What is sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea is a sleeping disorder where you pause breathing up to hundreds of times a night, and often for more than a minute. Sleep apnea most often affects men who are overweight, over 40, and smoke. However, this disorder can affect people of both sexes and all ages.
There are four basic types of sleep apnea:
- Obstructive sleep apnea: when the structures of the throat cause the airway to be blocked while sleeping
- Central sleep apnea: when the brain does not send proper breathing signals while sleeping
- Complex sleep apnea syndrome: when there are a combination of causes which may be both obstructive and central
What are the symptoms of sleep apnea?
Often, you may not even know you have sleep apnea. If you have a sleeping partner, they may pick up on breathing patterns that you’re not aware of. Some symptoms that you and your partner may recognize:
- Snoring
- Periods of not breathing while asleep
- Sudden wake-ups
- Dry mouth or sore throat when you wake up
- Headaches
- Waking up frequently at night
- Not waking feeling rested
- Excessive sleepiness during the day
- Memory issues
- Irritability
What are some long-term effects of sleep apnea?
If sleep apnea goes untreated, it can have very adverse effects on a person’s health overall. Sleep apnea places you at significantly higher risk for complications like:
- Stroke
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
- Type 2 Diabetes
- Injury due to accidents
- Depression
- Metabolic issues
- Liver problems
To help you avoid these dangerous, life-altering complications, Dr. Gelbert is experienced in diagnosing and treating sleep apnea.
What are some ways to treat sleep apnea?
Once Dr. Gelbert has determined the cause of your sleep apnea, treatments may be a matter of lifestyle changes like:
- Weight loss counseling
- Counseling and support to quit smoking
- Sleep positioning changes
More involved treatments may include:
- Simple devices to prevent obstruction of the airways while sleeping
- Use of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine while sleeping
- Surgery to fix airway structures preventing proper breathing
Dr. Gelbert works closely with you to determine both the cause and appropriate treatment plan for you. It’s essential to avoid the long-term effects of not breathing well while you sleep.
Call or book an appointment online today for a consultation with Dr. Rimma Gelbert about your sleep apnea.
