Sleep Apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea is a condition that millions of Americans struggle with every night. At night, while sleeping, the soft tissues around your throat relax and can collapse, blocking your ability to breath. Snoring occurs when your airway is only partially blocked and can be a warning sign of sleep apnea. During sleep, when your airway is obstructed, you may go without air for 60 seconds or more, with the oxygen levels in your blood dropping dangerously low.

You awake, snorting, sputtering or gasping for air. The real concern is that you don't wake up enough to realize what has just happened. If you are suffering from sleep apnea this may happen to you many times each night. This is why you wake up after a full night's sleep feeling like you haven't slept at all!

Aside from not sleeping well and suffering from oxygen deprivation, obstructive sleep apnea can lead to many other health problems such as diabetes, stroke, heart attack, obesity, excessive daytime sleepiness, motor vehicle accidents, etc.

Obstructive sleep apnea has traditionally been treated with the use of continuous positive airway pressure devices or CPAP machines. They have a small motor to pump air into your throat to keep your airway open, like inflating a balloon.

Recently, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine has recommended oral appliances for the management of mild and moderate obstructive sleep apnea.

If you snore, wake up un-refreshed, suffer from fatigue throughout the day or are overweight you may be suffering from obstructive sleep apnea, a serious and sometimes life-threatening disorder. Please call to learn more or schedule an appointment.