Apnoea
Although we don't really know precisely why, Apnoea can be associated with reflux, partcularly Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA).
Mild apnoea may just cause snoring.
During OSA, the person can stop breathing for seconds or even a minute before breathing again, sometimes with a sharp intake of breath. Usually the person is unaware they have the problem. It is more often noticed by their partner.
What happens is the throat muscles relax blocking the airway. In refluxers, the cricopharyngeus, which constitutes the Upper Oesophageal Sphincter, attempts to prevent extra oesophagea reflux. At night, this may block the airway.
Symptoms
From the NHS website:
Symptoms of sleep apnoea mainly happen while you sleep.
They include:
breathing stopping and starting
making gasping, snorting or choking noises
waking up a lot
loud snoring
During the day, you may also:
feel very tired
find it hard to concentrate
have mood swings
have a headache when you wake up
Treatment
The normal treatment for OSA is Positive Airway Pressure Therapy (PAP therapy) as described in this videao from Cleveland Clinic in USA.
Newer, less invasive, treatments are becoming available such as the device from Inspire Theraoy described in this video.
Visit their website at Inspiresleep.com for more information.
Page updated 23 January 2024