Snoring and Sleep Apnea
Dalton, GA
Snoring may seem like a simple nuisance, but it could have a very serious impact on you and your relationships. It may even be the sign of a potentially deadly health condition known as obstructive sleep apnea.
What Causes Snoring?
During the day your airway is held open by your upright posture and the muscles of your neck. At night, when you lie down and your muscles relax, your airway can become narrowed. Air has difficulty traveling through your narrowed airway, causing turbulent airflow. This turbulence causes vibrations in your throat, vibrations that are heard as sound—snoring.
Snoring is easily treatable with a comfortable oral appliance that you put in your mouth before going to sleep. This appliance holds your jaw in a different position that helps keep your airway open. We will select and adjust your appliance to give you good treatment for your snoring.
What Is Obstructive Sleep Apnea?
Obstructive sleep apnea is closely related to snoring. Instead of simply narrowing, your airway actually closes. Your own airway is literally choking you. When your brain senses the lack of oxygen, it partially awakens to reopen your airway and signal your heart to beat harder to attempt to get more oxygen. This may happen hundreds of times a night, though you are never aware of awakening.
Because you are constantly awakening, you never reach the rejuvenative deeper levels of sleep, causing you to wake exhausted in the morning. And because your heart is constantly being told to beat harder and faster, it is put under additional strain that can increase your risk of heart attack and stroke. Studies have shown that sleep apnea sufferers may be up to six times more likely to die due to a multitude of causes, ranging from heart failure to car accidents caused by dozing off at the wheel.
Sleep apnea is a serious medical condition and must be treated.
Sleep Apnea Symptoms
The symptoms for sleep apnea are diverse and sometimes hard to pinpoint. They include:
- Daytime sleepiness
- Waking more tired than you went to bed
- Waking with a headache
- Constant fatigue
- Lack of motivation
- Changes in mood or personality
- High blood pressure
If you have any of these symptoms, especially if they are accompanied by snoring that cuts off in a choking sound.
The accurate diagnosis of sleep apnea depends on a sleep study, which can be performed at a number of local sleep centers or even the comfort of your own home. We can refer you to several sleep centers in the area.
Sleep Apnea Treatment
Mild to moderate sleep apnea can be treated using a more sophisticated version of the snoring appliance. Your sleep apnea appliance will be minutely adjusted to ensure it is holding your airway open. This may also be confirmed with a follow-up sleep study.
Severe sleep apnea is treated with a less comfortable and flexible treatment option, known as a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine. This portable pump forces air into you at a rate designed to keep your airway open. It is very effective, but many people find it inconvenient and so only about half of all people get good results with the technique.
Don’t Go to Bed Untreated
If you suspect you are a sleep apnea sufferer, it is crucial that you get help as soon as possible. To talk to Dr. Im about your diagnosed or suspected sleep apnea or your snoring, please contact Beautiful Smiles by Design in Dalton, Georgia.