Mehiläinen Health Care Agreement
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Sleep apnoea
The most common symptoms of sleep apnoea are snoring that stops and starts, pauses in breathing and fatigue during the day. If you often wake up at night feeling short of breath, feel significant fatigue during the day, see a doctor as soon as possible.
Specialists in the article
LT,Keuhkosairauksien ja allergologian erikoislääk.
Palvelukoordinaattori, unihäiriöt
Revised 9/27/2024
Sleep apnoea at a glance
- Sleep apnoea refers to sleep-related breathing difficulties and pauses that lead to repeated sleep disruptions.
- Depending on the situation, the condition can be treated through lifestyle changes, positional therapy, a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine or an oral appliance for sleep apnoea.
- Untreated sleep apnoea can increase the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, for example.
Related services
CPAP therapy
Positive airway pressure ventilation effectively reduces sleep apnoea symptoms and improves the quality of life.
Concise sleep polygraphy
A reliable at-home examination to diagnose and assess the severity of sleep apnoea.
Sleep and sleep disorders
Sleep disorders can be caused by both physical and psychological factors. It's a good idea to seek help if you have a sleep disorder.
Have you been diagnosed with sleep apnoea?
Ask about our treatment options and prices by booking a phone appointment with our sleep apnoea nurse. Once you have been diagnosed with sleep apnoea, you can also directly book an appointment to start treatment with a CPAP machine.
Symptoms of sleep apnoea
The symptoms of sleep apnoea can range from mild to severe and can significantly reduce quality of life. Sleep apnoea symptoms typically occur at night, but they will also affect you during the day.
Typical symptoms of sleep apnoea include:
- Snoring that stops and starts. Snoring is a very typical symptom of sleep apnoea, but not all snorers have sleep apnoea.
- Pauses in breathing during sleep.
- Fatigue during the day.
- Dry mouth and rough throat caused by snoring.
- Morning headaches and high blood pressure.
Failure to treat sleep apnoea can lead to serious health problems such as cardiovascular diseases, metabolic disorders and chronic fatigue. That is why it's important to identify symptoms of sleep apnoea early and seek tests and treatment, if necessary.
Sleep apnoea and the CPAP machine used to treat it, as well as certain medications, cause a dry mouth in most patients. A healthy mouth is a prerequisite for treating sleep apnoea, which is why regular dental check-ups are part of comprehensive healthcare.
Treatment of sleep apnoea
Prevention is the most effective treatment for sleep apnoea. A doctor familiar with sleep apnoea will assess each patient's situation and treatment individually.
Sleep apnoea cannot be completely cured, but, with the right treatment, symptoms can often be controlled. The diagnosis is based on the symptoms and, usually, sleep registration that lasts overnight, most typically performed for a concise sleep polygraphy.
Sleep apnoea treatment options:
- Lifestyle changes, such as avoiding excess weight gain, losing weight if necessary, not smoking, exercise, reducing alcohol consumption and avoiding medications that depress the central nervous system.
- Positional therapy, where controlling the sleeping position can reduce pauses in breathing, which are more likely to occur when sleeping on one's back. A sleep apnoea belt can help to control the sleeping position.
- CPAP therapy is the most effective form of treatment for moderate to severe sleep apnoea.
- Sleep apnoea oral appliance. An oral appliance available from a dentist for the treatment of sleep apnoea. The sleep apnoea oral appliance can help in milder cases of sleep apnoea or if CPAP therapy is not suitable for the patient.
- Surgical procedures, which can be considered in certain situations.
When should I see a doctor about sleep apnoea?
If you suspect that you have sleep apnoea, see a doctor as soon as possible.
See a doctor if:
- You or a loved one has noticed that you have snoring that stops and starts and there are pauses in your breathing during sleep.
- You feel significant fatigue during the day and it interferes with your day-to-day functional capacity.
- You often wake up at night feeling short of breath or like you are choking.
The issue is urgent if your symptoms are severe and clearly reduce your quality of life or cause dangerous situations, such as falling asleep while driving.
Prices are starting prices and depend on the selected studies and treatment methods. An outpatient clinic fee and Kanta fee are added to consultation visits.
| Service | Price estimate |
|---|---|
| Start of CPAP machine therapy (1st appointment with a sleep apnoea nurse) *The customer purchases a CPAP machine for themselves, starting from EUR 223.90. | from 223,90 € No Kela reimbursement |
| Initial examination for snoring | from 66,80 € Without Kela reimbursement from 96,80 € |
| Concise sleep polygraphy No Kela reimbursement will be paid for a concise sleep polygraphy. Learn more and book an appointment for a concise sleep polygraphy | from 542,40 € No Kela reimbursement |
| First visit for sleep apnea splint Total cost estimate for the sleep apnea splint from 1200 €. Learn more about the sleep apnea splint and book an appointment (in Finnish) | from 96,80 € Without Kela reimbursement from 123,80 € |
| Initial evaluation for sleep apnoea | from 66,80 € Without Kela reimbursement from 96,80 € |
| Initial examination of sleep disorders | from 66,80 € Without Kela reimbursement from 96,80 € |
Frequently asked questions about sleep apnoea
Sleep apnoea is a sleep-related breathing disorder that involves repeated pauses in breathing during sleep. This causes frequent sleep disruptions, which reduces the quality of sleep and can put a strain on the body.
Untreated sleep apnoea puts a strain on the body and makes you prone to various illnesses.
Almost everyone occasionally experiences reduced or paused breathing. Sleep apnoea is when these abnormal breathing events occur frequently during the night and are associated with a decrease in blood oxygen levels. If a person has been found to have repeated pauses in breathing, it may be justified to perform a sleep registration to assess the situation.
The diagnosis of sleep apnoea is typically based on the assessment of symptoms and sleep registration, such as a concise sleep polygraphy.
Book an appointment for an initial evaluation for sleep apnoea
Sleep apnoea cannot be completely cured, but with the right treatment and lifestyle changes, its symptoms can be controlled, which significantly improves the quality of life and reduces other health risks.
Sleep apnoea cannot be completely cured, but with the right treatment and lifestyle changes, its symptoms can be controlled, which significantly improves the quality of life and reduces other health risks.
As people sleep, their muscles relax, which can cause some people's upper airway to narrow, preventing air from flowing back and forth freely in the airway. This can lead to repeated pauses in breathing and sleep disruptions. Being overweight significantly increases the risk of sleep apnoea, but about one third of people with sleep apnoea are normal weight.
