Do you wake up feeling just as tired as you did when you went to sleep? Or like you never get a good night’s rest? If so, you may be suffering from a very common disorder called sleep apnea.
So what exactly is sleep apnea and what causes it? Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder in which you repeatedly stop and start breathing while you sleep. Common symptoms of sleep apnea include snoring loudly, waking up unrested and frequently waking up throughout the night. Sleep apnea is very common with over 18 million Americans suffering from a form of it called Obstructive Sleep Apnea.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) which is caused by partial or complete blockage of the airways during sleep and can lead to a variety of health problems including high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, a weakened immune system, memory loss, irritability, poor mental health and sexual dysfunction.
One treatment for OSA is Oral Appliance Therapy, a sleep therapy medical device which positions the lower jaw slightly forward during sleep to open the airway for increased oxygen flow during breathing. The appliance is worn nightly and is adjusted at three-week intervals until the optimum lower jaw position is achieved.
By working closely with local sleep doctors, our very own Dr. Rob has been able to achieve exceptional results in treating patients with sleep apnea using an alternative to the often-cumbersome CPAP machine.
If you think you suffer from sleep apnea and are ready to try Oral Appliance Therapy, give us a call today at 573-243-5200. Life is too short to miss out on a good night’s sleep!