Sleep Apnea
What is Sleep Apnea?
The word “apnea” literally means “without breath.”
There are three types of apnea. In all three, people with untreated sleep apnea stop breathing repeatedly during their sleep, sometimes hundreds of times during the night and often for a minute or longer.
*Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), the most common is usually caused when the soft tissue in the rear of the throat collapses and closes during sleep.central, and mixed.
*Central sleep apnea, is not caused by a blocked airway but rather the brain’s failure to signal the muscles to breathe.
*Mixed apnea, is a combination of the two.
With each apnea event, the brain briefly arouses people with sleep apnea in order for them to resume breathing, but consequently sleep is extremely fragmented and of poor quality.
Sleep apnea is very common and affects more than twelve million Americans, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Risk factors include being male, overweight, and over the age of forty, but sleep apnea can strike anyone at any age, even children. Yet still because of the lack of awareness by the public and healthcare professionals, the vast majority remain undiagnosed and therefore untreated, despite the fact that this serious disorder can have significant consequences.
Untreated, sleep apnea can cause high blood pressure and other cardiovascular disease, memory problems, weight gain, impotency, and headaches. Moreover, untreated sleep apnea may be responsible for job impairment and motor vehicle crashes. Fortunately, sleep apnea can be diagnosed and treated. Several treatment options exist, and research into additional options continues.
Treatment
A mouthpiece, sometimes called an oral appliance, may help some people who have mild sleep apnea. Dr. Taat may recommend a mouthpiece if you snore loudly but don’t have sleep apnea.
Dr. Taat can make a custom-fit plastic mouthpiece for treating sleep apnea. The mouthpiece will adjust your lower jaw and your tongue to help keep your airways open while you sleep.
Contact us to schedule a free consultation with Dr. Taat to learn more.
