Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Obstructive Sleep Apnea

May 18, 2017
It’s key to note that sleep impacts how you live your everyday life. A good, fitful rest helps you feel energized and ready to take on the day ahead. However, not getting adequate sleep for long periods of time can other issues. One of the main causes for poor rest is obstructive sleep apnea. It’s a real problem that effects many people, but it is manageable if you get help. Obstructive sleep apnea plagues nearly 30 million Americans which causes people to stop breathing sometimes many hundreds of times a night. This chronic condition lets the muscles relax TOO MUCH when one is sleeping, and as a result one’s breathing quits without the person knowing it as they are already sleeping. The airway is blocked by the soft tissue that collapses, and this causes continual, brief periods of being awake while one is trying to sleep. Common signs that someone may be suffering from this condition include snoring sounds and series of abrupt, gasping sounds while the person is sleeping. This is more common in men, but can plague anyone. Moreover, it’s usually caused by one having access body weight pressing down on their wind pipe while they are trying to sleep pushing the soft tissue down and shutting of the airway. Sometimes people of a healthy weight with a misaligned jaw can suffer from this problem also. It’s vital to ensure that if you suffer from obstructive sleep apnea that you are getting treatment. Obstructive sleep apnea can cause problems including things like high blood pressures, strokes, heart disease, diabetes, chronic acid reflux, and erectile dysfunction name a few. Severe sleep apnea can result in the increased risks of death as well. Obstructive sleep diagnosis is diagnosed after a sleep evaluation is completed by a doctor before making a diagnosis. If you are determined to have sleep apnea your doctor will determine the path of treatment you need including providing you which includes Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) treatments where you wear a mask of your face with a tube with air constantly running to the machine. This helps keep the airway open and unrestricted to help you breathe while you sleep. Another option is wearing a special mouth-guard like device that allows the airway to remain open so you can breathe. There are also a variety of surgical option all running different rates. The CPAP treatment is effective to help stop with treating obstructive sleep apnea and snoring however the mouth-guard device is usually preferred as its more comfortable to sleep with according to most patients. Qualified dentists can also make these oral appliances to help treat your sleep apnea. There are over 100 oral appliances currently approved to help treat obstructive sleep apnea according to the FDA standards of treatment to help provide you the treatment you need. If you have any questions or would like to learn more about us visit us here or call us 909-465-1016.The Ramona Dentistry Team “Where Family Comes First”
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