Sleep Apnea Treatment in Pueblo, CO
Have you ever woken up feeling exhausted, even after a full night's sleep? Do you snore loudly or wake up gasping for air? If so, it's possible that you have sleep apnea. This common sleep disorder affects millions of people worldwide and can have serious consequences if left untreated.
What Is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that causes breathing to repeatedly stop and start during sleep. This typically occurs when the muscles in the back of the throat fail to keep the airway open, leading to interrupted breathing patterns throughout the night.
People with sleep apnea often snore loudly, wake up gasping for breath, and experience fatigue upon waking up, as well as other symptoms such as headaches, memory loss, or difficulty concentrating throughout their day-to-day lives.
It's important not to ignore these symptoms if you think you might have this condition since untreated sleep apnea can lead to serious health problems like high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
Types of Sleep Apnea
There are three types of sleep apnea:
- Obstructive sleep apnea
- Central sleep apnea
- Complex/mixed sleep apnea
Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common type and occurs when relaxed throat muscles or excess tissue cause a physical blockage in the upper airway.
Central Sleep Apnea
Central sleep apnea occurs when the brain fails to send proper signals to the muscles to control breathing during sleep.
Complex/Mixed Sleep Apnea
Complex/mixed sleep apnea combines elements from both obstructive and central sleep apnea.
Symptoms of Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder that affects millions of people worldwide. It is characterized by pauses in breathing or shallow breaths during sleep, which can cause disruptions to the normal sleeping pattern and lead to several symptoms.
One of the most common symptoms of sleep apnea is loud snoring. Snoring occurs when air struggles to pass through the narrowed airway caused by relaxed throat muscles. This sound can be disturbing for both you and your bed partner.
Another symptom of sleep apnea is waking up gasping or choking during the night. This happens because your body reacts to low oxygen levels by briefly waking you up so that you can start breathing again.
Feeling excessively tired throughout the day, even after getting enough hours of sleep at night, is another sign of this condition. The constant interruptions in breathing disturb your restorative deep-sleep cycles, leaving you feeling fatigued and exhausted all day long.
Additionally, if you experience morning headaches frequently, it could also be a sign that you have sleep apnea. These headaches occur due to decreased oxygen levels for prolonged periods caused by improper airflow while asleep.
Recognizing these signs and symptoms of sleep apnea early on will help diagnose and treat this disorder before it starts affecting other areas of your life, such as work performance or relationships with loved ones who might not understand why you feel tired all the time.
Treating Sleep Apnea
Treating sleep apnea is essential to improving your overall health and quality of life. The treatment options for sleep apnea vary depending on the type and severity of the condition.
For very mild cases, lifestyle changes such as losing weight, avoiding alcohol and sedatives before bedtime, and sleeping on your side may be helpful. However, mild to more complex cases will require specialized treatment.
At TMJ Sleep Colorado, we specialize in oral appliance therapy for mild to moderate sleep apnea, TMJ (temporomandibular joint) disorders, and snoring. Our specialist, Dr. Beck, holds a double certification for treating both sleep apnea and temporomandibular joint disorders with oral appliance therapy and is, in fact, the only doctor in Pueblo credentialled to treat these issues outside of basic dentistry.
Dr. Beck has been awarded the status of Diplomate in the treatment of TMJ disorders by the American Board of Craniofacial Pain as well as in Sleep Medicine by the American Board of Craniofacial Dental Sleep Medicine.
Oral appliance therapy with mandibular advancement devices (MADs) is an efficient, convenient, and comfortable alternative to treatment with CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machines. These machines can be difficult to use as they are bulky, loud, and uncomfortable and many sleep apnea patients cannot tolerate them.
Mandibular advancement devices are customized dental appliances similar to mouthguards that reposition the jaw and keep the tongue from blocking the throat to keep the airway clear and open during sleep. At TMJ Sleep Colorado, we custom-design these oral appliances to ensure they are efficient and secure but also comfortable.
If you suspect that you or someone you know has sleep apnea, it's important to seek medical attention promptly for proper diagnosis and treatment. Don't let untreated sleep apnea affect your daily life any longer! With proper care from our healthcare professionals, patients with this condition can control their symptoms effectively. Take action today toward better health!
To learn more about sleep apnea and the treatment options we offer, visit TMJ Sleep Colorado at 1619 N Greenwood St #308, Pueblo, CO 81003, or call us at (719) 544-0901.