The average adult needs at least 7 hours of quality sleep every night. But if you’re suffering from sleep apnea, chances are you aren’t getting the rest you need to stay alert and healthy. Have you been snoring loudly or felt exhausted during the day? It could be a sign that you have sleep apnea. Get in touch with Dr. Hegazi today to learn more about this disorder and what options are available for sleep apnea treatment in Hingham, MA to help you find relief from your symptoms so you can sleep soundly again.
Having sleep apnea means that your breathing is repeatedly interrupted while you sleep. There are a few different kinds of sleep apnea, but by far the most common is obstructive sleep apnea, which is the result of the airway physically being blocked. Oftentimes, obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the muscles in your throat or the back of your mouth relax and collapse, thus blocking the flow of air.
What makes sleep apnea particularly dangerous is that many people don’t even realize they have it. When your breathing is paused, your body awakens briefly for air; however, each awakening is so short that you probably won’t remember it later. The result is that your sleep is constantly interrupted, but you might not notice until it has already taken a serious toll on your overall health.
Almost anyone can suffer from sleep apnea, but your risk for the condition will be higher than average if:
Due to sleep apnea disrupting your rest, you’ll likely feel drowsy during the day, which can make driving or operating heavy equipment more dangerous. Furthermore, you might also start to struggle with memory problems, focus issues, and depression; in other words, the longer you suffer from sleep apnea, the more of an impact it will have on your mental well-being.
Your physical health can suffer as well. Studies have found that people with sleep apnea are more likely to experience heart attacks or other cardiovascular events. This is part of the reason why it’s important to have sleep apnea diagnosed and treated quickly; waiting too long can result in a life-threatening issue.
You may be familiar with CPAP therapy as a solution for sleep apnea. This treatment involves a special machine that constantly pushes air through the patient’s airway via a nasal mask. While this approach has proven to be effective, many patients find it too uncomfortable or noisy. As such, we offer a different sort of treatment: oral appliance therapy.
You’ll be given a personalized device designed to fit precisely over your teeth. The appliance will reposition your jaw while you sleep, thus keeping your airway open and reducing the chances of sleep apnea episodes occurring. For many patients, oral appliance therapy is a comfortable, convenient way to address sleep apnea symptoms and enjoy sweet dreams again.