Sleep Apnea
What is Sleep Apnea?
It is the lack of oxygen to your brain, heart and lungs sometimes due to the way your jaw causes a blockage of the airway. It can be very serious when breathing can stop and start. It is very important to get this diagnosed and controlled.
If you snore very loudly or feel tired even after having slept all night you might want to get checked out.
Who can have it?
Mostly men but some women may have symptoms too.
How can sleep apnea be diagnosed?
Usually an ENT doctor diagnoses it and a good dentist can help by making a dental appliance for you to help control the symptoms.
What are the symptoms?
- Loud or frequent snoring
- Choking or gasping sounds
- Unrefreshing sleep
- Insomnia
- Frequent visits to the bathroom
- Poor concentration and memory loss
- Excessive sleep during the day/fatigue
- Depression
- Decreased sex drive
- Stroke
- Accidents due to lack of sleeping
- Headaches especially in morning
- Gastric reflux
- High blood pressure
Why Treatment is important?
If sleep disorders are not treated, they can result in very poor overall health consequences. It can lead to gastroesophageal reflux disease, high blood pressure (hypertension), diabetes and coronary heart disease. If breathing stops and starts when sleeping it can result in death. It is very important to realize and take care of this to improve the quality of life.
Benefits of treatment:
- Good quality of sleep
- Well rested body
- Happier marriage
- Better quality of life, healthier and longer
