Questions Regarding Sleep Apnea, Snoring and CPAP
Serving St. Paul, Minneapolis, Woodsbury and the surrounding areas
Q: What is sleep apnea?
A: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is an illness caused by the soft tissues in the back of the throat relaxing and completely closing off the airway. When this happens, air cannot reach the lungs and the amount of oxygen reaching the brain and body is reduced.
The brain's lack of oxygen causes it to alert the airway muscles to tighten up and unblock the airway. This in turn causes the person to emit a loud gasp or snort as the breathing and sometimes snoring resumes.
Q: Why should I be concerned if I have sleep apnea?
A: Sleep apnea can be a life-threatening condition. People with OSA can suffer from lack of sleep, which can cause daytime sleepiness that leads to difficulty staying awake during meetings, conversation, while reading, watching television or driving. It is associated with high blood pressure, heart problems, stroke, atrial fibrillation, industrial and traffic accidents, depression, lost productivity at home and work and depression.
Q: What are most common symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea?
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Loud snoring
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Periodic stoppages in breathing
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Significant daytime sleepiness
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Restless sleep
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Difficulty concentrating
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Poor memory
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Irritability
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Personality change
Q: What causes snoring?
A: The most common causes are sleeping on your back, difficulty with nasal breathing, obesity, enlarged soft tissues such as a large tongue, long soft palate, large uvula, or large tonsils, a small lower jaw, certain medications, alcohol consumption, and exposure to cigarette smoke.
Q: What should I do if I or a loved one snores or has symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea?
A: Because obstructive sleep apnea can be a life-threatening condition, it is important that you talk with your physician about your concerns. Your physician may evaluate you for sleep apnea while you sleep with a polysomnogram, which is most commonly done at a sleep center.
Q: How is Sleep Apnea treated?
A: There are several treatments, including:
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A positional device that keeps you from sleeping on your back
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A continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine that is worn at night and keeps your airway open by blowing air through a hose and mask which you wear to keep the airway open
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Oral appliance therapy
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Surgery in the throat and jaw area
Q: What is oral appliance therapy?
A: It is a treatment that uses a small acrylic device fitted over the upper and lower teeth or tongue. An oral appliance looks much like an orthodontic retainer or mouth guard, but it is designed so that it advances the lower jaw or tongue forward to open the airway and improve breathing.
These devices can be made only by a qualified dentist and Dr. Nippoldt is such a dentist. They are effective for treating people with snoring, mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea, and in certain cases, those with severe obstructive sleep apnea.
There are many different appliance designs available, and Dr. Nippoldt will customize the appropriate device for you. Most people find oral appliances to be a very comfortable solution to treating their snoring or sleep apnea.
Dr. Nippoldt offers complimentary sleep apnea and snoring consultations. If you would like to know more about these procedures, please call 651-739-8573 or email Dr. Nippoldt today. We serve the St. Paul, Minneapolis, Woodbury, and Hudson areas in Minnesota.
