Woman kept awake by her husband’s snoring
Snoring from sleep apnea is a condition that affects millions of Americans every year. It occurs when your air passage gets blocked in your sleep because the muscles in the back of your throat relax too much. When that happens, your body loses some of its oxygen intake. It responds by waking you up enough to draw a deep breath. In some patients this can happen hundreds of times a night without them even realizing it. This can make you feel not only exhausted, even with a full night’s sleep, but can have more severe health consequences such as heart problems or stroke.
Signs of Sleep Apnea
For most people it takes their partner to recognize the broken patterns in their sleep. However, here are some symptoms that can help you recognize it yourself. If you find yourself having one or more of these symptoms, it might be helpful to be checked for sleep apnea.
- Loud or interrupted snoring
- Sudden night wakings
- Waking up gasping
- Fatigue with a full night’s sleep
- Morning headaches
Treatment of Sleep Apnea
When some people sleep, the tongue or muscles in the back of their throat relax. This results in them blocking their breathing passage. When it only partially blocks the passage, the result is snoring. When it fully blocks the passage, this deprives them of oxygen and interrupts their sleeping.
Dr. Potts will use a mandibular advancement appliance, which looks a little like a mouth guard, for you to wear during sleep. This opens your breathing passage by moving your jaw forward.
If you suspect you suffer from sleep apnea, you may call our office to schedule an appointment, or click here to request an appointment online.
Another Sleep Apnea Treatment Option
Dr. Potts recently became certified in the Vivos system. This system uses intra-oral appliances that help re-shape your oral cavity to eliminate airway obstruction. The beauty of this system is that once you complete the therapy, you will not need any appliance. Click here to read more about the Vivos system.
Dr. David Potts was interviewed on News Talk 970 WMAY about sleep apnea. To listen, click here to go to our “On The Mic” page and look for the interviews in June and July 2016.