SLEEPING EASY

 DO YOU SEEM TO BE TIRED or sleepy during the day? Have you been told you snore like a freight train or gasp for breath at night? Do you wake up in the morning with a headache or not feeling rested? All of the above are known symptoms of sleep apnea. According to the Canadian Lung Association, “Sleep apnea is a serious disorder that causes your breathing to stop repeatedly while you sleep. These breathing pauses or ‘apneas’ usually last 10 to 30 seconds and can happen many times throughout the night.”

 We may laugh or joke about the snorer who keeps everybody awake, but sleep apnea is no laughing matter. Untreated sleep apnea can lead to very serious problems. Most sufferers are unaware they have sleep apnea, but with a complimentary exam and simple test, the condition is easily uncovered.

 In adults, the most common problems resulting from sleep apnea are excessive daytime sleepiness and decreased mental function, which can cause marriage and employment problems as well as car and industrial accidents. There can also be memory loss, depression and even high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke, as the heart works harder and harder to supply the needed oxygen. With children quite often the sleep apnea causes hyperactivity.

 Unlike CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure), one treatment for sleep apnea, where the patient uses a mask with a tube connected to a pump supplying air under pressure that keeps the airway open, our practice offers a custom fitted appliance, which fits in the mouth and is quite unobtrusively used during sleep. The appliance is very effective for mild and medium cases.  The appliance works by moving the jaw forward and thus cleaning the obstructed airway while also toning the throat muscles. The device can easily be adjusted at home by the patient to increase comfort and effectiveness.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS EXCITING SLEEP APNEA TREATMENT CALL OUR OFFICE FOR A FREE CONSULTATION WITH DR. NATHAN MUIRHEAD.

Sleep Apnea Questionnaire