Sleep Apnea, from the Greek "apnoea" (meaning: without breath),
is characterized by pauses in breathing during sleep. This activity,
which includes snoring, has for a long time been considered harmless
and simply annoying however, it is a serious condition. Also referred
to as "obstructive sleep apnea" (OSA) is potentially fatal
condition. One of the major issues with Sleep Apnea is that an individual
is rarely aware of difficulty breathing during sleep.
For many, sufficient oxygen does enter the body and it causes no major
harm. A sleep study should be conducted to determine how serious one's
condition is. Almost all of those afflicted with Sleep Apnea have frequent
pauses of oxygen flow throughout the night. For and adult, a pause must
be 10 seconds to be considered Apnea.
Studies indicate that one afflicted with Sleep Apnea can stop breathing
anywhere from 30-50 times in a single night. In rare cases these interruptions
can occur as many times as 60 per night. Individuals with Sleep Apnea
awake tired and are unaware of that the struggled through the night.
The solution to this problem is a mouth guard like device that lowers
the jaw into a more natural position. The result is that the tongue
is further away from the back of the throat and oxygen flow is significantly
improved.
Common side effects of sleep apnea patients are:
- Heart attacks or irregular heart beats
- Impotence
- High blood pressure
- Stroke
- Heartburn
- Morning headaches
- Dry mouth
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
- Impaired concentration
- Depression
- Decreased libido
- Irritability
- Chronic sleepiness
Dental appliance therapy can sometimes help alleviate these conditions.
Please check with our office for help with these important health conditions.
