Sleep Apnea Treatment

Sleep should be a restful time, with you waking up feeling refreshed and renewed each morning. But those with sleep disorders experience difficult nights and frustrating consequences. Sleep apnea treatment helps patients breathe easy throughout the night. If you have obstructive sleep apnea, an oral appliance will make a significant difference.

Consequences of Sleep Apnea

During sleep apnea, your airway becomes routinely blocked while you’re sleeping. This interrupts the oxygen flow to your brain. That lack of consistent oxygen can lead to serious health conditions in the long term. And on a daily basis, you don’t get enough sleep to feel like yourself. Sleep apnea sufferers are more likely to experience the following:

• Daytime exhaustion and difficulty concentrating
• High blood pressure
• Heart problems
• Type 2 diabetes
• Complications related to certain medications or surgical procedures
• Liver problems
• Strained relationships due to snoring waking up family members

Snoring vs. Sleep Apnea – Telling the Difference

Many sleep apnea patients snore, but not all snorers have sleep apnea. With the number of symptoms that overlap, it’s tricky to distinguish between the two. Pay attention to the intensity of the symptoms below, and seek professional help if you’d like to treat either snoring or sleep apnea. While snoring may not have the same consequences as sleep apnea, it can still have a negative impact on your life. If any of these symptoms are lowering your daily level of happiness, medical intervention is wise:

• Loud snoring that leads to waking up
• Family members noticing you ceasing to breathe, choking, or gasping
• Abrupt waking paired with shortness of breath
• A dry mouth or sore throat in the morning
• Headache upon waking
• Difficulty staying asleep / waking frequently during the night
• Daytime sleepiness and difficulty concentrating
• Frustration and irritability

Oral Appliances for Sleep Apnea

There are two primary types of sleep apnea, OSA (obstructive sleep apnea) and CSA (central sleep apnea). While you may think a CPAP machine is in your future, that’s only necessary for CSA patients. OSA is far more common and also far easier to treat.

Obstructive sleep apnea occurs because tissue blocks your throat while sleeping. Effective appliances are custom-made to fit your mouth. They do one of the following to help keep your airway open:

• Tongue retaining – The tongue is held forward slightly with gentle section. This stops the tongue from falling backward in the mouth and covering the opening of the throat.
• Mandibular repositioning – The lower jaw is pulled further forward, and the tongue along with it. This adjusts the tongue’s position in the mouth and stabilizes the jaw. The mouth is also held closed to prevent snoring.

Once you begin using your oral appliance, you will only need a brief adjustment period before you become comfortable. You’ll sleep better and night and feel more awake and aware during the day. Dr. Siegel will also help you decide whether you’d benefit from changing other habits that may impact your sleep disorder.

If any of the symptoms mentioned above sound familiar, seek help today.

Marco Island Sleep Apnea | Marco Island Sleep Apnea Treatment | Sleep Apnea Treatment Marco Island