Managing sleep apnea: four different viewpoints

Do you suffer from sleep apnea or know someone who does? Here are four ways to treat the condition from four different experts -- a sleep specialist, an acupuncturist, a respiratory expert, and a surgeon. Though each professional has a different perspective, they seem to agree that losing weight, exercising, and quitting smoking are first steps to treating the condition. CPAP -- a machine that creates positive airway pressure -- is another form of treatment, as is surgery when other treatment fails.

Most forms of the disease are called obstructive apnea. Something -- usually your tongue, tonsils, uvula, or fatty tissue -- blocks the airway during sleep. That's why losing weight is the first step in treatment. If your neck size is over 17 inches (16 for women), you may be at risk. A second, less common, form of the disease is central apnea. In this version, signals from the brain that operate the breathing mechanism don't seem to work properly during sleep.

Sleep apnea is common and can lead to heart disease and stroke, as well as day time fatigue. Read more about this condition here, and contact your doctor if you think this sounds like you.