With the increase in awareness about sleep apnea, many have realised that snoring does not bode well for health. Snoring is often an indication of sleep apnea, which can lead to chronic problems like hypertension, diabetes and even cardiac arrest.
Those suffering from this disorder do not enjoy the refreshing benefits of sleep and wake up rather tired, as their energy gets drained. But, all who snore do not necessarily have sleep apnea.
According to experts, those who snore should undergo a sleep study to spot the possibility of sleep apnea. ENT surgeon and snoring and sleep apnea specialist T.V. Rajinikanth says there are two types of sleep studies – the basic type that can be done at home and the other that should be done at a sleep clinic.
The findings made using the sleep study equipment depends on the number of leads or channels it can record. The simplest device should record data regarding respiratory effort, pulse, oxygen saturation, nasal flow and snoring.
Sleep apnea is of two types – obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and central sleep apnea (CSA). In the first type, the name itself suggests that the cause for the disease is obstruction in the respiratory track. In the central apnea, the cause is instability in the feedback mechanism that controls respiration which means there is a problem with the nerves.
“The study helps in categorising sleep apnea into mild, moderate and severe. Only those diagnosed with severe sleep apnea during home sleep study need to undergo a more intense sleep study conducted in a sleep lab,” Dr. Rajinikanth said.
Those who have to undergo surgery will also have to take a sleep endoscopy to categorise snoring and obstruction. “The exact piece of tissue in the throat that is obstructing the free passage of breath can be identified in sleep endoscopy,” Dr. Rajinikanth said.
