If you snore loudly and feel tired, even after a full night’s sleep, you may be suffering from sleep apnea. This sleep disorder is characterized by breathing that repeatedly pauses for a few seconds to a few minutes. Left untreated, sleep apnea can be serious because the natural sleep rhythms are disrupted for months or years at a time.
There are several types of sleep apnea, and many Pittsburgh patients often don’t know they have the disorder. The primary types are:
- Obstructive sleep apnea – This is the most common type, in which the airway collapses or becomes obstructed
- Central sleep apnea – This is caused by improper neurological signals to the diaphragm. People with central sleep apnea often do not snore.
When sleep apnea goes on for months or years, it can lead to serious health complications, including:
- Stroke
- Heart attack
- Heart arrhythmias
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- High blood pressure
- Depression
Even if you do not develop serious health conditions, sleep apnea can prevent you from getting the rest you need, leading to lethargy, fatigue, and exhaustion. Sleep apnea sufferers can be the victims of serious accidents caused by drowsiness.
Fortunately, there are a variety of sleep apnea treatment options that can keep your airway open so that you can breathe normally and get the real rest you need.Dr. Frye offer a range of treatments that can restore restful sleep, and eliminate your snoring problem too. Treatments such as oral appliance therapy, CPAP, and MicrO2 sleep and snore device are all available to our Pittsburgh sleep apnea patients.
To schedule your sleep apnea evaluation, please contact Dentonics by calling 412-487-6910 today.
