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Sleep Apnea
A convenient, comfortable, clinically approved treatment for obstructive sleep apnea.
Have you been told you snore loudly? Do you feel sleepy and tired during the day? You may be one of the millions of Americans suffering from obstructive sleep apnea.
In people with this chronic condition, the airway narrows or collapses during sleep, and breathing pauses. This causes them to wake up intermittently throughout the night, often with a loud snort or choking sound. The interruptions make it hard to get a good night’s sleep, leading to tiredness, headaches, weight gain, high blood pressure and even heart attacks and strokes.
There is no cure for sleep apnea. The standard treatment is known as continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy, which involves sleeping with a machine that blows air into the throat through a tube and mask. Though it’s effective, many people do not like sleeping with the machine. For many of them, an oral sleep apnea appliance is a good alternative.
The appliance is worn in the mouth like a nightguard. It’s designed to position the tongue, soft palate and uvula in a manner that opens up the airway and allows free breathing. Unlike CPAP therapy, an oral sleep apnea appliance requires no mask or bulky machine, and is more convenient and less intrusive. It’s also FDA-approved, so your health insurance may cover part or all of the cost.
In addition to helping you sleep better, it can also reduce snoring, so your sleep partner can get more rest, too. Dr. Ty Etheridge is highly skilled in oral appliance therapy using the FDA-approved Somnomed brand device, which he feels is the best in the market.
Obstructive sleep apnea is a serious condition and can only be diagnosed by your doctor, but the Epworth Sleepiness Scale can help you see if you might be getting inadequate sleep. If you do have diagnosed sleep apnea, and are interested in hearing more about how a custom-designed Somnomed oral appliance can help you live a happier, healthier life, please contact us for a free consultation.
The Epworth Sleepiness Scale
How likely are you to doze off or fall asleep in the following situations, in contrast to feeling just tired? This refers to your usual way of life in recent times. Even if you have not done some of these things recently, try to work out how they would have affected you.
A score of 10 or more is considered sleepy. A score of 18 or more is very sleepy. If you score 10 or more on this test, you should consider whether you are obtaining adequate sleep, need to improve your sleep hygiene and/or need to see a sleep specialist. These issues should be discussed with your personal physician.
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