Various Long-Term Effects of Untreated Sleep Apnea?

Various Long-Term Effects of Untreated Sleep Apnea?

Apr 11, 2023

Are you always longing for a moment you can go back to sleep even after a full night’s sleep? Insufficient sleep can significantly impact your general health. Sleep apnea is among the various things that could prohibit good quality sleep at night. You would be shocked at how common the condition Is, even though very few people seek treatment for it.

What is Sleep Apnea?

It is a sleeping disorder that makes it difficult to breathe well at night. Patients with sleep apnea stop breathing for a few seconds or minutes during their sleep. It creates a dangerous condition where there is an insufficient supply of oxygen in your body and brain. Technically, the longer you go without breathing at night, the riskier your condition is.

What Is the Main Cause of Sleep Apnea?

If you visit a sleep doctor near you, you will find that sleep apnea is connected to various causes. However, the main reason for sleep apnea is muscle relaxation. Usually, when the muscles in the back of your throat relax too much, they disallow normal breathing.

Different factors can contribute to extreme muscle relaxation in your throat. Some of the risk factors that heighten your risk of sleep apnea are:

  1. Weight problems – obese or overweight patients have a high likelihood of sleep apnea.
  2. Posture – patients that prefer sleeping on their backs are more likely to suffer from sleep apnea symptoms than not.
  3. Gender and age – dentists in Frisco, TX, have found that older males are more likely to suffer from sleep apnea than women.
  4. The neck circumference – patients with thick necks are more likely to suffer from sleep apnea than the average person.

Will You Know You Have Sleep Apnea?

The surest way to know you have a condition is by seeking medical attention at Millennium Smiles on Legacy. However, even before you visit your doctor for diagnosis and treatment, you can consider the following symptoms of sleep apnea:

  1. Loud snoring – usually loud enough to wake up a sleeping partner.
  2. Gasping for air at night
  3. Headaches – particularly the first thing in the morning.
  4. Waking up extremely thirsty
  5. Excessive daytime sleepiness – you will feel sleepy during the day, despite having a full night’s sleep.
  6. Irritability and moodiness during the day
  7. Reduces focus and productivity

What Happens If You Do Not Fix Sleep Apnea?

Technically, patients with mild sleep apnea may get away with it without seeking treatment. However, the longer you go without sleep apnea treatment in Frisco, TX, the more the chances of advancement and progression of the condition. The stakes are higher if you continually stop breathing for longer periods when you sleep. You need a dentist or sleep doctor near you to evaluate your sleeping patterns and determine how long you stop breathing at night.

If sleep apnea continues to progress, you are at risk of severe health problems that result from a shortage of oxygen in the body and brain. Some of the complications of sleep apnea include:

  1. Heart attack
  2. Strokes
  3. Coronary artery disease
  4. Irregular blood pressure
  5. Abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias)
  6. Type 2 diabetes
  7. Cognitive problems like reduced concentration
  8. Anxiety disorders and depression
  9. Shortened lifespan – the condition can shorten your life by 12-15 years.

What Is the Newest Treatment for Sleep Apnea?

Doctors can recommend various treatment solutions for sleep apnea, depending on the severity of your condition. Most treatments revolve around improving breathability when you sleep, particularly by opening the airways for better airflow. Some treatments your doctor may recommend are weight loss programs, physical exercises, changing your sleeping position and posture, or wearing a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) mask.

The newest treatment for sleep apnea in modern dentistry is Upper Airway Stimulation. UAS entails a minimally invasive procedure to install a device that treats sleep apnea. It works by stimulating the throat muscles that regulate the tongue, preventing it from collapsing into the airway. It is a maskless alternative suitable for patients who dislike wearing a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) mask.

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