Do you know if you snore? Those who sleep near you could answer that. Snoring does more than disturb a peaceful night. It has serious health effects if it is a symptom of sleep apnea in Mankato. Dr. James Kalina helps sleep apnea sufferers with comfortable and effective oral appliances so they can rest and enjoy better health.
What Exactly is Sleep Apnea?
Actually, it’s a sleep disorder marked by persistently loud snoring and repeated episodes of interrupted breathing lasting 10 seconds or more each. Snoring individuals suffer oxygen deprivation, making them startle awake several times a night. Sleep apnea also affects those who are in close proximity. Additionally, patients show signs of:
- Daytime fatigue
- Excessive drowsiness
- Irritability
- Dry mouth, or xerostomia
- Headaches upon awakening
- Mood swings, depression and anxiety
- Memory and concentration issues
Medical research also says sleep apnea is linked to systemic health problems such as Type-2 diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, obesity and more. In other words, diagnosing and treating sleep apnea is very important.
According to the National Sleep Foundation, sleep apnea affects many millions of Americans, including men, women and children. Men over the age of 40 suffer from this sleep disorder more frequently as do people with large neck circumference, enlarged tonsils, and weight problems. Individuals who smoke or abuse alcohol commonly have sleep apnea.
Kinds of Sleep Apnea
There are three kinds of sleep apnea:
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome, or OSAS, where tissues at the back of the throat relax and collapse over the airway, causing snoring and airway obstruction
- Central Sleep Apnea, or CSA, in which the brain does not signal the respiratory system to breathe
- Mixed Sleep Apnea which is some combination of Obstructive and Central Sleep Apnea
Someone with symptoms of sleep apnea should inform his or her primary care physician who may recommend seeing a sleep specialist for in-office or at-home monitoring, diagnosis and treatment.
Sleep Apnea in Mankato
Many sleep physicians prescribe CPAP Machines to treat sleep apnea. CPAP stands for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure. This bedside apparatus forces the airway open by delivering a continuous stream of oxygen into the patient’s airway via a nasal mask.
Unfortunately, some people find the noise of CPAP intolerable, or they may be claustrophobic and cannot stand the mask. These patients, and others with OSAS, may benefit from a custom-made acrylic “snore guard.” Scientifically called an Anterior Mandibular Positioning Dental Device, or AMD, a snore guard is an oral appliance worn at night or whenever the patient sleeps. It puts the lower jaw into a more forward position and opens the airway.
Dr. Kalina offers these oral devices as a great treatment for OSA. Used alone or with CPAP machines, snore guards are less invasive and easier to tolerate. Patients, and their spouses, testify to far less snoring and better overall health and day to day functioning.
Are You Snoring?
If you are, don’t wait. Spare your sleep, your family relationships and your health with a sleep dentistry consultation with Dr. James Kalina. Contact his office staff today. You can enjoy a far better quality of life.
