Dangers of Sleep Apnea – Dublin, OH

What Are the Health Risks Associated with Sleep Apnea?

If you think fatigue and daytime drowsiness is the worst thing you’ll experience with sleep apnea, unfortunately, you’re wrong. Patients often experience a wide range of issues including everything from forgetfulness, the inability to maintain personal and professional relationships, and even mood swings. However, the sleep deprivation you experience can wreak havoc on your body and its health.

While asleep, each time you cease breathing, your brain must be triggered in order to alert your body to its need to breathe. When this happens, your blood pressure rises, and for some patients who experience apnea hundreds of times each night, this rollercoaster of up and down blood pressure can result in a heart attack or stroke.

Other dangerous health conditions that can occur as a result of sleep apnea include diabetes and dementia. There’s no doubt that without proper treatment, sleep apnea can most certainly lead to significant, if not deadly, disorders. It’s important to seek treatment as soon as possible.

What Are Common Signs of Sleep Apnea?

If you’re one of the many patients who has gone years without being diagnosed with sleep apnea, it’s no surprise. Many sufferers don’t even know they have it until other symptoms present themselves. If you don’t have a partner who can tell you that you sound like a buzz saw or stop breathing throughout the night, there are other ways you can exhibit signs and symptoms of sleep apnea, including:

• Daytime drowsiness
• Irritability
• Insomnia
• Morning headaches
• Loss of libido
• Dry or sore throat or mouth
• Forgetfulness
• Waking up gasping or choking for air
• Loud snoring

If you believe you are experiencing any of these symptoms, contact our office and discuss the possibility of undergoing a sleep study. The only way to find a treatment method that is right for you is to first receive an official diagnosis, which can be achieved with a monitored sleep study.

How Can We Help?

Once you receive an official diagnosis, Dr. Buck will be happy to assist you with treatment methods. While you may have heard of a CPAP machine, this is one effective way to treat sleep apnea, but it’s not always the easiest or most comfortable for patients. An alternative is oral appliance therapy, which we offer in our practice.

These safe, FDA-approved devices are small, portable, and compact. They’re designed to shift your jaw and/or tongue, so your airway remains open throughout the night. You can finally get the rest you need without worrying about a potential blockage to your airway. Not only are they easy to wear, but they are convenient and comfortable, too!