A general overview:
A good night sleep of seven to eight hours is what a human body needs to relax down the system and to maintain its proper functioning. An uninterrupted proper sleep helps in regulating the optimal health. But what if our brain fails to regulate the process of sleeping during night or there is a signaling problem in the brain? The answer will certainly denote towards some serious health disorders which can have fatal consequences.
A sleepless night can give you a challenging day to stay awake and in performing regular activities. Poor sleep has adverse impact in many areas of your life and led to chronic health issues like diabetes, depression, obesity and cardiac diseases.
Recent medical reports have revealed an alarming data of how maximum global population have fallen victim to various sleep disorders. Increasing stress of the routine life, intake of unhealthy diet and irregular lifestyle are responsible for insomnia or sleeplessness. Insomnia may be a first stage indication towards developing a serious form of sleep dysfunctional syndrome known as sleep apnea. Individuals suffering from this disease face interrupted breathing during sleep at night. If this disease left untreated can cause serious cases of hypertension or even life threatening strokes.
Reports suggested that men are more vulnerable to sleep apnea while women may develop this syndrome after menopause. Often it is the bed partner of the sufferer who first notices the symptoms of this disease. There is a tendency noticed among the patients to suddenly wake up in their sleep, this happens due to the lack of oxygen in the brain. Apnea refers to pause in breathing that last for a maximum duration of ten seconds. The syndrome happens when the muscle in the back of the throat area fails to keep the air tract open as a result of which the brain starts suffering from lack of oxygen which is why the suffering individual suddenly wake up in middle of sleep with a sensation of gasping or choking to fetch sufficient oxygen for the body. In most of the cases persons suffering from sleep apnea do not even realize that they are awake.
Treatment of sleep apnea in India:
The recent report by Asian Heart Institute reveals that 13% of Indians are suffering from this sleep disorder. Though the severity of this disease is prevalent in the western countries but the increasing level of stress and gadgets addiction among the Indians have made them prone to various sleep syndrome including that of sleep apnea.
According to Dr. Ashish Tandon, the centre head of Allahabad based Haridaya Superspeciality hospital, developing sleep apnea disorder is not something that happens overnight. There are initial symptoms which must be detected and diagnose in its primary stage. These indications are:
People who are frequently suffering from these above mentioned symptoms required to immediately visit a chest or ENT specialist for a proper diagnosis of the symptoms so that suitable medications can be suggested in time. Ignorance of the indications may lead to life threatening situations.
Haridaya Hospital is a humble initiative of Tandon Chest that aims to offer world class medical services to every ailing patient at a fair and reasonable medical package. Dr. Ashish Tandon himself is a compassionate chest physician having more than over twenty years of experience in handling various critical medical cases related to chest and respiratory complications. Dr. Tandon is also a visiting consultant to many hospitals in Allahabad and is also a regular speaker in various medical conferences in India and abroad.
Dr. Ashish Tandon put emphasis on the possible following causes behind sleep apnea. Such as:
Diagnosis and treatment of sleep apnea:
Generally the person lying next to the suffering individual realizes the consequences of this sleep syndrome. Once detected, consulting a physician on immediate basis is the next very step to follow. The physician will observe the sleep pattern and will start diagnosing the disease based on medical and family history. The ultimate stage of investigation to detect sleep apnea is polysomnography.
One of the most recommended treatments for sleep apnea is the use of CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) machine to ensure comfort sleep throughout night. The machine has a mask that is fitted with the patient’s nose which helps in inhaling positive airflow and helps in keeping the air passage open so that the breathing process is not interrupted.
Also making some changes in the routine unhealthy lifestyle can also bring in some positivity in combating with the disease. Such as discontinuation of smoking and other addiction, side sleeping and proper exercise. Some simple changes in the daily routine are perhaps the best way to get sufficient sleep. Having apnea is obviously a potential life altering condition but thanks to the latest medical innovation for offering life saving support system to fight against this breathing disorder.
