Sleep apnea is a potentially serious sleep disorder in which breathing constantly stops and starts. If you snore loudly and feel tired even after a full night’s sleep, you may have sleep apnea. The most common form of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). It is a chronic condition causing disturbances in sleep for three or more nights a week. It occurs in males twice as often as in females.
Sleep apnea can affect anyone at any age, even children. Risk factors for sleep apnea include the following:
• Overweight males
• Adults over the age of 40
• Large neck size (17 inches or greater in men and 16 inches or greater in women)
• Large tonsils, large tongue, or a small jaw bone
• Family history of sleep apnea
• Nasal obstruction due to a deviated septum, allergies, or sinus problems
A person suffering from sleep apnea experiences airway blockage or narrowing during sleep simply because the throat muscles tend to relax more than normal.
If you suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, this can contribute to some of the following more serious health problems:
• High blood pressure
• Stroke
• Heart failure and heart attacks
• Diabetes
• Depression
• Worsening of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Headaches
Also, untreated sleep apnea is associated with poor performance in everyday activities, such as work, school, motor vehicle crashes and academic underachievement in children and adolescents.
Sleep apnea is a slow process. It usually begins with a mild to moderate snore and eventually a severe snore and finally to sleep apnea. What we do know is that most people are unaware that they suffer from sleep apnea.
A close family member was unaware. Neither were those around the member. They suffered from poor sleep patterns, irritability and constant tiredness in the mornings. They became increasingly forgetful while their speech suffered from incoherence. What we didn’t realize is that their brain was being deprived of the required amount of oxygen. In essence, the relative was exhibiting signs of premature dementia. After a visit to a physician, the individual was referred for a sleep test called a polysomnogram.
This sleep-time test monitors your sleep pattern, heart rate, oxygen levels and breathing. After reading the results, the medical doctor is able to determine the extent of the sleep apnea and available options for treatment.
We are fortunate in The Bahamas to have competent sleep physicians available to us. A sleep physician can provide a sleep laboratory, which resembles a comfortable hotel room. Scientific studies prove the importance of a sleep lab to determine persons who are suffering from sleep apnea. The fact is a sleep lab will determine for us if our snoring is a problem or not.
Once obstructive sleep apnea diagnosis is made, you have a choice as to how you would like to approach treatment.
Treatment options for obstructive sleep apnea include:
• Continuous positive airflow pressure (CPAP)
• Dental appliances
• Implants
• Dental laser treatment
In my next column, we will explore the various treatment options with a focus on dental appliances as a viable option to assist your efforts to manage obstructive sleep apnea.
• Dr. Kendal V.O. Major is the founder and CEO of the Center for Specialized Dentistry, which is a comprehensive family dental practice operating in New Providence and Grand Bahama. He is the first Bahamian specialist in gum diseases and dental implants since 1989. He is also a certified fast braces provider. His practice is located at 89 Collins Avenue, New Providence. He can be contacted at (242) 325-5165 or kmajorcsd@gmail.com.
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source https://thenassauguardian.com/untreated-sleep-apnea-causes-serious-health-problems/
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