Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common form of sleep apnea. It results from your throat muscles constricting to block your airway, interrupting your breathing overnight. This leads you to wake up constantly and prevents you from enjoying a quality night’s rest.
Since sleep apnea can have a major impact on your overall health, it’s crucial to be aware of the symptoms and risk factors. Explore our guide to learn about all the major warning signs so you can stay ahead of this harmful disorder.
There are a few common risk factors for sleep apnea that it’s crucial to be aware of. For example, men are more likely to develop the condition than women and everyone’s risk increases with age, regardless of gender.
In addition, there are a few other risk factors for sleep apnea including:Sleep apnea does more than just interfere with your sleep. In fact, it can lead to a wide range of consequences that are harmful to your overall health. Some of these include:
If sleep apnea is caused by the anatomy of your neck, your condition may be lifelong. Sleep apnea is the result of a blocked airway. Among other reasons, it can be caused by enlarged tonsils, your tongue collapsing, or excess tissue surrounding the soft palate. Sleep apnea can be completely eradicated with surgery. However, there are other treatment options available and surgery is typically unnecessary.
Maxillo-mandibular advancement surgery requires breaking and realigning the joints in the jaw. Since it’s so invasive, it’s only used for the most severe cases where conservative treatments have failed. If you’re diagnosed with sleep apnea, Dr. Goel will create a customized treatment plan and address every detail of the disorder to optimize your results.
Sleep apnea can cause high blood pressure and vice versa. When your breathing stops during sleep apnea, it causes your oxygen levels to decrease and your blood pressure to increase. The constant strain on your blood vessels increases your blood pressure during the event and over time.
Between 30 to 50 percent of people with high blood pressure also have sleep apnea. The good news is that by treating sleep apnea with an oral appliance, you’ll also be treating your high blood pressure. One research study found that after four weeks of wearing an oral appliance, patients saw improvements in their blood pressure.
Not only will you begin to see improvements in daytime fatigue and snoring, but you’ll experience long-term benefits of treating sleep apnea over time. Your blood pressure may drop, which will decrease your chances for a number of health issues such as cardiovascular disease and strokes. Since your oxygen saturation will stay within normal levels, you’ll also delay the cognitive decline that can result from sleep apnea.
When comparing the symptoms of ADHD and sleep apnea, you’ll find that the two are similar. Both disorders cause patients to experience excessive daytime fatigue, forgetfulness, emotional problems, and impulsivity.
Many people don’t think of children having a sleeping disorder, even though it’s not that uncommon. Therefore, sleep apnea is often overlooked as a potential cause for the changes and disruptions in their behavior. This often results in sleep apnea being misdiagnosed as ADHD.
If you have sleep apnea, it’s essential to seek help before your condition begins to seriously affect your health. Dr. Goel can provide you with a sleep test to ensure you get a proper diagnosis and develop a treatment plan just for you.
Though CPAP is often recommended as the first treatment, many patients find the machine too loud and uncomfortable to sleep with. That’s why we specialize in oral appliance therapy, a more comfortable and less invasive alternative to CPAP.
If you’re experiencing any of the symptoms listed above, don’t hesitate to get a professional opinion. Call our office in Santa Clara and schedule a consultation with Dr. Goel today.
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