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ENT DOCTOR BLOG
Posts for: June, 2015
Learn more about this common sleep disorder and its many forms.
Feeling exhausted and groggy throughout the day? Waking up with morning headaches? Do you snore loudly and often wake others up in the house? Does your sleep feel restless and insufficient? If you’ve said yes to any of these then you poor night’s sleep could be due to sleep 
apnea. Find out the different forms that sleep apnea can take on and how your Washington, D.C. Otolaryngologist William R. Bond, Jr. MD, MBA, FACS, can help.
Symptoms of Sleep Apnea
Here are the most common symptoms of this sleep disorder:
- Waking up suddenly unable to breath or gasping for breath
- Abnormal breathing patterns while asleep
- Mood changes and problems concentrating
- Excessive daytime exhaustion
- Morning headaches
- Loud snoring
The Types of Sleep Apnea
Central Sleep Apnea (CSA)
This is a more rare form of sleep apnea that is caused by neurological problems. While the brainstem normally senses respiratory changes to signal certain muscles to breathing faster or deeper, the brainstems in those with CSA are less sensitive to these changes.
Risk factors: Opioid use; brain tumor (very rare); high altitude; stroke; heart disorders such as atrial fibrillation; age (more common in those over the age of 65).
Treatments: Treating an underlying condition like heart problems; reducing your opioid medications; wearing a CPAP machine at night.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)
This is the most common form of sleep apnea and occurs when the throat or airways are obstructed while asleep. OSA is present if a patient is experiencing interrupted breathing that last for more than 10 seconds throughout the night.
Risk factors: thyroid disorder; being overweight; alcohol or sedative use; a narrow throat or thick neck; family history of OSA.
Treatments: CPAP machine; wearing an oral appliance at night (looks similar to mouthguards)
Complex Sleep Apnea
While this is rare, some people who have been diagnosed with OSA may also develop central sleep apnea while using a CPAP machine. This is better known as complex sleep apnea because the patient is currently dealing with both OSA and CSA.
Treatments: CPAP machines can still be used, but caution must be taken to ensure that the pressure settings are set to treat only OSA symptoms. However, for those who still don’t respond to CPAP therapy, other assistant devices such as bilevel PAP-ST may be recommended by your Washington, D.C. ENT doctor Dr. Bond.
Do any of these symptoms sound familiar? If you are concerned that your insomnia or interrupted sleep could be the result of sleep apnea, then it’s time to see your Washington D.C. ENT specialist, Dr. William Bond. We can diagnose and create a unique treatment plan to help you rest easy.
