Snoring & Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a disorder where your breath stops and starts while you sleep. This might mean several interruptions per night for an average of 20-30 seconds each.
Snoring & Sleep Apnea
Approximately 40-50 percent of men and 20-33 percent of women snore.
What causes snoring?
Snoring is the sound of your breath vibrating soft tissues at the back of your throat while you sleep.
When you sleep, your muscles relax. The tissues of your upper airways narrow. If narrowed enough, tissues will flutter as air passes through as you inhale and exhale. There is a direct relationship between being overweight and having a narrower airway, so it is important for patients to lose weight.
Symptoms
A few symptoms of sleep apnea include choking or gasping for air, concentration and memory issues, daytime fatigue/sleepiness, episodes in which you stop breathing during sleep, loud snoring, morning dry mouth, and morning headaches.
Causes
There are several factors that may cause snoring, which include age, being overweight, nasal or sinus problems, sedative or alcohol usage, structural abnormality or weakness in the base of the tongue, tonsils, and soft palate.
Treatment
Sleep apnea treatment includes losing weight, using a CPAP machine, wearing a mouth guard, or using nasal strips. For snoring problems not related to sleep apnea, your doctor might suggest injection snoreplasty, pillar implants, or laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty.
Snoring Versus Sleep Apnea
Not everyone who snores has sleep apnea. However, snoring is a symptom of sleep apnea.
What is sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea is a disorder where your breath stops and starts while you sleep. This might mean several interruptions per night for an average of 20-30 seconds each.
There are three main types of sleep apnea:
• Obstructive sleep apnea – throat muscles relax (most common type)
• Central sleep apnea – brain doesn’t communicate with muscles responsible for breathing
• Complex sleep apnea syndrome – Both obstructive and central sleep apnea
Symptoms
• Choking or gasping for air
• Concentration and memory issues
• Daytime fatigue/sleepiness
• Episodes in which you stop breathing during sleep
• Loud snoring
• Morning dry mouth
• Morning headaches
• Insomnia
• Irritability
• Swelling in the back of the throat upon waking up
Contact us
Call us to make an appointment today if you think you might be suffering from sleep apnea. You deserve a good night’s sleep!
Treatment
Your doctor might suggest to:
• Lose weight
• Use a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine
• Use a mouth guard
• Use nasal strips
If your snoring isn’t sleep apnea, you doctor might suggest a procedure, including:
• Injection snoreplasty
• Pillar implants
• Laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty
Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP)
Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) is a surgical procedure that removes excess tissue in the throat to widen the airway.
Contact us
Call us to make an appointment today if you think you might be suffering from sleep apnea. You deserve a good night’s sleep!
Snoring Versus Sleep Apnea
Not everyone who snores has sleep apnea. However, snoring is a symptom of sleep apnea.
What is sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea is a disorder where your breath stops and starts while you sleep. This might mean several interruptions per night for an average of 20-30 seconds each.
There are three main types of sleep apnea:
• Obstructive sleep apnea – throat muscles relax (most common type)
• Central sleep apnea – brain doesn’t communicate with muscles responsible for breathing
• Complex sleep apnea syndrome – Both obstructive and central sleep apnea
Symptoms
• Choking or gasping for air
• Concentration and memory issues
• Daytime fatigue/sleepiness
• Episodes in which you stop breathing during sleep
• Loud snoring
• Morning dry mouth
• Morning headaches
• Insomnia
• Irritability
• Swelling in the back of the throat upon waking up
Contact us
Call us to make an appointment today if you think you might be suffering from sleep apnea. You deserve a good night’s sleep!
Treatment
Your doctor might suggest to:
• Lose weight
• Use a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine
• Use a mouth guard
• Use nasal strips
If your snoring isn’t sleep apnea, you doctor might suggest a procedure, including:
• Injection snoreplasty
• Pillar implants
• Laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty
Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP)
Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) is a surgical procedure that removes excess tissue in the throat to widen the airway.
Contact us
Call us to make an appointment today if you think you might be suffering from sleep apnea. You deserve a good night’s sleep!
Contact Valley ENT
Saginaw - Main Office
2551 McLeod Drive South
Saginaw, MI 48604
Phone: (989) 799-8620
Fax: (989) 799-2664
Pigeon Office
Scheurer Prof. Building
135 N. Caseville Rd.
Pigeon, MI 48755
Phone: (989) 453-5226
Fax: (989) 453-8819
Tawas Office
St. Joseph Specialty Clinic
295 Maple St. Suite 201
PO Box 659
Tawas City, MI 48764
Phone: (989) 362-0188
Fax: (989) 362-7171
Cass City Office
4675 Hill Street
Cass City, MI 48726
Phone: (989) 912-6112
Fax: (989) 453-3819
Marlette Office
Marlette Regional Hospital
2750 Main Street, Suites 7 & 8
Marlette, MI 48453
Phone: (989) 635-4344
Fax: (877) 455-9031
Sandusky Office
McKenzie Health Plaza
115 Delaware Street
Sandusky, MI 48471
Phone: (810) 648-6115
Fax: (810) 648-2334