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Do you often wake up exhausted with a sore throat?
Alongside frequent, loud snoring, these are only some of the symptoms that sleep apnea sufferers experience on a daily.
But aside from this discomfort, sleep apnea has more serious and potentially life-threatening consequences.
But what can you do about it?
As providers of dedicated Chiropractic services at Vitality Chiropractic Centres, we have encountered our fair share of patients who are surprised to learn that Chiropractic care can manage sleep apnea symptoms.
Wondering if this could be the answer for you too?
Read on to learn more about sleep apnea, common ways to manage sleep apnea, and how Chiropractic care may just be the alternative solution for sleep apnea.
What is sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea is a serious medical condition in which a person’s breathing is repeatedly interrupted as they sleep. In most cases, the breath typically stops for a few seconds before restarting several seconds later.
Symptoms of sleep apnea include:
- Gasping for air or choking after a break in a lengthy snoring session.
- Prolonged loud snoring that is audible even when there are extended periods of breaks.
- Being unaware that you are snoring or gasping at night.
- Waking up in the morning and having an exceedingly dry or painful throat.
What are the types of sleep apnea?
There are three kinds of sleep apnea, with obstructive sleep apnea being the most common. And although rare, a combination of 1 or 2 types is possible.
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)
The most prevalent among all the types of sleep apnea, obstructive sleep apnea is caused by the throat muscles becoming overly relaxed.
Central sleep apnea (CSA)
This type of sleep apnea has a brain-centred aetiology rather than a muscular one.
Even though the body’s respiratory muscles are directly in charge of breathing, breathing cannot be done in a normal, rhythmic manner when the brain cannot send the proper signals to those muscles.
Complex sleep apnea
Also called ‘treatment-emergent complex sleep apnea (TECSA),’ this type of sleep apnea combines obstructive and central sleep apnea.
What causes sleep apnea?
No one thing causes suffering from sleep apnea. This sleep disorder is a multi-factorial disease with numerous known causes.
Factors such as obesity, excessive alcohol consumption, and dental conditions like a severe overbite can all predispose an individual to sleep apnea.
Spinal misalignment, however, is a more frequent but typically unrecognized cause for this.
Due to the proximity of the cervical spine to the upper airway, certain sleep disorders associated with the cervical spine may produce sleep apnea symptoms in certain people.
What are the common treatments for sleep apnea?
For sleep apnea patients, the Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Device (CPAP), combined with lifestyle management, is the first line of treatment.
The CPAP machine sends a steady flow of pressurised air into the patient’s nose and mouth as they sleep. This allows the machine to open the patient’s airways and push against any blockages, filling their lungs with oxygen.
Other breathing machines used for sleep apnea are APAP (automatic positive airflow pressure) and BiPAP (Bi-level positive airflow pressure).
While the machine is an effective treatment to treat sleep apnea, it is also uncomfortable for most patients.
Some patients report a feeling of claustrophobia or anxiety, discomfort, and difficulty falling asleep, especially in the beginning.
The other cons of using a CPAP include the following:
- skin irritation or sores where the mask touches the face
- nasal congestion
- dry mouth
- nosebleeds
- sore or dry throat
- a feeling of being bloated with air
Another disadvantage of using CPAP is the inconvenience of wearing the device every night and taking it during travel.
But an less known, effective area of care is Chiropractic care.
Chiropractic care offers a holistic solution to obstructive sleep apnea patients that can re-open their airways and finally enjoy a good night’s sleep, without the hassle.
How does Chiropractic care alleviate sleep apnea?
Chiropractic may help ease the symptoms of sleep apnea in several ways.
Spinal adjustments and maintenance
Your central nervous system, and thus, your sleeping, is affected when your vertebrae are out of place.
This happens because one part of the body can’t properly transfer signals to another, causing a domino effect that results in conditions like sleep apnea.
By using spinal adjustments this corrects spinal misalignments (or Subluxations), Chiropractic care can help your spine become more stable and relieve the symptoms of sleep apnea.
Related: What is Subluxation?
Identifying causes and complications
A misalignment of the spine can result in an obstruction of the windpipe, disruption of the neurological system, pinched nerves, injury to the vertebral discs, and other conditions that directly affect your sleep.
A Chiropractor has the professional expertise to catch and diagnose these problems before they get worse. They can then correct the problem, which may be what has been irritating the nerves and thus causing sleep apnea.
Incorporating the correct sleeping positions
The wrong sleeping position could result in blocked airways, causing sleep apnea.
A Chiropractor can counsel patients with the correct sleeping position, advise them on alternatives in case a position is challenging to do and even suggest products that can give you healthful, rejuvenating sleep.
Related: What's the BEST Type of Pillow?
Advice on lifestyle changes
In addition to addressing the crucial role that body position plays, Chiropractors can advise on the lifestyle choices that lead to sleep apnea.
Among these are being overweight, failing to have a regular sleep schedule, overstressing the body, and not paying attention to correct posture.
Say hello to that elusive good night's sleep!
A good night’s sleep, along with diet and exercise, is crucial for good health.
Thus, at Vitality Chiropractic Centres, we’re all about ensuring you can get a restful sleep.
Our Chiropractors are dedicated to bringing safe, gentle, long-term, and cost-effective alternative solutions for your sleep apnea with Chiropractic care.
From addressing your sleep issues to advising you on the best sleeping positions, they will work with you so you can finally get your life back.
Ready for a restful night and no sore throat? Contact our passionate and professional Singapore Chiropractors today!
A good night’s sleep, along with diet and exercise, is crucial for good health.
Thus, at Vitality Chiropractic Centres, we’re all about ensuring you can get a restful sleep.
Our Chiropractors are dedicated to bringing safe, gentle, long-term, and cost-effective alternative solutions for your sleep apnea with Chiropractic care.
From addressing your sleep issues to advising you on the best sleeping positions, they will work with you so you can finally get your life back.
Ready for a restful night and no sore throat? Contact our passionate and professional Singapore Chiropractors today!
A good night’s sleep, along with diet and exercise, is crucial for good health.
Thus, at Vitality Chiropractic Centres, we’re all about ensuring you can get a restful sleep.
Our Chiropractors are dedicated to bringing safe, gentle, long-term, and cost-effective alternative solutions for your sleep apnea with Chiropractic care.
From addressing your sleep issues to advising you on the best sleeping positions, they will work with you so you can finally get your life back.
Ready for a restful night and no sore throat? Contact our passionate and professional Singapore Chiropractors today!
A good night’s sleep, along with diet and exercise, is crucial for good health.
Thus, at Vitality Chiropractic Centres, we’re all about ensuring you can get a restful sleep.
Our Chiropractors are dedicated to bringing safe, gentle, long-term, and cost-effective alternative solutions for your sleep apnea with Chiropractic care.
From addressing your sleep issues to advising you on the best sleeping positions, they will work with you so you can finally get your life back.
Ready for a restful night and no sore throat? Contact our passionate and professional Singapore Chiropractors today!
Written by
Shaan Rai (Chiropractic, Singapore)
Shaan (UK) is based in Singapore. He is a GCC registered Singapore Chiropractor, completing a 5 year course at AECC, attaining his Masters in Chiropractic. His career has been specialised in neurological cases, such as migraines and vertigo. He is the Chairman for Outreach and Charity for Alliance of Chiropractic (AoC) and is a founder of Vitality Chiropractic Singapore and the NeuroPro method, combining Upper Cervical techniques with Functional Neurology Rehab.
