Sleep Apnea - A Serious Asthma Symptom
Asthma is a well-known, highly common health condition that millions suffer from. It's also dangerous, and hundreds of thousands of people die each year because of it. That's why it's so important that you learn all of the different symptoms of asthma. Not only will it help you get a diagnosis quickly and start taking steps to control your asthma, but it will also help you learn about the various symptoms that could pose a serious risk to your health as a result of your asthma. Certainly one of the most dangerous asthma symptoms is sleep apnea, and if you're an asthma sufferer you need to learn more about this symptom for your health.
Sleep apnea is simply a condition wherein you stop breathing during sleep. It's often for just a few seconds but in more serious cases breathing could stop for a protracted period of time. In most cases people awaken as a result of this, but in others they may simply never realize that the problem even exists. Since asthma affects the airways and your ability to breathe properly, it's easy to understand just why sleep apnea is such a common occurrence among asthma sufferers. It's also one of the most dangerous. When an asthma attack occurs while you're awake you'll be able to use your emergency medication to control it. This isn't possible during sleep.
Many cases of asthma are actually known as nocturnal asthma. In other words, they affect people most commonly during the night. Various reasons contribute to this including your body's relaxation during rest, lying on your back, and more. And while the most common asthma symptoms will certainly be a part of nocturnal asthma, the more pressing concern will be the presence and severity of possible sleep apnea. It's a serious symptom that requires serious attention in order to ensure your overall safety and well-being.
Controlling asthma related sleep apnea usually involves simply managing your asthma itself. Several treatments and medications are effective at helping you avoid asthma symptoms overnight and in preventing sleep apnea. You can also modify your sleeping position to lessen the chance of sleep apnea. In severe cases an actual machine may need to be utilized in order to prevent sleep apnea from occurring. These machines may either provide air to you as you sleep or monitor your breathing and emit an alarm if you stop breathing for too long of a period of time. Either way, sleep apnea is important to deal with if you suffer from asthma. Doing so could literally save your life.