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Could you have sleep apnea? If you constantly feel tired, wake frequently during the night, and snore, sleep apnea may be a possibility. Dr.
William Bond, an ear, nose and throat doctor in Washington, DC, explains what happens if you have sleep apnea and discusses treatment for the condition.
Sleep apnea causes breathing pauses
Sleep apnea occurs when you stop breathing for several seconds while you sleep. Although a few breathing pauses may not sound serious, sleep apnea can cause you to stop breathing hundreds of time throughout the night. The cumlative effect of those pauses deprives your brain of oxygen, which may have a serious impact on your health. Sleep apnea can increase your risk of heart attack, heart failure, stroke, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes.
You're never more relaxed then when you're asleep. In some cases, the walls of your throat may become so relaxed that your airway becomes partially or completely blocked. Your tongue may also fall back against your airway, preventing air from reaching your lungs. When you take a breath, these structures begin to vibrate, causing you to snore.
If you have sleep apnea, you may suddenly jerk awake or wake up gasping and choking. Gasping or choking is your body's way of restoring normal breathing. Once you fall asleep again, the cycle continues. As a result, it's impossible to get a good night's sleep.
Fatigue isn't the only symptom
If you have sleep apnea, you may experience a range of symptoms, including:
- Snoring
- Weight Gain
- Difficulty Concentrating
- Morning Sore Throat or Dry Mouth
- Irritability
- Depression
- Morning Headaches
Treating sleep apnea symptoms
When you visit our Washington, D.C., office, Dr. Bond may recommend a sleep study, a test that's useful in detecting and measuring breathing pauses. If you're diagnosed with sleep apnea, you may benefit by using a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine. The machine sends a steady flow of air into your mouth to ensure that your airway remains open while you sleep. Some people who have sleep apnea prefer wearing an oral appliance that fits over their teeth and repositions their jaw and tongue while they sleep. These treatments are usually very effective in eliminating breathing pauses, but if they aren't helpful, surgery may be recommended, in some cases.
Are you worried that you may have sleep apnea? Call Washington, DC, ENT Dr. William Bond at (202) 726-7770 to schedule an appointment.
