Do you ever find yourself exhausted by the early afternoon? Do you regularly wake up with headaches? Does your bed partner accuse you of snoring loudly and keeping them awake? Answering yes to any of these questions may be an indicator that you suffer from sleep apnea. Here we’ll discuss the importance of treating sleep apnea in Las Vegas.
What is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a dangerous sleep disorder that occurs when a blocked airway causes the patient to stop breathing during the night, sometimes multiple times. Loud snoring is often the result of the blocked airway. Sleep apnea may cause you to choke or gasp for air during the night, which in turn wakes your body up. This can actually occur hundreds of times per night in severe cases.
Sleep apnea is dangerous because your brain and organs are not getting much-needed oxygen throughout the night. You may not notice waking up multiple times throughout the night but it takes its toll on your body. You may experience frequent headaches, chronic fatigue, difficultly focusing or concentrating. Sleep apnea also contributes to other more serious health concerns such as heart disease or failure, diabetes, and strokes.
How is Sleep Apnea Treated?
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, or CPAP therapy is the standard treatment for sleep apnea. It involves, however sleeping with a mask over your face, which delivers continuous oxygen throughout the night. Many patients find it hard to sleep with the mask and the loud machine running, resulting in minimal wear of their CPAP appliance.
Dental providers are also recognizing the dangers of this sleep disorder and creating specially designed oral appliances that help to relax muscles and open airways during the night. Many patients find this method easier to wear and therefore have more success with this type of treatment.
At iSleepSolutions, Dr. Pamela West has been teaming up with other Nevada medical experts to provide sleep apnea solutions for her patients. She has advanced training in effectively managing and treating sleep apnea which allows her to diagnose and recommend the best care for each individual patient’s needs. No two cases of sleep apnea are identical, and many times it takes a combination of therapies to successfully manage the condition.
If you suspect that you have sleep apnea in Las Vegas, or have already been diagnosed, consider contacting Dr. West to have an evaluation. Whether you realize you’re waking up through the night or not, your health is on the line, and it’s too important to ignore! Contact our office today to learn how Dr. West can help you get your next full night of rest.