Do you have trouble sleeping? Do you feel exhausted even though you slept the night before? While these may seem like minor issues, you can actually be experiencing the common warning signs of a serious disorder, one that can put your overall health at risk. Obstructive sleep apnea, or OSA, can lead to a wide array of complications and prevent you from obtaining the rest your need.
What is OSA?
Sleep apnea develops when patients actually stop breathing for brief intervals at night. This occurs when throat tissue collapses and completely blocks airflow. The patient is unaware he/she stopped breathing, but the brain registers a lack of oxygen and wakes the patient up. The patient starts breathing again, still unaware of enduring this cycle, which can occur hundreds of times each night. So while the patient assumes he/she obtained plenty of rest, they are actually sleep-deprived.
The Warning Signs and Possible Complications
How do you know if you have this problem if you don’t remember waking up and resuming sleep at night? There are a number of common warning signs, including:
- Snoring
- Waking up gasping for air
- Waking up choking
- Feeling drowsy during the day
- Feeling irritable or having difficulty focusing
Without treatment, patients may develop serious medical complications, including depression and high blood pressure. With high blood pressure comes an increased risk of heart attack or stroke.
Treatment Options
How do you address this issue? Fortunately, you don’t have to resort to surgery or other invasive procedures. Instead, we will provide an oral appliance that you wear during sleep. The device moves the jaw forward, which helps prevent the collapse of throat tissue. As a result, your airway remains open and breathing is easy. If you have any questions or recognize any OSA symptoms then contact our office right away.
ABOUT YOUR ASTORIA DENTIST
Our Astoria, NY dentist office accepts most major insurance plans. To find out if we accept yours, or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Jeffrey Leibowitz, contact us at (718) 728-8328. We welcome patients living in and around Queens, Astoria, NYC, upstate New York, and New Jersey.
