Do you have sleep apnea? If you suffer from chronic snoring or feel exhausted much of the time, then there’s a chance you may need treatment for this serious oral health issue. Otherwise, OSA can hurt both your heath and your ability to function properly at work or school. Don’t avoid treatment that can help improve your quality of life.
Try Our Sleep Apnea Quiz
- True or False: OSA can cause daytime exhaustion.
- True or False: A number of factors can lead to sleep apnea.
- True or False: Without treatment you may develop high blood pressure.
- True or False: We can help treat the issue with a simple oral appliance.
Answer Key
- True. Sleep apnea occurs when a patient stops breathing for brief periods at night. The patient is woke up and then returns to sleep with no memory of the episode, despite this happening hundreds of times per night. Eventually, the patient becomes deprived of sleep and feels exhausted during the day. Other symptoms include waking up gasping for air or choking, feeling irritable, depression, and difficulty focusing on tasks at work or school. You may also snore on a regular basis.
- True. Weight, the size of the neck, stress, and other factors can lead to the onset of sleep apnea. In addition, consuming alcohol or caffeine before bed and even sleeping on your back can make episodes more likely to occur.
- True. Over time the disorder can cause an increase in blood pressure. High blood pressure makes the risk of stroke and heart attack greater, endangering your overall health.
- True. The oral appliance is similar in appearance to a nightguard. The patient wears them during sleep. The device works by moving the jaw forward slightly, enough to prevent the collapse of soft tissue in the back of the throat, which causes patients to stop breathing for brief periods.
