Sleep apnea is a condition that is very common today. After questioning just a few of my patients, I’m finding that more and more people are using a C-Pap machine or are simply having difficulty getting a good nights sleep. The trouble typically starts when you can’t get enough air into your lungs as you sleep. The noise and health issues created can be quite troublesome.
Some potential side effects of sleep apnea include:
- Irritability
- Impaired concentration
- Attention Deficit Disorder – ADD
- Anxiety, including panic attacks
- Depression
- Obesity, as well as difficulty losing weight
- Dry mouth
- Morning headaches
… and of course, chronic sleepiness.
Some of the health problems associated with sleep apnea include:
- Irregular heart beats
- High blood pressure
- Stroke
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
- Heart attacks
- Decreased libido
- Impotence
- Grinding your teeth at night
- Increased chances of developing both colon & breast cancer
- Diabetes & problems with blood sugar
It can also cause learning or memory disabilities, as well as periods of nodding off while on the phone or at work or worse yet driving to and from work.
People most likely to have or develop sleep apnea include those that:
- Snore
- Are overweight, or
- Have high blood pressure.
Our office can provide you with a solution that may even eliminate the use of a C-Pap machine. The medical appliances that are made reposition your jaw forward, preventing the back of your throat from being blocked. These appliances are FDA approved and can start making a difference in your sleep right away. The two devices we would recommend are the Thorton Adjustable Positioner and the Somnodent MAS.
To learn more or to find out if you might suffer from sleep apnea, contact our office today at (513) 896-1573