What is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep Apnea is a sleep disorder characterized by brief interruptions of breathing during sleep. The most common type of sleep apnea is Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). OSA occurs when the throat muscles and tongue relax during sleep and partially block the opening of the upper airway, making breathing more labored and noisy (snoring) and even stopping it altogether (an apnea).
Early diagnosis and treatment of sleep apnea is important as it can lead to irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, difficulty concentrating, reduced memory, and daytime wakefulness.
bostonpaincare.com © 2009-12. All Rights Reserved.