Is your spouse constantly telling you it’s impossible to get a good night’s sleep with you in the same bedroom? Mainly because you snore so loudly and for long periods of time? Besides being frustrating, snoring can also be a sign of a dangerous sleep breathing disorder. Do you also make noises such as gasping or snorting or even stop breathing at times? If you are keeping others awake and are constantly getting low-quality sleep, there’s a good chance you may be suffering from obstructive sleep apnea or OSA. A few sleep study tests can usually help provide a diagnosis and sleep apnea treatment.
What is Sleep Apnea?
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) occurs when the soft tissue in your airway relaxes and prevents normal breathing. This sleep breathing disorder is more likely to affect those who are overweight, male, over 40, have reflux disease, suffer from allergies or other nasal obstructions. Even though it tends to affect more males; it can affect women, children, and athletes.
Symptoms of Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea symptoms are often misdiagnosed as other health problems such as migraines, chronic fatigue, insomnia, and many others. In addition to snoring, common symptoms include choking, gasping for breath, waking up with a sore throat, lack of energy, feeling exhausted even after a full night of sleep, inability to concentrate, headaches, anxiety, and teeth grinding. Children with sleep apnea often show symptoms of ADD or ADHD.
Dangers Of Sleep Apnea
What makes sleep apnea so dangerous is the fact you could have it and not even know. Interrupted sleep and the lack of oxygen can create cognitive problems, affecting your focus and your memory. Studies have linked OSA to irregular heartbeats, high blood pressure, and an increased chance of having a stroke or heart attack. It can also lead to sudden death from respiratory arrest in those that have severe sleep apnea. Since Obstructive sleep apnea has so many symptoms, the only way to know for sure is to get a sleep screening or sleep test. Your dentist at Just Breathe DDS can help you determine what treatment is needed.
Sleep Apnea Treatment
A common sleep apnea treatment is a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine. However, it isn’t your only option. At Just Breathe DDS, we help find the root cause for your sleep apnea or other sleep breathing disorders you may be suffering from. Our treatment is a short-term process, typically one year, with results that last a lifetime. For more information or to set up a free patient education meeting, please give Just Breathe DDS a call today at (208) 500-3030. Don’t let your sleep apnea go undiagnosed, get help today!
sources
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sleep-apnea/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20377636
https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/sleep-apnea/diagnosing-sleep-apnea