There are approximately a hundred diseases related to sleep disorders and disorders in adults. The most common and important of these is sleep apnea. What makes this disease so important is that it can even cause death. Sleep apnea not only reduces a person’s quality of life, but is also very dangerous, with consequences that can lead to death. As a result of sleep apnea, a person can fall asleep almost anywhere, even while driving. High intensity snoring occurs, which creates a disturbing situation for the environment. The sound is so loud that sometimes a person can even wake up to his own voice. A person suffering from sleep apnea goes to work tired and is constantly distracted. His enthusiasm for work disappears and he always returns home tired. He falls asleep while sitting in front of the television. His social life and environment are disrupted. If left untreated, sleep apnea puts it in a very risky situation, including hypertension, infarction and heart rhythm disorders.

Another risk is a traffic accident. If you have such sleep apnea symptoms, you should definitely see a specialist doctor. Of course, sleep apnea is a treatable disease. The important thing is diagnosis. It has been determined that around 90% of patients suffering from sleep apnea worldwide are not diagnosed. This rate goes up to 95% in our country. In America, patients suffering from sleep apnea were diagnosed after living for almost 10 years.

Patients who have major problems with sleep apnea should go to hospitals, consult a specialist and get the necessary help. Sleep apnea can be performed under very comfortable conditions in large settlements such as Istanbul. In this regard, big city opportunities are at the forefront. You can get help from doctors who are competent in this field by researching hospitals that treat sleep apnea.

Definition of Sleep Apnea
The general definition of sleep apnea, which causes so much distress to the person, is defined as interruption of breathing for 10 seconds or longer during sleep. Stopping breathing is apnea, and slowing down breathing is Hypopea. If there are 5 or more interruptions per hour during sleep, it is called obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. As a mechanism, the disease complies with physical rules. Partial interruption of breathing during sleep manifests itself as snoring. If there is complete discontinuation, this is apnea. There is no need to mention snoring alone. Because what we call snoring is a social complaint. Snoring may be seen in people who are tired, have alcohol and smoking habits. The ear, nose and throat department gives priority to shortness of breath caused by snoring. Because these shortness of breath are life-threatening.

Reasons for Sleep Apnea to Occur
This obstruction, which we call sleep apnea, can occur anywhere along the upper respiratory tract, that is, from the nose to the epiglottis. We can list the surgical methods to correct this situation as follows;
Hypertrophic turbinate, polyp, tumor septum deviation
Choana atresia, choana polyp, tumor, velopharyngeal surgery, cleft palate repair, adenoid vegetation in the nasopharynx, cyst, stenosis
Macroglossia, which manifests itself as Down Syndrome and acromegaly, tonsil hypertrophy in the oropharynx, tongue tonsil hypertrophy, retrognathia (Achondroplasia, Pierre Robin Syndrome), uvala, soft palate laxity, tongue laxity and neoplasm.
Vallecular cyst, neoplasm, cord paralysis, laryngotracheomalacia in the hypopharynx, papillomatosis, stenosis, hemangioma, glottic web.
Craniofacial anomalies known as Treacher Collins, Down syndrome, Crouzon and Apert
Neuromuscular causes that may occur. Well; cerebral palsy, Down Syndrome, myotrophic dystrophy, neonatal anoxia, syringomyelobulbia, vocal cord paralysis and Arnold Chiari malformation
Some other reasons; These include Hogdkin, Prader Willi Syndrome, congenital myxedema, sickle cell anemia, exogenous obesity or endogenous laryngopharyngeal reflux.
What are the symptoms of sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea manifests itself with some symptoms. The main symptoms are:
Snore
morning fatigue
Shortness of breath in sleep
Morning headache
attention disorder
Social life is badly affected
Napping during the day, desire to sleep
Failure at work or school
Heart problems, hypertension
Traffic accidents
sexual reluctance
Symptoms such as gastroesophageal and laryngopharyngeal reflux suggest that sleep apnea has occurred.
How to Understand?
Sleep apnea can be diagnosed based on the 3 questions and answers the specialist doctor will ask. These;

Is there snoring at night?
Do you become short of breath while sleeping?
Do you feel the urge to doze off or sleep during the day?
Someone suffering from sleep apnea always wakes up tired. Headache occurs in the morning. He is always sleepy during the day and tends to sleep. Falling asleep while driving and falling asleep while watching television at night are the most prominent features of sleep apnea. Research and statistics reveal that one-third of traffic accidents are caused by these patients. Additionally, the risk of infarction and stroke is increased in these patients. Sudden deaths during sleep are also thought to be due to sleep apnea.

Which Department Treats Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is treated in the Neurology unit. However, they carry out joint work with other departments. For example, if the patient consults a physician with a complaint of mild apnea and the obesity problem is at the forefront, the patient should be followed by a dietician. However, if there are significant anatomical stenosis in the upper respiratory tract, the evaluation is performed by ENT (Ear Nose and Throat) specialists, prioritizing the surgical method.

In patients with moderate or severe sleep apnea, CPAP, or positive air pressure, is required. Automatic settings can be adjusted according to the patient’s preference or treatment effect. Or it is monitored by switching to a constant pressure device. In cases where there is difficulty in using the device we call CAPAP or in mild cases, the lower jaw is moved forward with an intraoral appliance. In this way, the tongue is prevented from falling backwards and blocking the respiratory tract.

Sleep apnea, which causes people a lot of trouble, can be treated by specialist doctors at Meltem Hospital in Istanbul. Sleep apnea treatment prices may vary depending on the patient’s condition. To do this, the patient must first go to the institution and undergo the necessary examinations, and the doctors must cooperate to determine the degree of apnea. However, as a result of the examination and tests, the necessary information about sleep apnea treatment prices will be given to the patient.

Attention if you have sweating, snoring and restlessness while sleeping!
Stopping breathing during sleep is a very common condition. Snoring, restlessness, sweating, frequent waking up for the toilet, reflux, dry mouth and respiratory arrest are the main and most important symptoms of sleep apnea. If there is forgetfulness, lack of concentration, headache, not being vigorous in the morning, depression, constant sleepiness in the morning, fatigue, a physician should be consulted for diagnosis.

Symptoms That Occur During Sleep
Depending on the number and duration of interruptions, interruption of breathing during sleep causes a decrease in the amount of oxygen in the blood. There is an increase in the amount of carbon dioxide. This person stimulates the patient’s brain and causes the person to wake up at night. If a person feels vigorous and energetic when he wakes up in the morning, this is an indication that he has entered the deep stages of the night in a healthy way. However, if breathing is interrupted, frequent awakenings occur at night and those deep stages cannot be entered. In this way, the body and brain are not rested. It manifests itself as morning fatigue, daytime sleepiness, and headache. The sick person usually depends on his intensity during the day. Generally, patients ignore the symptoms of sleep apnea and the person often consults a doctor with complaints from their spouses.

Methods Used in Diagnosis
First of all, the treatment process should be started with diagnosis. Hospitals that treat sleep apnea generally present their diagnoses with the following items. To diagnose sleep apnea;

ENT examination
anamnesis
Müller maneuver
Epworth Sleepiness Scale
Determining the SDB score, which we call sleep-related breathing disorders, that is, Friedman classification + tonsil volume + body mass index determination.
Cephalometric analysis is used and if necessary, magnetic resonance is used to calculate the tongue volume, floor of the mouth surface and posterior pharynx wall surface.
These steps to be taken are important in determining the method and scheme of sleep apnea treatment. However, a definitive diagnosis is made by polysomnography, which we call a sleep test, in one of the hospitals that treat sleep apnea. The patient stays in the sleep laboratory overnight and is monitored throughout the night.

Obstructive sleep apnea is divided into 3 classes according to these values. These are mild, moderate and severe. The classification of obstructive sleep apnea is as follows:

5-15 apnea-hypopnea/hour: Mild obstructive sleep apnea
16-30 apnea-hypopnea/hour: Moderate obstructive sleep apnea
31 or more apnea-hypopnea/hour: Severe obstructive sleep apnea
The main problem here is to detect the location where the obstruction in the upper respiratory tract occurs. Fibroscopic examination is very important to determine this problem. If a problem with the skeletal structure is suspected, MRI is performed to detect tongue volume, cephalometric analysis, and posterior pharyngeal surface area. The issue that needs to be decided is whether the blockage is caused by soft tissue or not.