There are two main types of sleep apnea: obstructive and central.
Both types of apnea stop your breathing during the night, and both can have very similar symptoms. The main difference lies in the way your breathing stops during those pauses.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea
As its name suggests, obstructive sleep apnea happens when something obstructs the airways. This can happen for a number of reasons.
Misaligned Jaw| The alignment of your jaw can make an enormous difference in the positioning of your airways when you lie down. This is especially true when gravity pulls your jaw and tongue backward.
Relaxed Airway Tissue| While conscious, we carry a certain amount of tension in all of our muscles and tendons. However, as soon as we relax into sleep, much of this tension can fade away. Combined with the gravity of lying horizontal, this relaxed tissue collapses in on itself.
Misaligned Airways| Nasal and throat passages are not always ideally shaped for deep, horizontal breathing. If the airways passages in your nose and throat are too thin or curve too much, breathing during sleep can become difficult.
Central Sleep Apnea
This form of apnea causes many of the same problems but has a very different cause. Central sleep apnea happens when your nervous system itself fails to send the proper signals from your brain to your lungs.
A number of contributing factors may lead to central sleep apnea.
Heart Attack and Stroke| During and after strokes or heart attacks, the body is highly susceptible to severe health complications. These complications can include inducing a state of central sleep apnea.
High Elevation Sleeping| Extreme elevations or situations where the oxygen level in the air is far too low can result in the body’s breathing patterns becoming erratic and possibly dangerous.
Reaction to Drugs and Medications| Many medications have severe effects on the body, especially when taken in excess. Opioids are just one of many drug types that have the potential to cause difficulties while breathing.
Medical Conditions| Stroke and heart attack are obvious health conditions with dramatic effects. However, many other health problems, such as late-stage kidney disease, can also affect the nervous system and its ability to properly regulate body conditions.
Talk to Us About Your Sleep Apnea Symptoms
Whether your apnea is caused by obstructions or the central nervous system, your long-term health could be at risk. If you identify with any of these scenarios or if you have several symptoms from our Symptoms of Sleep Apnea page, don’t hesitate to contact us!
Here in our office, we will run tests, get you a diagnosis, and begin a treatment plan that is specific to your personal needs.