Dr. Bahar Rowhani provides sleep apnea treatment in Falls Church, Virginia, to help you breathe easily at night and get the rest you need. We are committed to helping you improve your overall health and well-being so that you can enjoy a better quality of life. To learn more about sleep apnea and schedule a consultation with our dentists, give us a call today!
What is sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea is a type of sleep breathing disorder characterized by pauses and interruptions in breathing patterns while asleep. Because it occurs while you are asleep, most people with this condition are unaware that they have it. Those who suffer from sleep apnea often wake feeling as if they have received little or no sleep because they have spent the night fighting to breathe normally and receive the necessary amount of oxygen. This sleep breathing disorder can affect people of all ages, and is particularly common in middle aged and older patients.
What are the symptoms of sleep apnea?
Symptoms of sleep apnea include:
- Snoring
- Daytime drowsiness
- Irritability and other mood changes
- Difficulty staying asleep
- Waking up with an increased heart rate or sweating
- Waking with a sore or dry throat
- Headaches upon waking
- Pauses in breathing while asleep or gasping for air while sleeping
- Falling asleep easily at inappropriate times (driving, working, reading, at movies or plays, etc.)
- Behavioral changes, including agitation, depression and/ or anxiety
- Difficulty concentrating and memory impairment
- Dry mouth
Sleep Apnea and Your Health
Sleep apnea is linked to a number of other medical conditions and lifestyle risks, including:
- Diabetes type II
- Glucose Intolerance
- Heart disease and stroke
- Weight gain
- GERD or Heart burn
- Hypertension
- High blood pressure
- Atrial fibrillation
- Problems with the respiratory, immune and central nervous systems
- Problems with hormone production
- Memory loss
- Increased risk of accidents while driving and at work
- Poor overall health and quality of life
- Depression
- Anxiety
If you believe that you have sleep apnea we strongly recommend that you contact Dr. Rowhani for a consult and follow up with an airway specialists to receive a diagnosis and begin treatment.
Sleep Apnea Treatment Options
The two most common sleep apnea treatments are oral appliance therapy and CPAP machines. CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) is a machine that blows air through an attachable mask to keep your airways open and help you breathe easily while asleep.
While CPAP is considered the gold standard of sleep apnea treatment, many people find that they cannot tolerate it, and instead elect to receive oral appliance therapy. This type of treatment uses a custom-made oral appliance to hold your jaw in a position where your airways will remain open, allowing you to breathe normally.
For more information about sleep apnea treatments and to schedule a consultation with our dentists, please contact our office today.
Do you think you have sleep apnea? Take these two questionnaires to see if you have symptoms.
