Sleep Apnea Treatment Gangnam Seoul

What is obstructive sleep apnea?

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a condition in which the throat partially or completely closes many times during sleep despite continued breathing effort. A complete pause of 10 seconds or more is called an apnea; a partial reduction with oxygen drop or arousal is a hypopnea. Severity is graded by the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), the number of events per hour of sleep.

Symptoms

Loud, habitual snoring
Witnessed pauses in breathing, choking or gasping
Excessive daytime sleepiness or dozing while driving
Morning headaches and dry mouth
Poor memory, irritability and low mood
Night sweats and frequent night-time urination

Causes and risk factors

OSA results from a narrow or collapsible airway. Contributing factors include excess weight, a small or set-back lower jaw, enlarged tonsils, a long soft palate, a large tongue base, and nasal obstruction such as a deviated septum or swollen turbinates. Age, male sex, alcohol and sedatives increase risk. In children, enlarged tonsils and adenoids are the main cause.

Untreated moderate to severe OSA is associated with high blood pressure, heart rhythm problems, stroke, type 2 diabetes and road accidents.

How it is diagnosed at our Gangnam clinic

The definitive test is a sleep study (polysomnography), which records airflow, breathing effort, oxygen saturation, heart rhythm and sleep stages. To find where the airway narrows, Dr. Kim combines nasal endoscopy, throat examination, a cephalogram to measure jaw and airway dimensions, and CT where nasal anatomy needs detail. This site-specific assessment guides which treatment is likely to help.

Treatment options

Lifestyle

Weight loss, avoiding alcohol in the evening, positional therapy and treating nasal congestion help all patients and may be enough in mild cases.

CPAP and oral appliances

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) keeps the airway open with gentle air pressure and is the standard first-line treatment for moderate to severe OSA. Mandibular advancement devices are an option for mild to moderate OSA or CPAP intolerance. Both are compared on our CPAP and oral appliance options page.

Surgery

Surgery is considered when a correctable obstruction is identified or devices are not tolerated. Options include nasal surgery to improve breathing and CPAP comfort, palate and tonsil surgery, and tongue base procedures; see snoring and sleep apnea surgery. Nasal surgery alone rarely cures moderate to severe OSA, but it can make CPAP easier to use.

When to see an ENT

Seek assessment if you snore loudly and feel tired despite enough time in bed, or if a partner notices breathing pauses. Get help promptly if you have fallen asleep while driving.

Seeing Dr. Kim in English

Dr. Kim Yoo Suk, a former Ajou University assistant professor, co-authored research on five-year outcomes of sleep apnea surgery and on heart rate variability in OSA. He reviews your results in English and explains every option, including non-surgical ones. Visit our international patients page for booking help.

How do I know if I have sleep apnea or just snore?

Snoring alone cannot tell you. Witnessed breathing pauses, gasping and daytime sleepiness make apnea more likely, but only a sleep study measures how often breathing stops and how far oxygen drops. That result decides whether treatment beyond lifestyle change is needed.

Is CPAP for life?

CPAP controls apnea while you use it but does not cure the underlying narrowing. Some people can reduce or stop it after significant weight loss or successful surgery, confirmed by a repeat sleep study. Many continue long term because it works well for them.

Can surgery cure sleep apnea?

For some patients with a clear anatomical cause, such as very large tonsils, surgery can greatly reduce apnea. For others it improves but does not eliminate it. Dr. Kim discusses realistic expectations based on your examination and sleep study.

Gangnam Yonsei ENT Clinic

Sleep Apnea Treatment in Gangnam, Seoul