Sleep apnea is a disorder that affects almost 18 million Americans. Unlike mild snoring, sufferers of sleep apnea stop breathing completely for 10 seconds or more while sleeping, 10-60 times in a single night. During these episodes, the brain briefly wakes up in order to restart breathing. This means that a person can be waking 10-60 times a night, in addition to suffering low oxygen levels from lack of breathing. Sleep apnea patients suffer fragmented, poor-quality sleep. In fact, studies have shown that sufferers of this disorder are so fatigued during the day that, when driving, their performance is similar to that of a drunk driver. Left untreated, sleep apnea can lead to impaired daytime functioning, high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke. To say that this disorder is life-threatening is no exaggeration.
Common symptoms of sleep apnea are: morning headaches, excessive daytime sleepiness, irritability and impaired mental or emotional functioning, snoring, choking or gasping during sleep, insomnia, and waking with a dry mouth or sore throat.
Who should you consult if you are worried that you may have sleep apnea?
If you suspect that you suffer from sleep apnea, discuss it with your personal physician. The symptoms listed above are common for sleep apnea, but can also be symptoms of other disorders and/or physical ailments. Visiting your personal physician first allows them to rule out other dangerous possibilities, and they can then refer you to a sleep medicine specialist (dentist) if they believe that sleep apnea is the issue. The sleep apnea specialist is able to conduct an overnight sleep study, in addition to studying your medical history and general medical background. The sleep study monitors heart rate and identifies sleep interruptions. If you are diagnosed with sleep apnea, most of the treatments are dental in nature, although for mild cases, a sleep apnea specialist may work with your physician to make modifications to lifestyle and diet that may be affecting the condition.
Is there any good news about sleep apnea? Yes.
Sleep apnea awareness has been growing and sleep apnea treatment is advancing each year. Specialists like Dr. Blumenstock focus specifically on the treatment of sleep apnea, and offer the most up-to-date and innovative treatments available. Many patients have been pleasantly surprised by the new dental devices that are available to alleviate sleep apnea. Previous therapy included appliances that were large, ungainly, uncomfortable and simply not user-friendly. Or, many sufferers believed that surgery was the only option. Newer appliances are compact and come in a variety of models so that your sleep apnea solution is custom-fit to your unique situation.
