Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a condition that can be inconvenient for spouses and dangerous for people with a diagnosis. If you’ve been diagnosed with sleep apnea, getting help from a trained professional is important. At Choo Choo City Sleep Solutions, we offer treatments for patients suffering from sleep apnea. Our years of experience help us provide treatment for patients who have struggled with sleep apnea for a long time.
We’re your source for sleep apnea therapy and treatments, including medications, night guards, and sleep-oral appliances. Our trained staff also provides excellent patient care to everyone who comes to our office. Do you suffer from sleep apnea? Now is the time to get help from your sleep apnea doctor in Chattanooga, TN.
What Is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a condition that causes patients to stop and start breathing while sleeping. It can occur for different reasons and is therefore divided into different types.
Sleep apnea can affect the body, disrupting normal sleep patterns. People who suffer from sleep apnea don’t sleep very well overall, may be tired and irritable, and may have a hard time focusing throughout the day.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the airway is blocked because the muscles that control the soft palate, the tonsils, the uvula, the throat, and the tongue are relaxed. When this happens, the brain senses that the body can’t breathe.
The brain temporarily wakes the body, the body gasps, and then the body falls back to sleep so quickly that it can’t remember being awake. This process repeats throughout the night. People with obstructive sleep apnea often have a difficult time reaching deep stages of sleep because they continuously wake throughout the night.
Central Sleep Apnea
Central sleep apnea occurs when the brain fails to send the signal to the body that it’s time to breathe. Eventually, it does, but this happens repeatedly throughout the night, which can make falling asleep (and then staying asleep) a challenge.
Symptoms of Sleep Apnea
While obstructive and central sleep apnea can present differently, some overlapping symptoms can make it hard to determine your type of sleep apnea. Some shared symptoms of these conditions include:
- Loud snoring. This is usually loud enough to disrupt your spouse/sleep partner.
- Gasping for air during sleep is caused by the brain telling the body that it’s time to take a breath.
- Stop breathing during sleep. The patient would not remember this, but the patient’s sleep partner would report it.
- Difficulty staying asleep. All of this disruption to breathing can lead to difficulty staying asleep, and the patient may wake up multiple times at night.
- Irritability and inability to focus. Since the patient is sleep-deprived, cognitive functioning is more difficult for the patient.
In the morning, the patient may have a dry mouth, a headache, and excessive sleepiness.
Who Is At Risk of Sleep Apnea?
Anyone can have sleep apnea, but many factors can put you at higher risk for sleep apnea. People who are at risk for obstructive sleep apnea include males, people who are overweight, who have a narrowed airway or a family history of sleep apnea, those who smoke, older age, and people who have congestive heart failure, type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure.
Nasal congestion can also cause sleep apnea, as can using alcohol or tranquilizers. Children who get sleep apnea often have enlarged tonsils that cause the airway to become obstructed while they sleep.
Central sleep apnea is more common for people who are older, male, have a heart disorder or stroke and are using narcotic pain medication.
Can Sleep Apnea Be Treated?
There is no single silver bullet for treating sleep apnea, but there are different ways to reduce the symptoms and potentially stop the problem from happening. Below are two ways to treat patients with sleep apnea.
Sleep Medicine
Sleep medicine can be used to manage symptoms or feelings of sleepiness during the day.
Sleep Oral Appliances
Sleep oral appliances are devices that can be fitted in the mouth to prevent the relaxed muscles from blocking the airway, preventing sleep. Sleep oral appliances are custom-made for the user. Usually, mouth guards fit over the top of the mouth; sometimes, they are also fitted to the lower part of the mouth.
Sleep Apnea FAQ
People who come to Choo Choo City Sleep Solutions often have questions about managing their sleep apnea.
Can sleep apnea contribute to other conditions?
Sleep apnea disrupts your sleep and thus can contribute to a variety of other conditions, including depression and ADHD.
Is there anything I can do to help manage my sleep apnea?
Some people can manage their condition through lifestyle changes. Losing weight, stopping smoking, and avoiding the use of alcohol close to bedtime can all help control sleep apnea.
If I think I have sleep apnea, what should I do?
See a doctor. Sleep apnea affects sleep and can be dangerous. Get help and potentially get a custom oral appliance to keep your airway open during sleep.
Why Choose Choo Choo City Sleep Solutions for Sleep Apnea?
Choo Choo City Sleep Solutions helps manage sleep apnea in Chattanooga TN. We can help you get better sleep! Call today to make an appointment.
