Sleep Apnea
It’s Time to Get the Rest You Need
Snoring. It’s a nuisance both for the snorer and those who have to listen to the nightly noise. Snoring affects 40% of adults by age 40 and it is estimated that 45 million people snore every night. But did you know that snoring could be more than an irritation? It could actually be life threatening!
Snoring is one of the most common symptoms of the slow killer, Obstructive Sleep Apnea.
What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea?
Obstructive Sleep Apnea is a common but dangerous condition caused by obstruction near the base of the tongue.
While many people think that sleep apnea’s primary cause of concern is the noise, the real danger of sleep apnea begins when the snoring stops – along with breathing. In fact, sleep apnea can cause a person to stop breathing hundreds of times per night — often for a minute or longer.
When you stop breathing, your brain wakes you up and that is when the loud gasping and the resumption of snoring are heard. This constant cycle of cessation of breath and abrupt waking can have a devastating effect on health. The oxygen in your blood can become depleted, and there is even evidence that sleep apnea can worsen fibromyalgia, trigger hypertension, aggravate cardiovascular disease, or trigger a stroke.
Worse yet, people suffering from sleep apnea are rarely aware of having difficulty breathing, even when they experience constant waking. We often see patients who have suffered for years without diagnosis or help. Many people have dealt with sleep apnea for so long that they begin to feel that the daytime sleepiness and fatigue associated with significant levels of sleep disturbance is normal!
Symptoms of Sleep Apnea
There are a number of symptoms and combinations of symptoms that may indicate sleep apnea, including:
- Loud Snoring
- Intermittent Breathing Stoppages During Sleep
- Unusual or Excessive Daytime Sleepiness
- Restlessness During Sleep
- Difficulty Concentrating
- Poor Memory
- Irritability or Moodiness
- Impotence
If you suspect that you or a loved one might be suffering from sleep apnea, we can help. We have advanced training to recognize and diagnose various sleep problems associated with oral misalignment of nose and mouth structure.
We recommend that you see a Board Certified Sleep Specialist for a diagnosis, usually an ENT or pulmonologist, before we evaluate you for a sleep apnea oral appliance. An oral appliance is often considered by the top experts in the field of sleep medicine to be your first and best possibility for relief. Combined with an evaluation based on the theories of neuromuscular dentistry to assess the relationship between your jaw joint, muscles and the way your teeth come together, our gentle and non-invasive oral appliance, usually offers immediate relief. You’ll face life feeling refreshed and renewed in ways you may not have thought possible!
If you are suffering with any of the symptoms listed above or have been diagnosed with Obstructive Sleep Apnea and find using your CPAP uncomfortable, call us today for an appointment. Call 847.729.2233 and start getting the rest you deserve.