Sleep Apnea Poses A Significant Health Risk

Sleep apnea interferes with your breathing while you are at rest. The disruptions in breathing can force your body awake many times a night, which deprives you of important health support from sleep. You can experience a loss of energy, find it harder to focus, and endure difficulties with mood management and short-term memory. Losing the ability to rest properly also makes you vulnerable to complications with your physical and mental health. For example, hypertension is associated with sleep apnea, making it a dangerous condition for those who are already at risk for heart disease.

How Can I Tell If Sleep Apnea Affects Me?

Many people start to worry about sleep apnea when they find that they are snoring during the night. With that said, this is not the only symptom that you can look out for, and not everyone who snores suffers from this condition. Other warning signs to look out for include:

  • Frequent fatigue, even when you assume you enjoyed a full night’s rest
  • Trouble with focus and short-term memory
  • Changes in mood, including a rise in irritability
  • Difficulty managing existing physical or mental health conditions
  • New or worsening concerns about hypertension (high blood pressure)
  • Frequent headaches or discomfort from a sore throat, particularly in the mornings

Different Treatment Solutions Are Available For Sleep Apnea

Letting sleep apnea go untreated means remaining vulnerable to a condition that negatively impacts your physical and emotional well-being. Some who experience this problem can enjoy relief through lifestyle changes. Losing weight, cutting alcohol and making other diet changes, and making a change in your sleep posture may be able to help you. For other patients, treatment may come in the form of a CPAP machine or the use of an oral appliance. Another option is to look into oral surgery, which can correct physical issues that make you vulnerable to this condition.

Should I Consider Oral Surgery For My Sleep Apnea?

The idea of permanently using a CPAP machine or oral appliance can be uncomfortable for those who suffer sleep apnea. Unfortunately, many will need some kind of assistance in order to breathe uninterrupted. If you hope to avoid long-term support from a custom guard or CPAP machine, there are surgical procedures that can help. For instance, we can discuss maxillomandibular advancement surgery to reposition bones of the upper and lower jaw in order to address nightly airway obstructions associated with Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). Mandibular osteotomy, or jaw surgery, is another option for care, one that can stop breathing disruptions from occurring. These procedures, as well as corrective treatment to remove excess tissues blocking the upper airways, can provide long-term relief without asking you to commit to the use of an appliance to remain at rest.

Talk To Dr. Quinton Slaughter About Your Treatment Options For Sleep Apnea

Untreated problems with sleep apnea threaten your quality of life and overall health. To enjoy permanent relief without the use of an appliance, you can explore whether oral or maxillofacial surgery might be right for your condition. For more information on the services that we can recommend based on your needs, call the Texas Institute of Oral, Facial & Implant Surgery in Midlothian, TX, today at 469-649-8259.