Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Sleep Apnea

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Sleep Apnea

Can I treat myself for sleep apnea?

Unfortunately, the answer is no. Sleep apnea is a disorder that requires a sleep test to diagnose your condition properly. It's a dangerous sleep disorder because it's impossible to diagnose on your own, and many people don't even realize they're suffering from it.

What Is Sleep Apnea?

Obstructive sleep apnea is a disorder that causes you to wake several times throughout the night due to an airway obstruction that cuts off your air supply. Lack of oxygen signals your brain to wake up multiple times during the night without you even realizing that it's happening. For people with severe sleep apnea, this can happen hundreds of times throughout the night.

The Effects of Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea contributes to many health concerns and can even be fatal in severe cases due to heart failure. Some of the problems sleep apnea causes or contributes to are:

Sleep apnea can significantly impact your quality of life as you find yourself exhausted throughout the day and unable to focus on your normal daily activities.

Treating Sleep Apnea

Dr. Roberto Monteagudo offers sleep apnea treatment in West Allis, WI, for mild to moderate cases with an oral appliance. Sometimes, oral appliances can even be used in place of continuous positive airway pressure therapy (CPAP).

How does Sleep apnea occur?

Snoring occurs when the airway or passage through which we breathe becomes partially blocked or occluded. An example would be a tongue that falls back as we drift off into a deeper sleep. As the diameter or size of the airway passage is shrinking, the net result is a muffled sound secondary to vibrations in the throat, or snoring.

During snoring, air flow is partially blocked

During sleep apnea, air flow is completely blocked

In many situations, this compromise is minor and the body continues to get adequate amounts of oxygen to cause little or no harm. However, this is a red flag as it could also be one of the early signs or a part of sleep apnea. Most all sleep apnea sufferers snore in between bouts of apnea, or oxygen interruption. A sleep study should be done to determine the seriousness of one’s condition.

Nights With Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea patients have a rough night and don’t even know it is happening. In a given night, these apneic events (when a patient stops breathing) can occur anywhere from 30 – 50 times, and in some people as many as 60 – 100 times per hour! Obviously, these individuals awake exhausted and spent each morning, as they’ve been fighting for oxygen all night. Sleep should be a replenishing award for each of us. Chances are that your spouse, other family members, or your coworkers, are keen to the problem. They either also suffer from your noisy snoring or see the signs of a body which is not sleeping at night as it woefully attempts to navigate a given day. Recently, a condition known as “secondary snoring” has been researched and has been shown to cost the bed partner of a snorer an average of 1.5 hours of sleep each night. Snoring, in fact, has also been shown to be a leading cause of divorce.

Nocturnal signs and symptoms associated with OSA include drooling, dry mouth, sleep restlessness, witnessed apneas, choking or gasping and sweating.

Should I be worried about sleep apnea?

Sleep apnea is more than just an annoyance. It can also affect your health in a number of negative ways. Here are some of the most common side effects that people with sleep apnea experience:

Other Health Issues From Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea can be a danger to your physical health and overall wellbeing. People with sleep apnea are more likely to have auto accidents, suffer from decreased job performance, and experience irritability and memory loss. Being chronically sleepy is another symptom that can make it difficult for people to participate in and enjoy hobbies, social events, relaxation, recreational activities, and more.

Contributing Factors of Sleep Apnea

Other contributing factors for sleep apnea include being overweight, having blood pressure, and having a physical abnormality, like a deviated septum, enlarged soft tissues (throat, tongue, uvula), and more.

Certain studies also indicated that this condition may also have a genetic link.

So should you be worried? The answer is yes! If you believe you may have sleep apnea, see your doctor to schedule a sleep study. And if you have already been diagnosed, contact our West Allis dental office to determine what treatments we offer to help.

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