What Do I Need to Know About Sleep Apnea?

It’s a fact that sleep apnea can be serious, and it’s also true that it can lead to severe behavioral and health issues like heart disease. The good news, though, is that sleep apnea can be treated effectively. The sooner you treat the condition, the better.

If you suspect you, your sleep partner, your child, or another loved one has a sleep problem like sleep apnea, you’ll want to look out for the signs and symptoms. You’ll need to know that sleep apnea occurs when a person sleeps and their breathing stops and starts repeatedly. Often, the person isn’t even aware this is happening to them unless someone else points it out. There are other signs and symptoms to watch for like:

– Repeatedly waking up at night
– Occasionally waking up at night feeling as though one is choking or gasping
– Sometimes waking up feeling tired even after seemingly sleeping well
– Noticing that one’s sex drive has decreased
– Snoring loudly
– Sleeping restlessly
– Insomnia
– Headaches
– Moodiness

Yes, there are a few different kinds. The most common one is obstructive sleep apnea which occurs when a person’s throat muscles relax and possibly collapse during sleep, blocking the flow of air in the airway. There’s also central sleep apnea, which occurs when a person’s brain isn’t able to send the necessary signals to the muscles that control breathing. Finally, there’s complex sleep apnea syndrome, and which is a combination of both central and obstructive sleep apnea. Sleep apnea can be treated at a clinic like ours.

You can and should go to a sleep apnea treatment clinic for any sleep problems, including sleep apnea. The professionals there can provide you with a sleep study or other tests to help determine whether your sleep problem is in fact sleep apnea. When you go to a sleep apnea treatment clinic, you’ll learn about treatment options like CPAP therapy and oral appliance therapy.

At Koala® Center For Sleep & TMJ Disorders, we know that with obstructive sleep apnea and complex sleep apnea syndrome, oral appliance therapy can be the better option for a patient. It can address the underlying cause of a patient’s particular case of sleep apnea, and many patients find it simpler, easier, and more comfortable than CPAP therapy. Also, oral appliance therapy is proven to work in many cases and is approved by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. When you come see us for a consultation at our clinic, we’ll tell you everything else you want to know about sleep apnea and treatment for it!

Yes, we do. Actually, Koala® Center For Sleep & TMJ Disorders has multiple locations. We really encourage you to come see us soon if you or a loved one is experiencing the symptoms of sleep apnea. Remember, the sooner you address it, the better off you’ll be. For more information, call us today to book an appointment with our snoring treatment doctor, or visit our clinic conveniently located at 6901 Helen of Troy, Suite D-2, El Paso, TX 79911. We serve patients from El Paso TX, Fort Bliss TX, Canutillo TX, Vinton TX and Northeast El Paso TX. We look forward to serving you!