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Dr. Nourah Alyouha is exactly the kind of physician we all want to see. She has an aura of calm confidence about her and takes the time to explain things in easy-to-understand language and a lot of compassion. She loves being a doctor, “I like being there for people when they’re going through a tough time. I like being involved in my patients’ care, spending time with my patients and getting to know them,” Dr. Nourah explains.
She recently joined Taiba Hospital’s ever-expanding list of expert doctors as a specialist of ENT and Head and Neck Surgery. As a surgeon, she treats many kinds of diseases and cases, but today we’re getting a crash course in sleep apnea since it is becoming more and more prevalent.
Sleep apnea is a condition that happens while you are asleep and have short periods when you’re not actually breathing. That can lead to a drop in your oxygen levels. Sometimes you don’t fully wake up feeling like you’re not breathing. It might just be that it startles you or it takes you from a deeper sleep to a lighter sleep, so the quality of your sleep deteriorates if it often happens throughout the night.
While there are several types of sleep apnea, obstructive sleep apnea is when the whole airway collapses and stops the air from going in adequately. Your body will end up in a startled state, with muscles tensing up, so you can breathe again. But if it’s a regular issue and your quality of sleep is affected, an ENT surgeon’s intervention might become necessary.
Sleep apnea manifests differently in children and adults. In children, symptoms may include snoring, pauses in breathing, restless sleep, bedwetting, and daytime sleepiness. Additionally, they may exhibit behavioral issues and struggle with attention and learning. Adults with sleep apnea commonly experience loud snoring, gasping or choking during sleep, morning headaches, excessive daytime sleepiness, and difficulty concentrating. They may also suffer from irritability, depression, and decreased libido. It’s essential to recognize these symptoms and seek medical evaluation, as untreated sleep apnea can lead to serious health complications in both children and adults.
Some people are more susceptible to sleep apnea than others. These include being overweight or obese, having a thick neck circumference, being male, being older, having a family history of sleep apnea, and having anatomical abnormalities such as a narrow airway, enlarged tonsils, or a recessed jaw. Other risk factors include smoking, alcohol consumption, sedative use, and nasal congestion. Additionally, certain medical conditions like hypertension, congestive heart failure, diabetes, and asthma increase the risk. Being aware of these risk factors is crucial for early detection and intervention to mitigate the potential health consequences of sleep apnea.
According to Dr. Nourah’s, diagnosing and treating sleep apnea in children is simpler than adults. If the ENT specialist sees enlarged tonsils or adenoids, they are removed. Young patients heal quickly, and the problem goes away.
Unfortunately, sleep apnea is becoming more common in adults, because of increased rates of obesity. Patients are tired during the day and don’t have the energy to exercise, which exacerbates the symptoms of apnea, and they get less sleep. It creates a cycle that is difficult to break. “Basically, you have sleep apnea. It can then cause you to be tired, which makes you less likely to do activities to reduce your weight, which makes it more difficult for you to lose weight. Yeah, also induces like a stress response in your body,” Dr. Nourah explains.
In the case of adults, it can be more complicated to diagnose and treat because other sleep disorders might be the underlying cause. Doctors will first try to treat obesity, and other factors first. They might also suggest a CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) machine which is a medical device used to deliver a constant flow of air through a mask worn over the nose or mouth during sleep, preventing the airway from collapsing and ensuring uninterrupted breathing, thereby improving sleep quality and overall health. While they can greatly improve the quality of sleep, they are bulky, noisy and can cause other issues. If a patient can’t tolerate it, surgery becomes an option.
ENT surgeons have several options to open up the airways, from sinus and nasal surgery to tonsil removal and tightening of the palate so it doesn’t collapse. Dr. Nourah explained that the surgeon has to fully investigate to make sure that they choose the appropriate solution for the patient.
If you or a family member is suffering from the forementioned symptoms, it might be time to visit your doctor for some investigating. You can find Dr. Nourah at Taiba Hospital. It’s one of our favorite medical establishments in the country. The caregivers are always skilled, welcoming and friendly. You will be in good hands.
