Types of sleep apnea exist, and your physician diagnoses the specific type you have. The most common types are obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and central sleep apnea (CSA). While not actually a separate category, mixed sleep apnea (MSA), which shows characteristics of both OSA and CSA at different times during sleep, is also diagnosed. There are many tests used to provide a diagnosis for OSA, depending on whether you go to a pulmonologist or an otolaryngologist/head & neck surgeon. But all initial diagnostic procedures are designed to determine if your airway becomes blocked while you are asleep. If so, this will cause your brain to "wake up" several times throughout the night, generally resulting in loud snoring, pauses of breathing (apnea), and more frequent awakenings.

1. Sleep Apnea Diagnosis

2. Sleep apnea is a common disorder where a person's
breathing has been disrupted during the night, causing
them to wake up. According to statistics by the American
Sleep Apnea Association, about 22 million Americans
will suffer from sleep apnea at some point in their lives.
Of this 22 million, about 80 percent of sufferers remain
undiagnosed and untreated.

3. As children are usually more mobile than adults, they
often spill out of bed during an episode; however it can
still be dangerous for young sufferers. One study
presented by the National Institutes of Health found
that sleep-related deaths were 55 times higher among
infants with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) than
infants without OSA.

4. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
recommends that children with symptoms of sleep
apnea be brought to a pediatrician for diagnosis.
The physician will check for signs of airway
obstruction, enlarged tonsils or adenoids, obesity, or
"tongue-thrusting" behavioral problems during sleep.

5. While there is no cure, proper diagnosis and treatment
can help sufferers live healthy lives without interruption
from the disorder.
Sleep apnea is caused by the lack of airflow past the
pharynx at night. If you have ever sat in front of an open
car window while sitting in traffic on a hot day, you may
have experienced this problem firsthand.

6. When breathing normally your throat muscles
are relaxed, but when you stop moving air
through your nose these muscles tense up
and obstruct airflow. In the case of sleep
apnea, a person can stop breathing up to 30
times an hour.

7. The most common treatment for sleep apnea
is a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure
(CPAP) machine, which blows air quietly
through nose and mouth so that throat
muscles do not have to work to keep the air
passage open at night.

8. C-PAP machines are about 93 percent
effective in reducing or eliminating snoring
and other symptoms of OSA. However, many
sufferers find that they cannot tolerate
wearing a mask over their face while sleeping.

9. Oral appliances may also be used to reposition the jaw
forward . These appliances force the lower jaw forward
by pushing down on top teeth , increasing airflow
through the back of the throat where it is naturally
narrowest. If sleep apnea is caused by enlarged
tonsils or adenoids , these may be reduced through
surgery.

10. In children, enlarged tonsils and adenoids often lead to
chronic ear infections that require antibiotics to resolve.
Rarely, extremely large tonsils can even cause problems
with breathing. In extreme cases, a special tube may be
surgically implanted in the windpipe to relieve obstructions
from the back of the throat . This procedure has been used
successfully for 70 years and has a high success rate.

11. While there is no cure for sleep apnea, it can be
managed efficiently with treatment options available
today. The best thing one can do if they feel they have
symptoms of sleep apnea is talk to their primary
physician.
With proper diagnosis and treatment, one can avoid the
risks associated with OSA.