Snoring affects millions of people of all ages, both male and female. Snoring is caused by the vibrations of your soft and/or hard tissue palates; these vibrations occur because of increasingly narrow air passages. When air passes through these passages, a “flapping” sound occurs because the tissue is soft in nature.

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Types of Sleep Apnea

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• Central sleep apnea (CSA) describes breathing which stops because the muscles involved don't receive the proper signal from the brain. This is a problem in the patient’s central nervous system.

• Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common form of sleep apnea. It occurs due to a physical blockage, usually the collapsing of the soft tissue or tongue, in the back of the throat. In these cases, the blockage of air is so great, no air can get through which causes repeated awakenings throughout the night. Obstructive sleep apnea can contribute or lead to many other conditions, such as high blood pressure, stroke, heart attack and depression, so it is important to be diagnosed by a medical professional if you experience any sleep-related symptoms.

• Mixed/complex sleep apnea is a combination of CSA and OSA. 

 

Signs and Symptoms of Sleep Apnea

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• Insomnia

• Loud snoring 

• Choking or gasping sounds during sleep

• Tossing and turning / restless sleep

• Headaches upon waking

• Sleeping / drowsiness during the day 

 

Treatments for Sleep Apnea

 

Treatments range from changing your sleep patterns to utilizing CPAP machines and oral appliances that open the airways during sleep. Studies have shown that less than 50% of patients actually use their CPAP machines, likely because the machine is uncomfortable and loud. Oral appliance therapy is the more reasonable, comfortable treatment option.

Dr. El-Sayed can give you a customized oral appliance that will prevent snoring and sleep apnea by holding the lower jaw forward. This keeps the tongue and soft palate in the throat from blocking the airway.

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For more information about oral appliance therapy, please contact our office.