Symptoms of Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a common disorder characterized by abnormal reductions
in breathing while the individual is asleep. However, while studies
estimate that around 30 million Americans have sleep apnea, only
approximately 6 million have been diagnosed. This is because sleep apnea
can be hard to distinguish, especially if you are unaware of your
nighttime symptoms.
If you think you have sleep apnea, keep an eye out for these warning signs and symptoms:
- Excessive fatigue and daytime drowsiness
- Gasping for air during sleep
- Waking up with a choking sensation
- Loud snoring
- Persistent headaches that last for hours after waking up
- Awakening with a dry mouth
- Difficulty staying asleep
- Irritability or frustration
- Reduced focus
The most affirmative symptom of sleep apnea is experiencing episodes where you stop breathing during sleep.
If these symptoms sound familiar to you, we recommend you seek sleep
apnea treatment from an experienced doctor as soon as possible. With the
right treatment plan, a good night’s sleep is possible.
Treatment Options for Sleep Apnea
The first step towards sleep apnea treatment is recognizing your
symptoms and visiting an oral and maxillofacial surgeon for a
comprehensive evaluation. Once we confirm this condition, we can build
you a customized sleep apnea treatment plan that may include lifestyle
changes, a PAP (positive airway pressure) machine, oral appliances, and
surgery.
Lifestyle changes may include losing weight, regular exercise,
avoiding alcohol and drugs, sleeping on your side, avoiding certain
sleep pills, quitting all forms of nicotine, and avoiding certain
medications.
Oral appliances help to reposition the jaws and stabilize the tongue
to keep the airway open during sleep. You might need to try different
devices before finding one that works for you. Once you find the right
fit, follow-up appointments with your doctor are recommended during the
first year and then regularly after that to ensure that the fit is still
ideal.
If all other non-invasive treatment methods have failed, surgery may
be your next treatment option for sleep apnea. Depending on your
individual circumstances, your doctor may recommend tissue removal, jaw
repositioning, dental implants, removing the tonsils, maxillomandibular
advancement surgery, or anterior inferior mandibular osteotomy.
Living With Sleep Apnea: Here’s How We Can Help
A good night’s sleep is the foundation of a healthy, happy life. From boosting neural development to stabilizing your mood, consistent sleep contributes countless benefits to physical and mental well-being. But for those suffering from sleep disorders, getting a night of uninterrupted rest can be impossible. When left untreated, sleep deprivation can elevate the risk of depression, high blood pressure, and other life-threatening conditions – making swift diagnosis and treatment crucial.
Numerous factors contribute to sleep disorders, but the root cause is often related to a patient’s jaw structure. For this reason, anyone experiencing disordered sleep should consult with an oral and maxillofacial surgeon (OMS). Through surgical or non-surgical intervention, an OMS can identify and treat conditions like insomnia and sleep apnea, giving you back control over your life. To learn more about these conditions, with a particular focus on the symptoms and treatment options for sleep apnea, let’s explore the facts behind disordered sleep.
Sleep Disorders and Your Health
The human body needs a certain amount of sleep every night to optimally function, according to the National Institutes of Health. For adults, this amount is usually between 7 and 9 hours per night, while for young children it can be significantly more. However, it is important here not just to consider quantity – or hours slept – but quality as well. In other words, not all sleep is created equal. Rapid Eye Movement (or REM) sleep is particularly important for unlocking the maximum benefits from a night of sleep. Someone who sleeps for 9-10 hours at night but continuously wakes up before achieving REM may exhibit similar symptoms to someone who only sleeps a few hours at night.
Sleep disorders like insomnia and sleep apnea can disrupt both the quantity and quality of sleep, severely impacting a patient’s quality of life. The downstream effects of interrupted sleep can range from the mildly annoying – such as difficulty focusing during the day – to far more serious complications, including heart disease, diabetes, and liver disease. In addition, a lack of restful sleep significantly increases the risk of depression and may triple the likelihood of a traffic or workplace-related accident. Many patients report that sleep deprivation takes over their entire life, making it impossible for them to exercise, spend time with their kids, or engage in other activities they once enjoyed.
Anyone experiencing sleeplessness and fatigue should not hesitate to see an OMS, whose expertise can unearth the underlying causes of many sleep disorders. An OMS may be particularly helpful if you think you may have sleep apnea, a condition affecting an estimated 12-18 million American adults.
What is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is as common as asthma, but over half of adults living with it are undiagnosed. And while certain factors lead to elevated risk – including obesity and smoking – anyone can be affected by the condition. This makes it even more important to monitor potential symptoms.
Any of the following warning signs should be cause to see an OMS or other medical professional:
- You never feel well-rested, no matter how long you sleep at night.
- You wake up in the morning with a dry mouth and a headache that lasts several hours into the day.
- Your partner complains that you snore loudly, choke, or gasp for air at night.
All are classic symptoms of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), the most common form of the condition. As defined by the Mayo Clinic, OSA means that certain facial muscles relax during sleep. This can be caused by any number of factors but is often related to jaw structure or the position of the patient’s airway during sleep. Consequently, the tongue sticks to the back of the throat, blocking the airway and preventing the flow of oxygen to the brain. Deprived of oxygen, the brain triggers wakeups throughout the night by choking or gasping for air. While often brief and undetectable, these interruptions can happen dozens of times per night, preventing you from reaching the deep sleep necessary for your body to recharge.
Treatment Options
There are currently no medications that can cure OSA. So what are the options for a patient looking to reclaim their quality of life? Again, a good place to start is by consulting with an OMS. This is because the causes of OSA are often rooted in underlying jaw structure and other craniofacial abnormalities. They can also determine other sources of sleep disturbance related to the jaw and face, such as clenching and grinding teeth. In such cases, an OMS may recommend corrective jaw surgery, which may permanently alleviate the condition.
In other cases, non-surgical options are the best way to go, and a good OMS will help you determine which is the best path for you. Outside of surgical intervention, some effective treatments for OSA may include:
- Losing weight, quitting smoking, or other lifestyle changes.
- Altering your sleeping position, e.g. sleeping on your side instead of your back.
- Treating symptoms, such as excessive fatigue, with prescription medication.
- Using a mouthpiece recommended by an OMS, or a nasal continuous positive airway pressure machine (CPAP.)
As a common treatment method, the CPAP is not, contrary to popular belief, a machine that “breathes for you.” Instead, the air pumped by the CPAP creates increased pressure that keeps your airway open during sleep. Many patients who use a CPAP report dramatic improvement in their condition. Again, a consultation with an OMS can help you determine whether you would benefit from a CPAP.
Reclaim Your Life
Disordered sleep is serious business, but importantly, it is also a treatable problem. If chronic fatigue haunts your days; if neither you nor your spouse can get a decent night’s sleep thanks to frequent wakeups; if any of this sounds familiar, you should strongly consider an appointment with an OMS.
OSA and other forms of sleep apnea are common, but too often remain undiagnosed and untreated. Don’t let sleep deprivation keep you from living your best life. Seek out treatment today to reclaim control over sleep, improve your health, and transform your life.
