OSA - a first-hand experience

OSA in this case is not Official Secrets Act but instead it stands for Obstrustive Sleep Apnea, a serious sleeping disorder. Severe prolonged OSA can lead to high blood pressure and heart failure.

My friend, Tapora AK has been suffering from this disorder for years without realising it, as he has thought his sleeping was merely affected by his sinus problem, And for more than 10 years, he has lost his sense of smell...

One day he was asked to do a clinical monitoring of his sleeping pattern - a technician came over to his house at night to set up the monitoring probes on his body (polysomnography). After 5 hours of sleep, the monitor revealed to him that he in fact had more than 200 lapses of breathing or cessation of airflow into his lung/body. The pulses of cessation of air intake ranged from 12 seconds to 72 seconds. He is categorised under the severe category (>30 cessations per hour) as opposed to the normal category of <5 cessations per hour. This test cost him RM600.

He was recommended for a surgical procedure to remove his extended growths in the tonsils and turbinate bones. Post operation, his sinus problem is gone and he is now sleeping well with normal air flow into his system.

"It is so good to be able to smell again.....even my own shit!!" said Tapora AK.