Most people associate [link id=’108′ text=’sleep apnea’] with harmless but annoying symptoms, like a tendency to snore and less restful sleep. But it would be an error to underestimate the condition. Sleep apnea is a serious condition that affects many individuals without them knowing the root of their problem.
Sleep Apnea and its Symptoms
Sleep Apnea is a disorder that causes pauses in your breathing or shallow breathing while you sleep. This disruption in breathing can happen up to 30 times an hour. When it happens it disrupts the normal sleep cycle and often wakes you up.
[link id=’132′ text=’Symptoms of sleep apnea’] include:
- Waking up feeling like you're choking
- Waking up gasping for air
- Snoring or pauses in your breath while sleeping
- Headaches, especially in the morning
- Sore throat and dry mouth
- Daytime sleepiness
- Concentration and memory problems
Left untreated, these symptoms can contribute to more serious medical conditions that have troubling implications for your long-term health.
Related Health Issues
By disrupting sleep, sleep apnea affects other areas of your life. The effects can be subtle like lowered productivity due to fatigue, but there are much more serious health complications that can result from untreated sleep apnea.
Getting diagnosed is the first step to resolving health issues before they become more serious, even life-threatening, conditions.
If you think you may have sleep apnea, you can get diagnosed through the WatchPAT ™, an FDA-approved ambulatory device that allows self-testing in your own bed.
Untreated sleep apnea can result in these health issues:
- Mood swings and headaches
- Anxiety and anxiety or increased aggression
- Heart complications such as heart attacks
- Stroke
- Hypertension
- Coronary Artery Disease
Fortunately, the dental office of Dr. Pamela Marzban has several ways to treat your sleep apnea, lowering your risk for these conditions.
Treatment
Treatment varies depending on the severity of your condition. With mild or moderate cases, sleep apnea can be treated by addressing tongue and jaw alignment issues. Severe cases are usually treated using a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device.
If you are in the Fairfax, VA area and think you may be suffering from sleep apnea, contact Dr. Pamela Marzban at 703-323-8200 to schedule an appointment.
