different kinds of apnea?

[herefishy]

Is "central apnea" where your brain forgets to breathe, and obstructive apnea where your brain tries to breathe but can't get past the clogged up airway? Should we be explaining that better to people who say they don't snore or have any symptoms of apnea?

[ChicagoGranny]

Is "central apnea" where your brain forgets to breathe, and obstructive apnea where your brain tries to breathe but can't get past the clogged up airway?

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-cond ... n-20020286

Should we be explaining that better to people who say they don't snore or have any symptoms of apnea?

No.

[Julie]

I disagree - I think it would be a good idea to explain it, along with possible other similar conditions such as hypopneas (wannabe, incomplete apneas), UARS, RERA's, etc... no such thing as too much education.

[JDS74]

Julie
+1

[ChicagoGranny]

Should we be explaining that better to people who say they don't snore or have any symptoms of apnea?

I disagree - I think it would be a good idea to explain it, along with possible other similar conditions such as hypopneas (wannabe, incomplete apneas), UARS, RERA's, etc... no such thing as too much education.

Julie
+1

Why the hell would you be explaining apnea to people who don't snore and don't have any other symptoms of apnea? The planet is full of busybodies!

[DeadlySleep]

The planet is full of busybodies!

Yup.

[jnk...]

The explanation is attempted from time to time on this board, but appears rarely to be fully grasped, even by some long-timers, in my opinion.

An obstruction is a problem in and of itself that requires treatment when it is the cause of significant sleep disturbance. Some central apneas can be caused by this problem, but they generally go away once the obstructive component is properly treated.

A large amount of central apneas in someone without obstruction, on the other hand, is often a symptom of some other problem that needs to be treated for reasons beyond sleep. It is only when no cause for the large amount of centrals can be found, but the pauses in breathing appear to be disturbing sleep, that a PAP machine becomes a "treatment" of that symptom.

A third possibility for an OSA sufferer is that years of obstructions have caused damage that has resulted in centrals that remain after the obstruction problem has been resolved with PAP. That requires a machine that continues to solve the obstruction problem without exacerbating the central dysfunction--IF the centrals are damaging sleep. If the centrals are not damaging to sleep, then they can be safely ignored, since they can then be filed under 'explained but meaningless.'

It is a point of some subtlety that a high number of centrals in one circumstance is a very significant symptom to be thoroughly investigated but a moderate number of centrals in another circumstance is absolutely meaningless. This medical fact can be difficult to explain to a patient who has not put in the time to be informed on that subtlety. It is, I believe, the basis of the confusion here that often arises when a doctor has told a patient that his particular centrals are not meaningful but people here try to convince the patient otherwise based on a mistaken notion that anyone with centrals "has central sleep apnea."

[BlackSpinner]

Not having any symptoms doesn't mean you don't have either kind of apnea - it just means you don't have any perceptible symptoms.

[DeepFriedDuck]

Should we be explaining that better to people who say they don't snore or have any symptoms of apnea?

Are you talking about people who don't have any obvious symptoms but have some subtle symptoms that you are aware of? If so, it's OK to gently mention this to them. On the other hand, if "don't they have any symptoms of apnea", why would you bring it up?

Not having any symptoms doesn't mean you don't have either kind of apnea - it just means you don't have any perceptible symptoms.

Asymptomatic apnea.

[BlackSpinner]

Asymptomatic apnea.

No it is not. It is just not perceptible to them. They may have random high blood pressure, get up to pee at night, feel a bit anxious at times or lack motivation. These are all symptoms that get ignored by most. There is also the well documented effect of sleep deprivation where people will deny that there is anything at all wrong with them no matter how many test scores you show them. Sleep deprivation floods the river of De'Nial until the shores are lost.