Are There Different Types of Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is an abnormal sleep condition in which your breathing stops and starts while you sleep. Left untreated, apnea can disrupt your sleep and others around you. Sleep apnea therapy can remedy the disorder and prevent serious issues like loud snoring, tiredness, and heart and blood pressure. All cases of sleep apnea fall into three main categories: obstructive, central, and complex.

OSA is the most popular subtype of sleep apnea. The condition occurs when muscles and soft tissues in the back of your throat relax during sleep. According to AASM, the relaxed muscles collapse too low for normal breathing. Throat muscles support soft tissue at the back of the throat, including the tongue, tonsils, uvula, and soft palate.

When the muscle collapses, the tissues can fall back into the throat, causing a partial or complete airway blockage. Snoring is the first apparent symptom of obstructive sleep apnea, but not everyone who snores has OSA. Your brain will sense inadequate airflow and insufficient oxygen in the lungs, disrupting sleep and waking you up.

Diagnosis for OSA involves using a sleep test to measure brain and cardiorespiratory activity while you sleep. The tests can be scheduled at a sleep lab or at home. If you’re diagnosed with OSA, the doctor can recommend various treatments. Reversing sleep apnea may involve losing weight, changing sleeping positions, and using devices like CPAP, breathing machines, and mouthpieces.

Unlike OSA, central sleep apnea doesn't necessarily stem from blockages. The apnea is linked to the brain failing to send proper signals to the muscles controlling breathing during sleep. OSA and central sleep apnea share many symptoms, even though the reasons are different. Central apnea stems from neurological causes, while OSA results from mechanical blockages.

The patient may wake up several times at night, causing daytime restlessness. Central sleep apnea may indicate underlying neurological illness, such as brain infection. The condition is also linked to various diseases, including obesity, stroke, Parkinson’s disease, and chronic heart failure. Drugs like opioids or benzodiazepines can also cause apnea.

Diagnosis for central sleep apnea may involve overnight sleep to rule out OSA and other prevalent sleep disorders. Your doctor may also order brain and heart scans to rule out other illnesses. Treatment focuses on addressing the underlying medical condition, like a heart problem, or reducing specific medication doses. The doctor can also use devices like CPAP and BiPAP.

Doctors recently identified complex sleep apnea syndrome as a third category. The condition occurs when one has OSA and central sleep apnea. Patients with complex sleep apnea may first appear to have OSA, but popular OSA treatments won't fully address their problem. If the problem persists after addressing airway blockages, the problem may be central sleep apnea.

More study is needed before doctors identify complex sleep apnea characteristics and risk factors. Currently, doctors will focus on preventing blockage and treating the underlying causes of central sleep apnea. Comprehensive sleep apnea therapy can help remedy the symptoms and identify underlying medical issues causing the disruptions.

You should seek prompt treatment when you start manifesting sleep apnea symptoms. Seeking sleep apnea therapy early can help you address the issue and prevent further damage. The sleep therapist will work with you to identify what's causing the apnea and how to treat it best. Treatment may involve lifestyle changes, medication, devices, and machines.