What is CPAP therapy and how it helps fight snoring

Snoring can be deadly. And we are not talking about those cases when, unable to withstand the “thunder peals”, the wife killed her husband – were, alas, and such. The situation is more serious: snoring and the syndrome of obstructive sleep apnea (to put it in simple terms – sleep apnea disease) that often goes with it are fraught not only with poor health – drowsiness that interferes with a full life, headaches, weakening of potency, attention, memory impairment – but can even end in death. To resist this disease is not easy, but it is possible. For example, with the help of CPAP therapy, which estet-portal.com will now talk about.

Snoring – such a serious problem that scientists have been struggling with it for decades. The breakthrough came in 1981, when Australian professor Colin Sullivan and colleagues first used a device that continuously delivers air into the airways and thus relieves the sleep apnea patient from the risk of not waking up due to respiratory arrest. But first, let's figure out what is obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and what does snoring have to do with it?

What is the danger of snoring and sleep apnea disease

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSA) is more common than we used to think. Remember, there were cases when a loved one suddenly stopped breathing for ten seconds in a dream, then sobbed, snored, began to toss and turn, moving his arms and legs, and finally continued to breathe and, as usual, to snore? You are so accustomed to this that there is nothing wrong with such "breathlessness" don't you see? But this is the formidable OSA, which, unfortunately, is the cause of sudden death, especially in men under 50.

"Sound Effects", so annoying to many, – the most harmless manifestation of snoring. Worst of all, snoring – a harbinger of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, which can cause sudden death.

But even if the worst doesn't happen, ignoring such breath stops – there may be several hundred of them every night – it is impossible in any case, because they take away up to 4 hours of good sleep! If we take the average 8 hours of sleep necessary for rest, recovery of the body, and subtract 4 from them, then by simple arithmetic calculations and logical conclusions we will come to the conclusion that to be healthy, to feel good for a person sleeping, in essence, 4 hours a day , unreal. Hence frequent headaches, irritability, constant drowsiness, fatigue, memory impairment, decreased potency in men, inability to concentrate. Read about how to improve concentration in the previous article estet-portal.com.

Why does sleep apnea occur? Pharynx of a healthy person – This is a hollow tube that allows air to pass through easily. In the patient, it closes, making it difficult for the passage of air. Often apnea suffers from obese people – fatty tissues, as it were, press on the pharynx from the outside, squeezing it. Taking sleeping pills, certain sedatives, smoking, alcohol, age-related changes can also provoke OSAS. Children's sleep apnea happens due to adenoids, problematic tonsils.

Respiratory stops are especially dangerous for hypertensive patients, because each stop is accompanied by a pressure surge – sometimes up to 250 mm Hg. Art., which increases the risk of stroke.

See a doctor with suspicion of sleep apnea if you give at least 3 positive answers to the following questions:

• Snoring?
• Do you stop breathing in your sleep?
• Do you have frequent urination?
• Sleep restless?
• Do you experience drowsiness or nervousness during the day?
• Do you feel tired and sleepy in the morning?

As you can see, it is extremely dangerous to ignore snoring, because it – harbinger of serious problems. And now back to how to deal with these problems – to CPAP therapy.

CPAP therapy: getting rid of snoring and… life saving

So, in 1981, an Austrian professor found a way to supply air to an apnea patient in such a way that his throat would not close. The abbreviation CPAP comes from the English СРАР – Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, which means "constant positive airway pressure." Dr. Sullivan invented an apparatus by which air entered the patient's lungs under increased pressure, which did not allow the pharynx to close and cause respiratory arrest, — simple, like all ingenious. The use of the device turned out to be so effective that an extremely popular CPAP therapy arose, which has become the most popular way to combat snoring and OSA at the moment. An apparatus consisting of a "snorer" put on the face masks, tubes, compressors, over time, it has been slightly improved for the needs of patients who catch cold easily from cold air and suffer from dryness of the nasopharynx. Modern models boast heated, humidified air, as well as an auto mode that recognizes what air supply pressure is optimal at the moment.

If we exclude a slight inconvenience – the need to sleep in a mask and minor side effects (reddening of the skin, stuffy nose, irritated mucous eyes) due to an incorrectly selected mask – then CPAP therapy is exceptionally simple, easy to carry out at home – of course, after consulting a doctor: put on a mask, turn on the device and… good night! There are practically no contraindications, but some categories of people are prescribed therapy with caution, for example, those who have undergone surgery on the brain, pituitary gland, inner, middle ear. Also, care is needed for the following diseases:

• bullous lung disease,
• past pneumothorax, pneumocephalus, pneumomediastinum.
• sinusitis,
• eye infections,
• respiratory failure;
• heart failure;
• hypotension;
• dehydration;
• nosebleeds.

Like any treatment, CPAP therapy is best done under supervision or constant consultation with a physician. It is important to choose an apparatus, a mask that is suitable in every sense, to set the optimal pressure under which air will flow. Severe forms of OSAS require nightly CPAP therapy throughout the entire sleep period. Light – during deep sleep, in the morning the mask is removed. Periodically, you can take breaks of 1-2 nights, but at the same time, you need to proceed from the fact that it is advisable to sleep in a mask at least all 2/3 nights.

CPAP therapy has practically no contraindications. It is prescribed with caution only to certain categories of patients. It is not addictive and, if the device and the mask are chosen correctly, it does not threaten with side effects.

For all the effectiveness and certain simplicity of CPAP therapy, it is worth noting that it does not eliminate snoring and sleep apnea forever, that is, it does not cure completely, but helps to eliminate them for the period of using the device – which is already a lot, because it saves you from the risk of sudden death, health problems, which are described above.

Warned – means armed. Now you know that snoring is not nearly as harmless as the jokes make it out to be. Snoring is dangerous, and the sooner you start fighting it, the more likely you are to save not only health, but also life.