Sleep Apnea: Types and Treatment

The word apnea comes from the Greek, meaning “without breath.”  In essence, sleep apnea means to stop breathing while asleep.  From the scientific perspective, this disorder is characterized by periods of an absence of attempts to breath because the individual is momentarily unable to move respiratory muscles or maintain air flow through the nose or mouth.  According to the National Institute of Health, an estimated twelve million Americans (1 out of 25) are affected with sleep apnea (sometimes called sleep apnea syndrome).  Of two major types, “obstructive” (the more common), and “central” sleep apnea, this condition can be quite frightening for both the person who wakes up gasping for air, as well as for the loved one who may be near.  Read more . . .