Sleep Apnea Treatment

Causes

Sleep apnea occurs when a series of events repeatedly happen throughout the night, causing you to stop breathing briefly. They include:

•   Excess soft tissue at the back of the throat goes slack and partially obstructs the airway opening
•   Eventually, the airway becomes blocked enough to disrupt breathing
•   Your brain alerts you to the lack of oxygen and rouses you briefly to restore normal breathing

In the most severe cases, this pattern can occur upwards of 100 times an hour. No wonder people with sleep apnea wake up exhausted in the morning!

Consequences of disrupted sleep

These apneic episodes deprive your body of adequate oxygen intake, which ultimately has a cascade of effects. Not only do sleep apnea patients still feel tired upon waking but they also:

•   Face a higher risk of health problems like obesity and metabolic disorders, even sudden unexplained death
•   Are more likely to feel depressed, anxious, or irritable
•   May have difficulty performing professional tasks or driving safely

Avoiding these consequences and maintaining normal energy levels make for compelling motivation for patients to see what treatment options are available.

How Oral Appliance Therapy Can Restore Restful Sleep

Several different interventions can be used to treat sleep apnea, including oral appliance therapy. This innovative approach uses a device that looks and feels similar to an athletic mouthguard to prevent the airway obstructions that cause the patient to stop breathing.

Essentially, an oral appliance for sleep apnea will keep your jaw or tongue forward while you sleep, which in turn keeps any excess soft tissue at the back of your throat away from your airway opening. Under the right circumstances, oral appliance therapy can be highly effective.

Schedule a consultation with Dr. George to see how your sleep apnea can be addressed so that you can get back to a good night’s sleep.