Sleep Apnea - CPAP Alternative
| Sleep Disorder Dentistry at Smiles by design We are changing peoples lives Treating Obstructive Sleep Apnea & Snoring with CPAP Alternatives |
| We Change Peoples Lives We at Smiles by Design are here to help the people who may snore and have signs and symptoms of Sleep Apnea. We can help to diagnose and treat Obstructive Sleep Apnea with an alternative to the "dreaded" CPAP machine. This is definitely for the people who cannot or will not use their CPAP. If you or a loved one has sleep apnea being treated with CPAP, you probably know how unpleasant it is to wear a mask and hose and have a noisy motor running all night long. Frankly, if you don’t mind using your CPAP, please continue to do so. Is it just snoring or is it sleep apnea? Not everyone who snores has sleep apnea, and not everyone who has sleep apnea snores. So how do you tell the difference between garden variety snoring and a more serious case of sleep apnea? The biggest telltale sign is how you feel during the day. Normal snoring doesn't interfere with the quality of your sleep as much as sleep apnea does, so you’re less likely to suffer from extreme fatigue and sleepiness during the day. What’s Your Snore Score? Your answers to this quiz will help you decide whether you may suffer from sleep apnea: **Are you a loud and/or regular snorer? **Have you ever been observed to gasp or stop breathing during sleep? **Do you feel tired or groggy upon awakening, or do you awaken with a headache? **Are you often tired or fatigued during the wake time hours? **Do you fall asleep sitting, reading, watching TV or driving? **Do you often have problems with memory or concentration? If you have one or more of these symptoms you are at higher risk for having obstructive sleep apnea. What is Sleep Apnea? Sleep apnea (AP-ne-ah) is a common disorder in which you have one or more pauses in breathing or shallow breaths while you sleep. Breathing pauses can last from a few seconds to minutes. They often occur 5 to 30 times or more an hour. Typically, normal breathing then starts again, sometimes with a loud snort or choking sound. Sleep apnea usually is a chronic (ongoing) condition that disrupts your sleep. You often move out of deep sleep and into light sleep when your breathing pauses or becomes shallow. This results in poor sleep quality that makes you tired during the day. Sleep apnea is one of the leading causes of excessive daytime sleepiness. Overview Sleep apnea often goes undiagnosed. Doctors usually can't detect the condition during routine office visits. Also, there are no blood tests for the condition. Most people who have sleep apnea don't know they have it because it only occurs during sleep. A family member and/or bed partner may first notice the signs of sleep apnea. The most common type of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea. This most often means that the airway has collapsed or is blocked during sleep. The blockage may cause shallow breathing or breathing pauses. When you try to breathe, any air that squeezes past the blockage can cause loud snoring. Obstructive sleep apnea is more common in people who are overweight, but it can affect anyone. For example, small children may have enlarged tonsil tissues in their throats, which can lead to obstructive sleep apnea. Suspicious signs and symptoms of sleep apnea may include: Snoring - loud and heavy, sometimes accompanied by snorting and gasping Long pauses in breathing during sleep Morning headache Cluster headache Excessive daytime sleepiness and unexplained fatigue Personality, alertness, memory, and behavior changes Memory loss Obesity Acid Reflux (G.E.R.D.) Loss of interest and physical problems related to sex In some cases, ADHD and similar conditions While diagnosis requires confirmation via a Sleep Study (polysomnography) or home sleep test, in conjunction with an appropriate medical specialist, we are privileged to have the opportunity to treat this condition. Untreated Sleep Apnea is Life Threatening and a Major Health Problem The biggest problem is shortage of oxygen to the body throughout sleep. This affects every aspect of your health. Poor oxygen intake contributes to premature aging. When left untreated, sleep apnea is believed to take an average of eight years off of a person’s life. Sleep apnea can cause the following: **High blood pressure - 90% of people with hypertension have sleep apnea and 60% of sleep apnea patients develop hypertension **Heart attacks and heart disease **Strokes **Sudden death (a former Green Bay Packer football player named Reggie White died of respiratory failure reportedly due to sleep apnea) **Depression **Severe memory loss - in certain cases dementia loss of sexual interest and function **Fatigue and lack of energy - sleepiness throughout the day. Sleepiness is one of the most common causes of automobile accidents and related injuries **Headaches as well as aches and pains throughout the body **Fibromyalgia **Growth - the inability to reach deep sleep is called Level 3 sleep and is required for growth and healing hormones to be formed and released into the body **Premature aging - Since everyone’s body relies on inhalation of an adequate amount of oxygen in air 24 hours a day, many other medical conditions heal slowly, or perhaps not at all, in patients who hold their breath for long periods of time hundreds of times each night. If you or a loved one has a problem with Sleep Apnea or snoring and would like to have a consultation and be tested please call to schedule a "Screening Evaluation" at our office. We would love to meet you in person and help you to attain a better quality of life without CPAP. Please call us at 315-474-1711 to set up an appointment today. We are here to help. Testimonials from satisfied patients |
| CPAP Machine <<<------------------------------------------ OR Mouth Device ------------------------------------------>>> Which would you prefer? |
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Sleep Obstruction occurs
Sleep Obstruction occurs
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