Sleep Apnea: Symptoms, Causes and Treatment in Newark NJ

Sleep is most essential for healthy living. When we sleep our body restores energy and our brain functions efficiently. Insufficient sleep can lead to improper functionality of various organs. Sleep disorders are considered as one of the serious health concerns in the US. These diseases are known to cause mental depression and can be potentially life-threatening.

What is sleep apnea?

Sleep apnea is a condition where there is shallow breathing in a person during sleep. There are two types of sleep apnea. Central sleep apnea is a condition where the brain of the patient fails to send signals to muscles directing them to enable breathing. Obstructive sleep apnea is a condition where the soft tissues at the back of the throat relax and tend to close the airway. This leads to a shallow breath. When the airway is completely blocked, there is a reduction in oxygen level in the blood. The breathing pauses can last from a few seconds to a minute. This forces the patient to wake up to keep the airway open. This cycle of opening and closing of the airway occurs several times during sleep. As a result, the patient will not be able to get sound sleep.

Dangers of sleep apnea

Due to insufficient sleep, several problems in physical and mental health can arise because of sleep apnea. The condition directly puts a lot of stress on the heart of the patient. When there is shallow breath, the oxygen level in the blood falls. As a result, the heart is forced to pump blood at a faster rate. This causes variation in blood pressure levels. Diabetes, headache, depression, and increased risk of accidents are other problems that arise from sleep apnea.

How is sleep apnea treated?

Sleep apnea is a condition that is hard to diagnose. Only the bedtime partners may be able to make a note of the indications. Headache, fatigue and difficulty concentrating on daily activities are some of the symptoms of the problem. Our dental professional is one of the sleep doctors in Newark NJ who is trained to treat the sleep disorder. The choice of treatment may depend on the severity of the disorder and the cause. The following are some of the treatments we offer for sleep apnea at our Newark office.

CPAP

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure or CPAP is one of the common techniques to treat sleep apnea. Equipment is used to keep the air pressure positive such that the airway remains open. The equipment maintains positive airway pressure through a mask that covers the nose.

MicrO2

MicrO2 is an appliance that is specially designed to keep the lower jaw slightly forward such that the tongue or soft tissues of the oral cavity do not block the airway. This appliance is very effective in addressing the issues that lead to sleep apnea.