ENT · Ear, nose and throat

Obstructive sleep apnoea

Understand night-time breathing pauses, their measurement and airway treatments.

Editorial publication · Medical review pending.

Understand

Obstructive sleep apnoea causes breathing to stop and restart when the airway narrows during sleep.

Loud snoring, witnessed pauses, choking, repeated waking, morning headaches and daytime sleepiness are common.

Excess weight, age, a large neck, alcohol, smoking, back sleeping and large tonsils or adenoids increase risk.

Night and daytime symptoms lead to sleep assessment, sometimes with an ENT examination.

Home or laboratory sleep studies measure breathing, oxygen, heart rate and events per hour.

Without treatment it raises cardiovascular, metabolic and sleepiness-related accident risks.

Weight loss, side sleeping and less alcohol help; CPAP, a mandibular device or surgery is selected by the individual case.

Seek assessment for witnessed pauses, choking or persistent daytime tiredness.

Uncontrolled sleepiness means driving must be avoided; breathing distress, chest pain or neurological deficit needs immediate help.

A procedure linked to a condition does not establish an indication for your individual situation.