What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a sleep disease that causes persistent upper airway blockage. These blockages cause shallow or paused breathing, disrupt sleep and lower blood oxygen levels. Loud snoring, gasping, or choking, daytime tiredness, morning headaches, and concentration problems are common symptoms of OSA. OSA can lower quality of life and lead to hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and cognitive impairment if ignored. Lets explore more about the causes, side effects, and treatments that are related to Obstructive sleep apnea 

What are The Causes of Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

A condition called OSA happens when the muscles in the throat relax too much while you sleep. This makes it hard to breathe. This blockage stops normal breathing, which can cause a number of symptoms, such as snoring, gasping for air, and sleep problems. There are a variety of factors that can contribute to oxygen suffocation disorder, including

  • Obesity

Being overweight can raise the risk of OSA by placing pressure on the airway and preventing airflow while you sleep, especially around the neck.

  • Anatomical factors

If someone has a narrow throat or enlarged tonsils or adenoids, for example, they may be more likely to develop OSA because these conditions can make the airway narrow and fragile.

  • Age

As people get older, their risk of OSA tends to rise because the muscles in their throat naturally weaken and tissues are more likely to collapse while they sleep.

  • Gender

OSA is more likely to happen to men than to women, but after menopause, the risk for women goes up.

Signs & Symptoms of Obstructive Sleep Apnea:

Obstructive sleep apnea is a sleep disorder characterized by repeated pauses in breathing during sleep due to a blocked or narrowed airway. The signs and symptoms of OSA can vary in severity but often include

  • Loud Snoring

People who have obstructive sleep apnea often snore loudly and for long periods of time. The snoring might be annoying, and it might sound like someone is gasping or choking.

  • Episodes of Breathing Interruption

In some cases, people with OSA may have episodes while they sleep where they stop breathing or breathe very fast. These short breaks in breathing are called apneas, and they can last anywhere from seconds to minutes. They may happen several times during the night.

  • Daytime Sleepiness

Chronic sleep apnea is a main sign of this condition. Individuals with OSA may still feel tired, exhausted, or drowsy during the day, even after spending the whole night in bed. This can make it hard for them to focus and do their daily tasks.

  • Morning Headaches

When people with OSA wake up, they often say they have headaches, especially in the morning. This headache might be because oxygen levels drop and carbon dioxide levels rise during apneic events.

  • Dry Mouth or Sore Throat

OSA can make you breathe through your mouth, which can leave you with a dry mouth or a sore throat when you wake up.

How to Treat Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

  • Managing obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may involve lifestyle changes like weight loss, exercise, avoiding alcohol before bed, and sleeping on your side. 
  • Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy and bi-level positive airway pressure (BiPAP) therapy are effective treatments that deliver pressurized air through a mask during sleep. 
  • Oral appliances, custom-fitted mouthpieces that reposit the jaw and tongue, can help mild to moderate cases. 
  • Surgery, such as UPPP, tonsillectomy, or nasal surgery, may be considered for severe cases or when other options fail. 
  • Nasal Expiratory Positive Airway Pressure (EPAP) devices like Provent create positive pressure using the patient’s breath to prevent airway collapse during sleep.

In addition to these treatments, obstructive sleep apnea can also be treated with medication that has the active ingredient modafinil. The medication Modafinil is used to treat various sleep disorders, such as obstructive sleep apnea. Modvigil 200mg, Modactive 200mg, Modafresh 200mg, Modawake 200mg, Modaheal have modafinil as its main component. It is  a well-known wakefulness-promoting medication, has demonstrated potential for treating obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) symptoms. Although it doesn’t directly target the airway obstruction in OSA, modafinil helps combat the excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) that often accompanies the condition.