Causes of Sleep apnea
Cause details for Sleep apnea: Certain mechanical and structural problems in the airway cause the interruptions in breathing during sleep. In some people, apnea occurs when the throat muscles and tongue relax during sleep and partially block the opening of the airway. When the muscles of the soft palate at the base of the tongue and the uvula (the small fleshy tissue hanging from the center of the back of the throat) relax and sag, the airway becomes blocked, making breathing labored and noisy and even stopping it altogether.1
Underlying condition causes of Sleep apnea: The list of possible underlying conditions (see also Misdiagnosis of underlying causes of Sleep apnea) mentioned in various sources as possible causes of Sleep apnea includes:
- Obesity
- Common cold
- Sinusitis
- Enlarged tonsils (see Tonsil symptoms)
- Enlarged adenoids
- Airway abnormality
- Nose abnormality
- Throat abnormality
Sleep apnea as a symptom: Conditions listing Sleep apnea as a symptom may also be potential underlying causes of Sleep apnea. The list of conditions listing Sleep apnea as a symptom in our database includes:
Causes of Sleep apnea: medical news summaries: The following medical news items are relevant to causes of Sleep apnea:
Related information for causes of Sleep apnea:
Further relevant information on causes of Sleep apnea may be found
in the risk factors for Sleep apnea
and underlying causes of Sleep apnea.
Footnotes:
1. excerpt from Sleep Apnea: NWHIC
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