You keep waking up exhausted, even when you get more than the recommended 8 hours of sleep. You wake up with a dry and sore throat all the time. To top it all off, your spouse complains that you were snoring loudly again last night, and it kept waking them up, so now both of you are cranky. If this sounds familiar, you may have sleep apnea in Reno. Continue reading to learn the symptoms of sleep apnea, and what happens if the condition doesn’t get treated.
What Is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a condition where you temporarily stop breathing during sleep. It most commonly occurs when your airway becomes blocked by soft tissues in the back of the mouth and throat collapsing, preventing you from breathing normally. This wakes you up so that you can receive the oxygen you need. Although you might not remember these episodes of waking up, they can keep you from getting the restful sleep you deserve.
How Do You Know If You Have Sleep Apnea?
Common symptoms of sleep apnea include:
- Chronic loud snoring
- Waking up with a sore or dry throat
- Morning headaches
- Depression or mood swings
- Memory loss
- Difficulty concentrating
- Waking up in the middle of the night choking and gasping for air
What Happens If Sleep Apnea Goes Untreated?
Besides being chronically tired, undiagnosed and untreated sleep apnea can lead to several complications, such as:
- High blood pressure
- Type II diabetes
- Liver damage
- Heart attack and stroke
- Asthma
- Glaucoma
- Pregnancy complications like preeclampsia and gestational diabetes
How Is Sleep Apnea Treated?
Your dentist in Reno can treat sleep apnea by prescribing an oral appliance, which is essentially a plastic device like a mouthguard that is worn over the teeth. It gradually shifts your lower jaw forward. This opens your airway and allows you to rest easy knowing it won’t get blocked during the night.
The other main treatment option is called a CPAP machine. This device features a mask you wear over your nose that essentially does your breathing for you. It supplies you with a steady stream of air that keeps the tissues in your mouth and throat from collapsing. Some patients don’t like the humming noise that CPAP machines make, but others find that it actually helps them get to sleep. Try out both methods to figure out which one suits you better.
If you think you may have sleep apnea, go ahead and see your dentist or doctor as soon as you can. Getting treatment for this disorder could save your life.
About the Practice
At Summit Boulevard Dental in Reno, NV, we have a team of four dentists who bring a wide variety of skills and experience to the table. We have a general dentist, an endodontist, a periodontist, and an oral surgeon. In addition, we offer prescriptions for custom oral appliances to treat sleep apnea. If you think you may have undiagnosed sleep apnea, don’t hesitate to contact our practice by visiting us on our website or calling (775) 683-3008.