Sleep Apnea- Symptoms, Causes, And Treatment

In sleep apnea, a person’s breathing ceases during sleep. Now, this can happen a few times as well as hundreds of times during sleep. As you can guess, this condition is potentially fatal, especially in the long run. It is a condition that can affect all ages but tends to occur more in people over 40 years. Let’s see why this happens and what can be done for sleep apnea treatment near you.

First off, sleep apnea is divided into three types: obstructive, central, and mixed. These types tell a lot about the parts of the body that are not functioning well. In obstructive sleep apnea, the problem comes directly from the airways. This means that during sleep, the airways get blocked, either totally or partially. Once breathing ceases, the body responds to restore it and the diaphragm, chest muscles start to contract more to open the airways. Usually, breathing in this person will resume suddenly with a loud gasp or body jerk. Sleep apnea doctors near you are quite capable of managing the condition. At Smiles of Ocoee, Dr. Freddy Mezquia offers a high standard of care for people with sleep apnea. Book an appointment today.

In central sleep apnea, the problem is not with the airways. Instead, it comes from the brain. Normally, the brain controls our breathing through the respiratory control centers. What happens in the event of a malfunction in these centers? The breathing pattern becomes disrupted.

Some people may have a combination of the first two types and are said to have mixed sleep apnea. You should know that obstructive sleep apnea is the most common of all types and will be the focus of the rest of our discussion.

How Do I Know A Person Has Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

Snoring is almost always present. They also have sudden awakenings with a sensation of gasping or choking. However, the more disturbing features are poor sleep which in turn affects daytime activities. They can have problems concentrating at work or in school. Some people have night sweats, sexual problems, and headaches. You can see a dentist near you for treatment of these symptoms.

What Causes Sleep Apnea?

As we already know, sleep apnea can be caused by an obstruction in the airways. Obstructive sleep apnea is often associated with obesity. Abnormalities in the airway such as a low-hanging soft palate, enlarged tonsils, a small jaw with an overbite, and nasal obstruction cause obstruction and can lead to sleep apnea.

Central sleep apnea has more to do with conditions that affect the brain such as stroke or neuromuscular diseases.

If untreated or poorly treated, sleep apnea can lead to several health issues including hypertension, diabetes, stroke, and heart failure. Productivity in the place of work or at school will be affected and this can lead to bad grades and job loss. Job-related and driving accidents can happen too. Our dentist in Ocoee, 34761 is highly qualified and offers sleep apnea treatment near you.

How Is The Condition Treated?

A device known as the CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) is the best way to manage the condition. However, this doesn’t work for all people. People with mild to moderate sleep apnea will benefit from oral appliance therapy which includes the use of devices similar to mouth guards used in sports. How do they work?

The problem with obstructive sleep apnea is airway blockage. These dental appliances prevent this and keep the airway open always. They do this by preventing the tongue from blocking the throat and pushing the lower jaw forward. If you need one, our dentist near you will assess you and determine your suitability for the treatment. Next, they will make an impression of your teeth which is used to make a device tailored for your use. All that is left after this is to start using it.

You may experience some side effects like pain, problems with your bite, saliva drooling, and mouth dryness when you get treatment. However, this often goes away in time. Make sure to follow the dentist’s instructions and contact them for help if the need arises.