Sleep apnea is a condition where a person stops breathing for periods during the night.

There are a number of treatment options for the condition. These include behavioral and lifestyle changes such as losing weight and sleeping on your side. Using a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine is also of use to many patients.

But some patients cannot tolerate the use of a CPAP device and their condition is too serious to be relieved by behavioral changes. This leaves the choice of surgery. The first thing that needs to be assessed is the type of sleep apnea that you have because surgery is most successful where there is a physical cause to the condition.

There are 2 types of sleep apnea. The first type is where there is a blockage to the airways caused by the soft tissues at the back of the throat (obstructive sleep apnea). This type is more common and is also more responsive to surgery. The second type is where the respiratory center in the brain doesn't stimulate the breathing muscles to work in the correct way during sleep (central sleep apnea).

Surgery may benefit some patients by eliminating or reducing the narrowing of the airway due to personal anatomy. There are various different procedures that maybe used. Surgery to remove excess soft tissue at the back of the throat is called uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP). Although this word is almost unpronounceable it can be understood by breaking it down. The uvulo part refers to the uvula, that fleshy structure that hangs down at the back of your throat. Palato refers to the palate, which is the roof of the mouth. Pharyngoplasty means plastic surgery of the pharynx (the pharynx is the space at the back of the throat that opens into the windpipe and gullet).

Surgery to remove enlarged tonsils or adenoids (tonsillectomy) maybe carried out and this procedure is particularly successful in children. A tracheostomy is another type of surgical procedure that can be used for sleep apnea. This procedure involves making an opening in the trachea to bypass the obstructed airway. This is less commonly performed nowadays for this condition, and tends to be reserved for the most severely affected patients.

Surgery does not work for all patients with sleep apnea. You should talk to your doctor about the relative benefits of choosing this type of procedure and have an appreciation of the risks that are involved.

For more advice on the sleep apnea symptoms visit our site at http://www.sleep-apnea-answers.com. You'll also find information on sleep apnea treatments.