What Is Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

There are multiple types of sleep apnea that can affect a person, the most common one being obstructive sleep apnea. This condition is caused when the muscles present in your throat intermittently relax, ultimately blocking the passage of air in your sleep. This causes you to snore loudly.

Your upper airway will be blocked while you sleep, putting a strain on your diaphragm and your lungs. It will make it difficult for you to breathe in. Breathing resumes with your body jerking, oscillations, and snorting. You may experience some trouble sleeping, but you will be unaware of this while you’re not awake.

The Symptoms of Sleep Apnea

People who suffer from sleep apnea may exhibit symptoms such as dry mouth, sore throat immediately after waking up, blaring headaches in the mornings, problems with concentration, difficulty breathing, irritability, forgetfulness, anxiety, and sometimes even full-fledged depression. Constant fatigue and tiredness due to disturbed sleep is also common.

In some cases, you may experience night sweats, restlessness while sleeping, snoring, problems with sex, and a sudden gasping and choking feeling in the middle of the night. You may also experience difficulty waking up in the mornings.

In extreme cases, symptoms such as bed wetting, choking, behavioral disorders, and unusual sleeping positions will occur. Kids with Obstructive Sleep apnea may also have trouble at school.

Treating Sleep Apnea

Oral appliance therapy is the number one suggested treatment for obstructive sleep apnea and snoring. Your doctor may utilize custom oral appliances or an APAP machine to treat snoring and sleep apnea. These devices include a mask that you wear over your nose or mouth. Built in, is an air blower that forces constant and continuous air to make it easier to breathe.

You can also complement the use of these machines with better lifestyle habits such as eating healthier, working out, and sleeping more to further improve your quality rest. Changing the position in which you sleep can also help reduce certain symptoms if you only suffer from mild sleep apnea.

NightLase® is also provided as a viable treatment as it is effective in treating snoring and sleep apnea. NightLase® is a laser induced treatment that causes the muscles to tighten, and leads to the reduction of snoring.

Contact Our Office

If you or someone close to you is suffering from sleep apnea, it is important that you consult your doctor immediately before it manifests into a bigger problem. If you are displaying any symptoms, please contact the snore experts to learn more.