Sleep apnea may sound a lot like snoring, but it can be significantly more concerning. When a person snores, sounds are made as air vibrates over soft tissues. Sleep apnea involves pauses in breathing. No air passing through. No oxygen reaching the brain – sometimes for several seconds at a time.
Snoring can be a frustrating habit. It could also be something much more serious. Patients of Ardmore dentist Dr. Lindsey Marshall can obtain the testing and treatment they need to avoid the complications of the common sleep condition sleep apnea.
– Susanne R.
Sleep apnea presents health risks if not treated. In addition to chronic fatigue, this condition increases one’s risk for secondary health concerns, such as diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure, and heart disease.
The most successful treatments for sleep apnea are CPAP and oral appliance therapy. Most patients who have found success with either of these treatments will likely need to stick with them for the duration. But technology and possible new treatments are always evolving, so there’s really no way to know.
The relaxation that occurs when we sleep is what causes snoring. The muscles around the throat loosen, and the tongue relaxes back toward the throat. The throat also “softens,” becoming more narrow when we sleep. These factors can create prime conditions for vibration in tissues as air passes through the airway.
When a person has sleep apnea, the airflow is partially or completely blocked and the person stops breathing for a period of a few seconds or even minutes. While snorers can have sleep apnea, it is not a direct causal link.
Other issues aren’t so easily corrected. A broken nose could have caused a deviated septum. Your structures in your nose and throat and the position of your jaw and tongue can all simply be your anatomy. Years of sleep apnea may have changed how well your airway can be maintained during sleep.
But if your issues are more structurally anatomical, there may not be a way to “cure” your sleep apnea. Instead, you need to work with Dr. Marshall to treat it with the use of tools such as the MicrO2 sleep appliance or CPAP. These treatments will address your sleep apnea every night, but they won’t cure it.
Improper jaw alignment can also be behind a person’s sleep apnea. Often a person’s lower jaw sits back further than normal. This decreases space in the back of the mouth and that impacts space in the airway. This can lead to blockage and sleep apnea.
The symptoms of sleep apnea are similar among both types. This is because many are related to the continual disruption of sleep that occurs each night. Some of the warning signs that you or a loved one may be struggling to breathe at night include:
What is a CPAP Machine?
The standard medical treatment for obstructive sleep apnea, Continuous Positive Airway Pressure therapy, restores proper mechanics by forcing air into the airway. The consistent delivery of air with CPAP provides adequate pressure to prevent the closure of the airway. While effective, this method of care may not be tolerated well by all patients.
Home Sleep Apnea Test
Dr. Marshall ... Click to go to the page of Dr Lindsey Marshall ... offers the MediByte home apnea test to patients who exhibit clinical symptoms of this condition. This small, easy-to-use device monitors important data, including respiratory effort, body position, snore, flow, heart rate, and blood oxygen saturation. Patients who use a CPAP device may also obtain a measurement of the pressure and flow of their machines.
MicrO2 treatment also corrects mechanical issues in the airway. It does so by creating the ideal position of the lower jaw. A forward position in the jaw extends to the tongue, keeping that structure out of the airway. Tissues in the throat are also tightened when the device is in place, making it possible for air to flow continually while you sleep.
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