Do You Recognize These Symptoms?
Does your bed partner keep poking you at night to get you to stop snoring? Do you wake up feeling like you haven’t slept a wink? Are you so tired during the day that it’s causing problems at work or home? If these scenarios sound familiar to you, then your snoring and sleepiness may be more serious than you think. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common form of sleep apnea disorder. OSA occurs when your airway becomes blocked, causing shallow breathing or stopping breathing while asleep. You wake up gasping for air, sometimes hundreds of times during the night.
While it’s normal to snore sometimes when you have a cold, or have occasional sleepless nights due to insomnia, OSA is a physical disorder. Usually due to excessive weight, enlarged tonsils, or a large uvula (the portion of the soft palate that hangs above the throat), these conditions can block airflow and cause a narrowed airway. The result of OSA can be a mix of the following symptoms:
- Almost always causes loud and regular snoring that makes more of a choking sound
- Morning headaches caused by a drop in oxygen level due to intermittent breathing
In a study of 1,000 adults snorers, dry mouth was associated with 31.4% of those with OSA, while only 16.4% of regular snorers experienced dry mouth.* - Experience excessive daytime sleepiness — lack of energy during the day; need to nap; strong urge to fall asleep while driving, at work, during a meal, or even during conversations
As you can imagine, these conditions are not only an inconvenience, but can affect your quality of life. At TMD & Sleep Apnea Clinic, we have helped thousands of patients in Silverdale, WA and the surrounding area treat their sleep apnea without CPAP machines. Please call us if you or a loved one experiences these symptoms — there is a solution!
