The Causes, Symptoms and Types of Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea has become a huge concern for many people throughout the world. Because of this doctors have studied the condition in order to determine the different types of sleep apnea, the causes, the symptoms and the problems people with the condition face.

When it comes to understanding the disease, the first place you want to start is to learn about the different types of sleep apnea that have been recognized.

The 3 Types of Sleep Apnea

The first classified type of this condition is called Obstructive Sleep Apnea or OSA. This is the most common of the 3 recognized types of sleep apnea, and is known to be caused from obstruction of breathing which can severely limit or even totally stop air flow through the nose and mouth.

The second type of this condition is referred to as Central Sleep Apnea or CSA. This type of sleep apnea is the rarest of the three, and is caused due to the delay of brain stimulation to breath. This kind of sleep apnea is found in people who have had a brain tumor, a brain infection and even respiratory disease.

Mixed Sleep Apnea or MSA is the last of the three recognized types of sleep apnea. This type of the condition occurs as a partial type of OSA, CSA or both. Since this type of apnea tends to be less severe than the others, most people find it treatable to a point where snoring is the only symptom present.

The Causes and Symptoms

When learning about the different types of sleep apnea currently being studied and treated, it is important to also know what can cause the disease and what risk factors should be taken into consideration.

Believe it or not, there are some causes such as the shape of your head and nose that can be a cause of sleep apnea. In addition to reasons that are inevitable, there are things we can control when it comes to lowering our risk for one of the types of sleep apnea. Smoking, being overweight and not getting enough sleep can be some major causes of the condition.

As for symptoms, you should recognize the following things as a possibility of sleep apnea:

Loud and intense snoring
Waking yourself up for no apparent reason
Feeling tired in the morning no matter what time you went to bed

The feeling of constantly being congested and a loved one displaying concern for your sleeping habits

Need to Know More?

If you are concerned about being prone to or having the disease, contact your doctor for more detailed information about the sleep apnea, including the types, causes and risks associated with it. Remember that nothing including the Internet can replace the informed and professional diagnosis of your doctor.