Getting a good night’s sleep can be difficult for anyone. For someone with sleep apnea, though, it can be nearly impossible. Have you ever:
- Been told that you snore loudly?
- Had a bed partner notice you stop breathing for a matter of seconds or minutes at a time while asleep?
- Experienced excessive tiredness during the day, even when you devoted plenty of time to sleep the night before?
You may suffer from sleep apnea, a common disorder that results in poor sleep quality. If you have sleep apnea, a pause in your breathing occurs multiple times during sleep. The most common type of sleep apnea is called obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). This means that during sleep, your tongue or soft-tissues block your airway. When that happens, your brain tells your body to wake up and breathe. Some people fully awaken, while others just enter a lighter sleeping state. Most people don’t remember the episodes the next day.
Dr. Simmons recognizes the dangers of undiagnosed sleep apnea. At his Chesapeake practice, he evaluates and treats patients who may suffer from this disorder.
Diagnosis of sleep apnea:
Dr. Simmons uses home study methods to monitor and screen OSA, like the Embletta Level III Home Testing Device. This test serves as a screening device and later as a means to monitor your therapy. The Embletta device is the leading choice for home study diagnosis of sleep breathing disorders.
Treatment for sleep apnea:
Dr. Simmons recommends an effective form of treatment called an oral appliance, which is a custom-fitted mouthpiece. This appliance will adjust your jaw and tongue to allow your airways to stay open while you sleep. Dr. Simmons will fit you with the most appropriate mouthpiece for your needs. We only recommend high-quality, FDA-approved oral appliances for our sleep apnea patients.
Risks of sleep apnea:
Since sleep apnea leads to oxygen and sleep deprivation, the risks can be life threatening. Our bodies need rest and plenty of oxygen in order to function properly. Without enough oxygen, serious problems can occur, including high blood pressure, heart disease, and learning or memory problems. Some of the problems caused by sleep deprivation include poor emotional or mental health, a compromised immune system, and irritability. The complications of sleep deprivation can apply to a spouse or bed partner as well, since the snoring often caused by sleep apnea can be disruptive to their sleep habits also.
As a member of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine, Dr. Simmons is well qualified to treat your sleep apnea. With his advanced training, he has the knowledge and expertise to prescribe oral sleep appliances with confidence. Call today for your evaluation.
Wrong! The sound we call snoring occurs when air vibrates as it forces its way through blocked or collapsed air passageways. Snoring often accompanies obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a potentially dangerous condition that affects approximately 18 million Americans. The same blocked airways that contribute to snoring can cause lapses in breathing, or apnea episodes. Each episode lasts 10 seconds or longer, and sleep apnea sufferers may experience hundreds of these episodes each night.
Bulky, noisy machines, CPAP devices can be very effective at treating obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), but a low rate of compliance among affected patients often renders treatment ineffective. And since the CPAP, like any other corrective method, won’t work if you don’t or can’t use it, what are CPAP intolerant patients to do? Isn’t there a more comfortable, less obtrusive way to treat this condition? Yes, there is!