Obstructive Sleep Apnea – The Reason for Snoring
Snoring can be due to a condition called obstructive sleep apnea where there is obstruction of the airway by tongue or some excessive tissue in the back of the throat. This blockage can cause an interruption in breathing leading to snoring and disturbance in sleep.
Sleep apnea can also be because of other reasons that concern the brain’s function. Sometimes the brain may fail to send a signal to muscles that are responsible for breathing and this may result in sleep apnea. This type of sleep apnea is called Central Sleep Apnea.
General Signs of Sleep Apnea
- Patients can have headaches
- General lack of energy and productivity
- Wake up with dry mouth
- Complain of lack of concentration
Treatment for Snoring
Snoring can be easily treated with a simple and safe anti-snoring device which in turn will also treat sleep apnea due to the obstruction of airway blockage. Anti-snoring devices are made of soft plastic or acrylic which can be fitted comfortably into the mouth. These devices hold the lower jaw in forwarding position and the tongue being attached to the jaw moves along with it and does not fall back into the throat to block the airways, thus eliminating snoring. Fabrication of this device takes as little as 2 visits. In the first visit dental impressions are taken and on the second visit, the device is fitted. It should be noted that this is the treatment for snoring due to obstructive sleep apnea alone.
