Sleep Apnea: A Curable Disorder

Sleep Apnea is a severe sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts during your sleep. If a person snores loudly and feels tired even after taking a full day’s sleep, it can be due to sleep apnea. 

Sleep apnea comes in one of three main types:

● Obstructive sleep apnea, which is very common and occurs when the muscles of the throat relax.

● Central sleep apnea is when you stop breathing because your brain, for whatever reason, failed to communicate with the muscles involved in breathing.

● Complex sleep apnea syndrome is the result of both obstructive and central sleep apnea.

Symptoms of Sleep Apnea

Obstructive and central sleep apnea have similar symptoms, making it arduous to identify the type of sleep apnea you have. However, the most common ones include:

● Loud snoring

● Incidents when you stop breathing while sleeping (as reported by another person)

● Waking from sleep with a dry mouth

● Panting for air during sleep

● Insomnia

● Morning headaches

● Hypersomnia

● Not paying attention while being awake

● Irritability

If you encounter any of the above symptoms, consult your doctor immediately for treatment.

Causes of Sleep Apnea

When the muscles on the back of the throat are in a comfortable position, obstructive sleep apnea might occur. The throat muscles support the soft palate, tonsils, sidewalls of the throat, and the tongue. While the muscle is relaxing, the airway opens and closes while breathing. It restricts the air, thereby lowering the oxygen level in blood. The brain detects your inability to breathe and awakens you from sleep. It is so brief that people don’t even remember it.  

On the other hand, central sleep apnea occurs when the brain fails to transmit signals to the breathing muscles. For a short period, you stop breathing. You might also get awakened from sleep due to shortness of breath.

Treatment For Sleep Apnea

Several methods can be used to treat sleep apnea. Among them, oral appliances are considered an effective process. It is an appliance that is worn during sleep to keep your mouth open. Some oral devices open your throat by moving the jaw in a forward position. It sometimes provides relief from snoring and minimizes the effect of obstructive sleep apnea.

There are several oral devices available for treating sleep apnea. When you choose the right one for you, you have to visit your dentist regularly during the first year to ensure that the fit is still good. 

Healthy Smiles of Birmingham offers advanced treatment for sleep apnea treatment by our expert dentists. For more information and appointment, call us at (205) 991-9535, book online, or visit us at 100 Heatherbrooke Park Dr. Suite A, Birmingham, AL 35242.