Sleep Apnea Omaha, Nebraska
Sleep apnea is a potentially deadly condition that leads to many serious health risks. Heart attack, stroke, pulmonary embolism, anesthesia complications, and even car accident risks are increased in sleep apnea sufferers. Worst of all, perhaps 90% of people who suffer from sleep apnea don’t know they have it.
Sleep dentist Dr. Roger Roubal has good news, though: sleep apnea treatment is very successful and covered by most insurance. If you are in Omaha and have been diagnosed with or suspect you have sleep apnea, please call 402-493-4175 or email Dr. Roubal for a consultation about your treatment options.
What Is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is when your breathing stops at night. It stops long enough that your blood oxygen level drops and your brain senses danger. It awakens a little to get you breathing again, as well as to tell your heart to pump harder and faster, just in case that was the problem.
Because you don’t fully wake up, you may not be aware of the cause of your wakefulness, or if you become fully awake, you might think it was because you had to go to the bathroom or due to some random noise. But this happens up to several hundred times a night, with the consequence that your brain can’t ever reach the deep restorative sleep stages it needs, and your heart is being told to beat harder and faster, causing blood pressure spikes and putting strain on your heart and blood vessels.
Types of Sleep Apnea
There are two types of sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) affects about 99% of sleep apnea sufferers. This type of sleep apnea occurs because your airway collapses when you sleep: you are literally choked by your own throat. During the day, our airway is held open by gravity and by your muscles. But when you sleep, your muscles relax and the tissue of your throat hangs on your jaw. If your jaw is out of position, you are overweight, or you have an anatomically narrow airway, your airway is likely to collapse.
The less common type of sleep apnea is central sleep apnea. In this type of sleep apnea, suffered by about 16% of sleep apnea sufferers, your brain simply stops telling your body to breathe. The causes are mysterious.
About 15% of sleep apnea sufferers have both types.
Snoring and Other Symptoms of Sleep Apnea
Snoring is very common, and many people disregard it as a nuisance. However, snoring is often a sign that you’re at increased risk for obstructive sleep apnea. Snoring is caused by an airway that narrows during sleep, causing a turbulent airflow, which causes your throat to vibrate, what we hear as snoring.
As much as 70% of sleep apnea sufferers snore, making it one of the most common symptoms of sleep apnea. Some other common symptoms that are associated with sleep apnea include:
- Morning headaches
- Fatigue
- Insomnia
- Daytime sleepiness
- The inability to concentrate
- A lack of energy
- Inability to lose weight despite dieting and exercise
- Restlessness
If you snore and have any of the symptoms above, it’s important to undergo a sleep study provided by a sleep physician to get a diagnosis. After a sleep study, it can be determined whether or not you suffer from sleep apnea and if your snoring problem requires treatment.
Dangers of Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea has been associated with numerous serious, even life-threatening health conditions, including:
- Heart attack
- Stroke
- Coronary artery disease
- Diabetes
- Pulmonary embolism
- Mood disorders including depression
- High blood pressure
Among numerous others. Treating sleep apnea can reduce the danger of this condition.
Treating Sleep Apnea
There are many good treatment options for sleep apnea. CPAP is the most common treatment recommended, but oral appliance therapy is increasing in popularity because it is more comfortable and convenient, which often results in more successful treatment.
Since obstructive sleep apnea results from an airway that is too narrow, the DNA Appliance is an ideal treatment for obstructive sleep apnea. In fact, it is the only non-surgical treatment that can actually cure obstructive sleep apnea. The appliance works by using your own natural genetics to produce more bone and tissue which means the device can actually enlarge your airway! With the use of the DNA Appliance, the shape and size of the jaw, mouth, and the maxilla (the upper arch) can be expanded, allowing for easier breathing. To learn more about the DNA Appliance, click here.
Don’t Neglect Snoring and Sleep Apnea Treatment – Contact Us!
Since snoring is a common symptom of sleep apnea, don’t wait to schedule an appointment with Dr. Roubal to learn more about snoring, sleep apnea, and the treatments that are available for both conditions. Ready to get started? Call our office at (402) 493-4175 or email us by filling out our contact form.