Sleep Apnea

Sacramento, Roseville, Rocklin, Folsom, and Citrus Heights, California

Sleep apnea is said to be as common as adult diabetes—affecting about 12 million Americans. But lack of public awareness leaves a majority of sleep apnea patients undiagnosed. This can have serious health consequences.

If left untreated, this sleeping disorder can result in: 

• High blood pressure and heart disease
• Cardiovascular disease
• Memory problems
• Weight gain
• Impotency
• Headaches
• Decreased productivity in the workplace
• Fatigue during daily tasks that can lead to accidents, like motor vehicle crashes

The good news is that sleep apnea can be diagnosed and treated by a highly trained neuromuscular dentist such as Dr. David Miller in Roseville, California.

The types

There are three types of apnea: obstructive, central, and mixed. In all types, the underlying cause of each is that you stop breathing repeatedly while you sleep. You may stop breathing just a few or up to 100 times per night. While each pause typically lasts 10 to 20 seconds or more, some can last up to a minute or longer.

The symptoms of sleep apnea can be frightening for both you and your partner. They are generally waking incidents where you feel as though you are choking, or awake gagging or gasping for air.

• Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common type and is caused by a blockage of your airway. This usually arises when the soft tissue in the back of your throat collapses, and then closes when you are asleep.
• Central sleep apnea is another condition where your airway does not become blocked, but instead—your brain does not send the signal to your muscles to breathe.
• Mixed apnea is a combination of both central and obstructive sleep apnea. If you have mixed sleep apnea you will often experience snoring, but you may find that treatments designed to help airway obstructions will not fully stop apnea episodes. Though your brain briefly arouses you in order for you to resume breathing, your sleep is constantly interrupted. This leaves you feeling fatigued the next day.

High risk factors for sleep apnea include:

• Being male
• Moderate to severely overweight
• Over the age of 40

However, sleep apnea can strike people of all ages—even children.

If you or a loved one has ever experienced snoring and gasped for breath during sleep, and you live in the Roseville, California area, please contact our office today. This could indicate that sleep apnea is present. Dr. Miller and his expert staff can help you determine how to deal with this dangerous sleep disorder during your consultation. Your health is important; please call today.