One in five adult Americans has at least mild obstructive sleep apnea.
What is OSA?
During sleep, the upper airway may obstruct by excess tissue in the back of the throat, large tonsils and/or a large tongue. When this occurs, air movement in and out of the lungs stops due to the blockage (apnea). The brain senses this and initiates impulses to breath deeper and wake the person just enough to restart breathing.
The decrease in oxygen combined with frequent waking can have severe effects on overall health. Untreated OSA increases your risk of heart attack, stroke, irregular heart beat, high blood pressure, and heart disease. Additionally, OSA can contribute to daytime drowsiness that can cause accidents, lost productivity, and relationship problems due to frequent nighttime waking.
Snoring is not sleep apnea
About half of the US population may snore at one time or another. Snoring may be a sign of sleep apnea, but everyone who snores does not have sleep apnea. If you're concerned about having sleep apnea, Red Hills Oral & Facial Surgery will work with you and your physician to obtain a sleep study.
Sleep Study
The diagnosis of sleep apnea is performed with a sleep study (polysomnography). This is performed in a specialized clinic where multiple measurements of your sleep patterns, blood oxygen levels, breathing patterns, and brain electrical activity are measured.
There are many treatments for OSA
Depending on whether your OSA is mild, moderate, or severe, the treatment can range from behavior modification to oral appliances to CPAP (breathing mask at night) to surgery.
