A report from The Sequitur examines the connection between sleep apnea and acid reflux and provides ways to prevent acid reflux during sleep.
Sleep apnea is a serious condition that may be underestimated at first, but then takes its toll until the inevitable occurs, which is death. There have been numerous cases of nocturnal deaths related to sleep apnea, which causes alarm to sufferers. Treatment for sleep apnea is available, but is there a solution if the condition is related to acid reflux? Are acid reflux and sleep apnea related?
It may not seem likely until you remember that the trachea and the esophagus are right next to each other, separated by function only through the epiglottis. As someone is under the effects of sleep apnea, the difficulty in breathing may coax gastric juices to come up from the stomach to the esophagus, which causes acid reflux and the condition known as “heart burn”. The reverse can also occur as the gastric contents can come up to your throat and block the passage of air towards your trachea. Therefore, the answer to the question of “Are acid reflux and sleep apnea related?” is clear.
Amongst sleep apnea sufferers, those suffering from acid reflux have reported worse cases of breathing difficulty during sleep than those with sleep apnea alone. If you have both acid reflux and sleep apnea, you must take the necessary measures to counter these ailments so that they will not become a nuisance to your health in the future.
