Sleep Apnea Treatment Specialist
in Everett, Washington
Having trouble sleeping at night is not as uncommon as you might think. Each person has his or her own reason, though around 22 million Americans suffer from sleep apnea. If left untreated, sleep apnea can significantly impact your daily life. At Perfect Smiles Dentistry in Everett, Washington, Kavitha Gowda, DDS, specializes in treating men and women with sleep apnea-related complications. Call to learn more about how you can manage your sleep apnea.
What is sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea refers to a chronic sleeping condition that causes you to breathe irregularly and wake up frequently during the night. There are three main types of sleep apnea:
- Central sleep apnea: the brain doesn’t properly signal breathing muscles
- Obstructive sleep apnea: relaxation of the throat muscles during sleep
- Complex sleep apnea: the combination of both central and obstructive sleep apnea
Sleep apnea has the same symptoms regardless of the type.
What are the symptoms of sleep apnea?
In most cases, sleep apnea causes chronic fatigue, since your body isn’t getting the amount of sleep it needs to stay healthy. Some of the most common symptoms of sleep apnea other than extreme fatigue include:
- Restlessness
- Intermittent breathing during sleep
- Loud snoring
- Dry mouth/headaches upon waking
- Attention span reduction
- Choking or snorting sounds while sleeping
- Sexual dysfunction
The longer you wait to have your sleep apnea checked and treated, the higher your chances of developing high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, certain cancers, and problems relating to your kidneys, livers, eyes, and more.
What are the causes of sleep apnea?
Many factors contribute to contracting sleep apnea, and a combination of environmental and personal factors can significantly increase your chances.
Men are typically most affected by sleep apnea, though both men and women struggling with weight, alcohol, tobacco, or sedative overuse are at higher risk. In other cases, people with a thick neck, nasal congestion or narrow airways are more susceptible to developing sleep apnea.
Dr. Gowda can help you develop a healthy daily regimen to reduce your chances of contracting sleep apnea.
How do you treat sleep apnea?
A team member at Perfect Smiles Dentistry starts by studying your medical history to track any irregularities. From there, they perform a physical exam and recommend various potentially helpful sleep studies.
If Dr. Gowda determines that you do have sleep apnea, she creates a treatment plan that both meets your needs and aligns with your lifestyle. This treatment might include:
- Nasal allergy treatment
- Supplemental oxygen therapy
- Continuous or expiratory positive airway pressure
- Oral appliances during sleep
- Surgery, in extreme cases
Sleep apnea can severely impact your day-to-day life. Call or go online today to get in touch with a team member at Perfect Smiles Dentistry.