Treating Sleeplessness in Arcadia with Sleep Apnea Treatment
Does a member of your family snore? This bad habit can be very frustrating to live with but most patients assume it’s relatively harmless. However, this may not be true. Chronic snoring can actually be an indicator of sleep apnea, a potentially dangerous condition that’s characterized by pauses in breathing throughout the night. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with sleep apnea by a specialist, don’t wait – contact Dr. Matt Nashed in Long Beach or Arcadia, CA to receive the treatment you need to sleep soundly.
What is sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea occurs when the patient’s air passage becomes partially or fully blocked while they’re asleep. This results in breathing actually stopping, which sends an emergency signal to the brain. Patients then briefly wake up, clear their airway and fall back asleep. While this brief rousing usually isn’t noticed, it occurs up to hundreds of times per night. The constant lack of oxygen also has dangerous effects on the patient’s overall wellbeing and health. An increased risk of heart failure and stroke is possible, as well as problems with memory and concentration.
Common signs of sleep apnea include:
- Daytime exhaustion, no matter how the patient has slept the night before
- Morning headaches
- A constant dry mouth/sore throat in the mornings
- Frequent trips to the bathroom throughout the night
- Loud gasping, choking or complete pauses in breathing while asleep (check with a bed partner)
Treatment Options
A CPAP machine is the usual recommendation for sleep apnea patients, but many of them find this option uncomfortable. In cases of mild to moderate sleep apnea, Dr. Nashed helps by providing a customized oral appliance that’s known as a snoreguard. Patients simply need to wear the device when they go to bed and it slightly adjusts their jaw and mouth so air passes freely through with minimal interruption.