Snoring can be bothersome and embarrassing, but your snoring may be more than just a nuisance that keeps your partner awake at night. You snoring might be a symptom of sleep apnea, a condition where your breathing stops for several seconds or even minutes at a time.
Sleep apnea can be deadly. Evidence shows that untreated sleep apnea greatly increases the likelihood of having a stroke. Tell your health care provider about your snoring, and if you’re diagnosed, start Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, or CPAP treatment as soon as possible. It might save your life.
How Could Sleep Apnea Cause a Stroke?
Sleep Apnea increases your odds of developing an ischemic stroke, a deadly condition where blood flow, and thus your oxygen supply line, is cut off from your brain. A stroke can cause permanent brain damage or even death. In fact, stroke is the leading cause of death in the United States.
If you’re still wondering how sleep apnea might cause a stroke, look no further.
First, we know that if your sleep apnea is left untreated, you’ll continue to have those momentary episodes of breathlessness. This lack of oxygen puts stress on your body and leads to cardiovascular changes, mainly high blood pressure. In turn, this high blood pressure leads to the hardening of the blood vessels, eventually causing blockages in the vessels that supply the brain with oxygen resulting in a potentially deadly ischemic stroke.
CPAP Therapy Prevents Stroke
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure therapy begins healing your body immediately. Yes, your snoring will stop, but more importantly, your body will begin to heal after having lacked those healthy levels of oxygen for so long. Talking to your doctor about your symptoms is very important. If you’re snoring, waking frequently to urinate at night, or having headaches or dry mouth in the morning, let your doctor know that you’re worried about sleep apnea. Early diagnosis matters.
CPAP Therapy After Stroke
If you’ve already suffered from a stroke, CPAP therapy can still be an effective treatment option. Obstructive Sleep Apnea is highly common in stroke patients, a journal article published with the American Academy of Neurology asserts that between 50 to 70% of stroke patients suffer from the disorder. The same study found that patients who don’t use CPAP therapy after their stroke have less successful recoveries than those who use CPAP treatments. It’s being suggested that stroke patients start CPAP therapy while still in the hospital and continue therapy once they are home.
Investing In Your Future
By recognizing your symptoms and seeing your doctor, you’re making a choice to put your health first. If you’re diagnosed with sleep apnea, don’t delay seeking treatment via a CPAP system. Sleep apnea therapies are always developing, making CPAP machine therapy more versatile and comfortable than ever. Buying your sleep apnea supplies from a reliable online storefront ensures that you’ll be treating your sleep apnea with quality CPAP equipment. Promoting health in those who suffer from sleep apnea is the passion of the respiratory therapists at Breatheeasycpap.com. Visit us today and break free from your stroke risk.
