For those who are diagnosed with such condition, it’s only natural to wonder if sleep apnea is permanent. We may have loved ones we also want to help, so I’m here to answer your concerns.
So, can sleep apnea be reversed? Yes, there are ways to reverse sleep apnea and they can be different depending on what type of sleep apnea one is diagnosed with and the age of the person diagnosed. Let me give you a list of existing treatments can reverse sleep apnea.
- Rapid Maxillary Expansion
- For children with obstructive sleep apnea. This process places an expandable brace on the roof of the mouth that increases the width of the upper jaw (maxilla).
- Over time, parents can adjust the brace using a special key to increase the amount of pressure for the teeth.
- Jaw Advancement Surgery
- For teenagers and adults. This process will surgically break the jaw bones, moved forward and then fixed properly with screws and plates and will change the person’s facial structure or profile.
- It might take months to recover.
- CPAP Machine Treatment
- Works for any age. The person diagnosed will have to use a mask connected to a machine that will force air to the obstructed airway from the oropharyngeal.
- Surgical Airway Advancement
- Similar to the 2nd example. Bones of the upper and lower jaw will be repositioned in a way that will relieve airway obstruction.
The bottom line is that there are many treatments for sleep apnea but it can be different depending on what truly causes it.
Most of the patients diagnosed with sleep apnea had underdeveloped or lack of proper growth of the upper and lower jaw. (Maxilla – Upper) and (Mandible – Lower).
Majority of treatments that can reverse sleep apnea involve surgeries but guarantees efficiency as long as the real cause of sleep apnea has been properly identified.
Unfortunately, sleep apnea cannot simply go away on its own for most cases.
But aside from undeveloped jaw bones and anatomical issues, there are other potential risks that can cause sleep apnea or worsen it. Knowing the risks can help you “reverse” the problem by completely avoiding it or curing it, so read on to learn more about the causes.
What causes sleep apnea and why it must be reversed
There are different potential causes of sleep apnea and some of them are hereditary or related to other medical conditions that may need additional diagnosis. Some of these in the list can be avoided with proper control.
- Obesity
- Can make breathing difficult even while asleep or not moving
- Hypothyroidism
- The condition wherein your body does not produce enough thyroid hormones, which is needed to control how to use energy received from food through metabolism. Bad metabolism can affect heartbeat and breathing.
- Acromegaly
- Opposite of hypothyroidism, acromegaly produces too much growth hormones which can affect your overall health including breathing.
- Allergies
- There are certain allergies that can worsen sleep apnea. Allergies that result with difficulty in breathing are the likes.
- Smoking cigarettes
- Excessive smoking can cause sleep apnea or worsen it
- Drinking liquor
- Too much liquor and drinking before going to sleep can cause sleep apnea.
- Drug usage
- Sedations or other types of drugs especially when being abused can result in sleep apnea or worse.
- Being male
- Observations reveal that males tend to have sleep apnea more than females
- Being old
- Observations also revealed that older adults are more prone to sleep apnea than younger ones due to more complicated health issues that may trigger sleep apnea
Other natural causes of sleep apnea can be a thick neck, narrow throat and having a round head. Avoid triggering your allergies or get medications for other conditions to reverse your sleep apnea.
What are the signs of sleep apnea that can be reversed
There are three common types of sleep apnea but most of them have similar symptoms you can look out for.
Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common and but still risky, central sleep apnea is when your brain fails to send signals to your muscle to make you breathe and lastly, complex sleep apnea syndrome.
Complex sleep apnea syndrome is a combination of both and poses more risks than a normal obstructive sleep apnea. Check out these signs that you might have sleep apnea.
- Heavy snoring
- Maybe, it can be a sign of fatigue but snoring loudly and usually can be a sign of sleep apnea.
- Gasping for air during sleep
- The feeling of drowning without knowing it and suddenly you’re out of air. You may not be aware of this, but you may wake up for a few seconds just to gasp for air.
- This is because your brain will force you to wake up in order to save you from dying in your sleep because of the difficulty in breathing or sleep apnea.
- Insomnia
- Having trouble going to sleep because you have breathing problems that you may not notice
- Hypersomnia
- Having trouble staying awake in the morning because you were unable to sleep well due to your sleep apnea
- Waking up with a headache
- Sleep apnea can disturb your body’s “charging” state. Since you can’t sleep well, your body will use energy for means that can help you breathe which may lead to headaches.
- Waking up with a dry mouth
- With sleep apnea, the person tends to snore and keep their mouth open when gasping for air which leads to a dried up mouth once we awaken.
- Decreased ability to focus
- Sleep apnea can give lack of sleep which will also result in difficulty to focus on anything
- Feeling uncomfortable
- Your lack of energy due to sleep apnea can make you feel uncomfortable and irritable without your knowledge
- Suddenly stop breathing during sleep
- Your housemates should notice this and tell you about it. Sleep apnea can disrupt breathing that may last for up to 10 seconds which is already risky.
These symptoms can be present all at once or only some may be noticeable. If you often wake up tired or you simply suspect you might be having sleep apnea problems, see a doctor immediately for check up.
Why sleep apnea must be reversed
How serious is sleep apnea to the point that it should be reversed? In a sense, reversing it is the same as treating it but most of the treatments involve surgeries which can be costly.
Sleep apnea is a threat to your health and carries huge risks, so it’s important to reverse it once you find out you have it. Here’s the list of risks bought by sleep apnea.
- Heart failure
- May lead to fatal conditions such as brain damages or even death
- Heart attack
- Can also be severely threatening
- Irregular heartbeat
- Worsens the ability to breathe
- Stroke
- Can leave permanent damage
- Diabetes
- Leaves you prone to more heart attacks
- High Blood Pressure
- Aside from your physical health, this can also affect your mental health and relationship with people around you including your work
- Increases ADHD
- Sleep apnea reduces your ability to focus which is what happens when you have ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)
- Triggers depression
- The lack of sleep brought by sleep apnea causes depression, irritability, and other negative emotions
- Headaches
- You may wake up with a bad headache which will lead to other problems listed here
- Lack of daily energy
- As mentioned, your energy will be reduced since you are unable to sleep well.
The thing is, sleep apnea, if left untreated or worsened by other factors, can lead to death. Its risks can be fatal and leave permanent damage which is what we are trying to avoid.
If diagnosed with sleep apnea, one must consider reversing the problem as soon as possible in order to prevent any unwanted scenarios related to your health.
Related Questions
- Can sleep apnea damage be reversed?
Yes, depending on the damage done by sleep apnea, it can be reversed with the right treatment. People diagnosed with sleep apnea must continuously undergo medication and treatment to be cured.
The damages left by sleep apnea will be dealt with during the process and slowly reversing them. However, there are certain damages that may no longer be reversed such as brain damage if the sleep apnea is severe.
Damages done to the brain which obstructive sleep apnea can bring may be difficult to reverse.
- Can sleep apnea be cured naturally?
As of the moment, there is no known natural method that can rid of sleep apnea. Most treatments for curing sleep apnea involves surgical procedures.
However, if a person’s sleep apnea is caused by excessive weight, drinking too much alcohol, smoking cigarettes, taking too much sedation or having allergies, then sleep apnea can be “cured naturally” by avoiding them.
For example, going to bed after drinking too much alcohol may result in sleep apnea. Avoiding liquor will stop giving you difficulty in breathing which is what sleep apnea does and thus, “naturally eliminates” it.
- Can sleep apnea cause seizures?
Yes, sleep apnea also causes seizures. Sleep apnea patients are more prone to seizures during sleep compared to epilepsy patients without sleep apnea.
