Comparing obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea

Daytime fatigue, confusion, morning headaches… too often, people suffering from sleep apnea and snoring simply exist with the draining side effects because they don’t realize there’s a solution. Learning about the condition can help you recognize its symptoms and seek the relief you crave sooner! Here we compare the most common types of sleep apnea: obstructive, or OSA, and central, CSA.

All about sleep apnea

It’s estimated that approximately 22 million Americans suffer from some form of sleep apnea. That’s serious news when you consider the fact that sleep apnea has been linked to severe heart problems, like high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke.

Because the side effects of sleep apnea are strikingly similar to those of other conditions, like anxiety and depression, it is often misdiagnosed or ignored altogether. Fortunately, Dr. McKnight offers sleep apnea and snoring therapy. That means if you and your partner are suffering from long nights of interrupted sleep, you can find relief right here in Mesquite, TX.

Obstructive sleep apnea is a physical blockage

The most common type of the condition, obstructive sleep apnea is known to affect 4 percent of American men and 2 percent of American women. OSA occurs when the tongue and lower jaw physically block the flow of air through the throat, either partially or completely.

Symptoms specific to OSA include:

• Loud, chronic snoring caused by the obstructed airway
• Breaks in breathing interrupted by a gasp or choking sensation

Central sleep apnea occurs with the brain

Central sleep apnea occurs when the brain simply fails to tell the muscles in charge of breath to function — or, in other words, when they just don’t get the “breathe” signal. That makes central sleep apnea a breakdown in communication.

The conditions that can lead to CSA include:

• Parkinson’s disease
• Brain infection
• Stroke
• Narcotic dependency

Treat your sleep apnea in Mesquite

If you’re suffering from sleep apnea, you’ll be so relieved to know Dr. McKnight and his team can give you restful sleep and wakeful days once again. Obstructive sleep apnea and snoring are both successfully treated with a removable oral device that keeps your lower jaw and tongue in place, preventing their collapse and allowing for the free flow of air through the throat. It’s the kind of relief anyone who’s suffered from interrupted sleep knows is, quite simply, priceless.

Contact our office to schedule your sleep apnea consultation with Dr. McKnight today! Because we know you deserve a full night’s sleep, every single night.