulty concentrating, forgetfulness, depression, or irritability

  • Night sweats

  • Restlessness during sleep

  • Sexual dysfunction, such as low libido

  • Snoring

  • Waking up suddenly with a gasping or choking sensation

  • Difficulty waking up in the morning

  • Frequent nighttime urination

  • High blood pressure

  • Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)

In children, symptoms may be less obvious and can include:

  • Bed-wetting

  • Choking or drooling

  • Excessive sweating at night

  • Inward movement of the ribcage during exhalation

  • Learning and behavioral problems

  • Difficulty at school

  • Sluggishness or sleepiness (often mistaken for laziness)

  • Snoring

  • Teeth grinding

  • Restlessness in bed

  • Pauses or stops in breathing

  • Unusual sleeping positions, such as sleeping on hands and knees or with the neck bent far back

What Causes Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

Obstructive sleep apnea typically occurs when the muscles that control your airway relax too much, causing your throat to narrow. This can be triggered by various factors, including:

  • Obesity

  • Swollen tonsils

  • Endocrine disorders

  • Heart failure

Who Is at Risk for Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

While anyone can develop obstructive sleep apnea, certain factors may increase your risk, such as:

  • Being male

  • Older age

  • Being black, Hispanic, or Native American

  • Family history of sleep apnea

  • Asthma

  • Smoking

  • Diabetes

  • High blood pressure

  • Higher risk of heart failure or stroke

  • Being overweight or obese

  • Having a large or thick neck

  • Smaller airways in the nose, throat, or mouth

  • Excess tissue at the back of the throat that hangs down and blocks the airway

  • Having a large tongue

What Are the Potential Complications of Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

If left untreated, obstructive sleep apnea can lead to several complications, including:

  • Daytime sleepiness and difficulty concentrating, which may increase the risk of accidents in adults and cause problems at school for children

  • Cardiovascular issues, such as heart attack, high blood pressure, irregular heart rhythms, or stroke

  • Eye problems, like glaucoma and dry eye

  • Metabolic disorders, such as type 2 diabetes

  • Pregnancy complications, including gestational diabetes or low-birth-weight babies

  • Complications after surgery

How Is Obstructive Sleep Apnea Diagnosed?

To diagnose obstructive sleep apnea, your doctor will perform a physical exam and ask about your sleep habits. They may also ask your family members or roommates about your sleep patterns. In some cases, you may need to undergo a sleep study, either at a sleep lab or at home, to monitor various factors such as:

  • Air flow

  • Blood oxygen levels

  • Breathing patterns

  • Brain activity

  • Eye movement

  • Heart rate and rhythm

  • Muscle activity and limb movement

The sleep study will track the number of times you experience breathing problems during sleep.

What Are the Treatment Options for Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

Treatment options for obstructive sleep apnea may include:

  • Weight loss, if necessary (losing even 10% of your body weight can help)

  • Avoiding alcohol and sleeping pills, which can relax your airway and prolong breathing disruptions

  • Sleeping on your side, especially if you have mild sleep apnea that only occurs when sleeping on your back

  • Using nasal sprays to alleviate sinus problems or nasal congestion that may hinder breathing during sleep

  • Using a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine, which provides a constant stream of air through a mask to keep your upper airway tissues from collapsing

  • Trying a BPAP (bilevel positive airway pressure) machine, which offers two levels of air flow that adjust when you inhale and exhale

  • Wearing oral devices or mandibular advancement devices, which can help keep your tongue from blocking your throat or bring your lower jaw forward to maintain an open airway

  • Undergoing surgery to remove excess or uneven tissue that blocks airflow through the nose or throat, such as a deviated septum, swollen tonsils, or a small lower jaw that narrows the throat

Surgical options for obstructive sleep apnea may include:

  • Upper airway stimulator (Inspire), which uses a small pulse generator and wires to monitor your breathing and deliver mild signals to nerves that control your airway muscles

  • Somnoplasty, which uses radiofrequency energy to tighten the tissue at the back of your throat

  • UPPP (uvulopalatopharyngoplasty), which removes soft tissue in the back of your throat and palate to widen your airway

  • Nasal surgery to correct obstructions in your nose, such as a deviated septum

  • Mandibular/maxillary advancement surgery, which moves your jawbone and face bones forward to create more space in the back of your throat (typically reserved for severe cases)

If you suspect that you or a loved one may have obstructive sleep apnea, consult your doctor for an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment plan. With proper management, you can improve your sleep quality, daytime functioning, and overall health.

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