O’Fallon Sleep Apnea Dentist Explains the Emergence of Sleep Apnea Symptoms
Patients who are suffering from sleep apnea are plagued with inconvenient and uncomfortable symptoms. But how and why do these symptoms develop in the first place? Our O’Fallon sleep apnea dentist office is here to help you better understand these issues.
As you may know, obstructive sleep apnea is a condition that afflicts patients at night as they sleep. Patients with sleep apnea have trouble inhaling adequate oxygen, because their breath-ways are blocked by relaxed oral tissues. Patients may experience a wide number of symptoms or side-effects from this condition.
For example:
It is very common for sleep apnea patients to snore loudly and persistently.
Why does this happen?
The patient may snore, gurgle, or gasp as he or she or struggles to pass breath through his or her obstructed airways. The blocked passageway is responsible for these disruptive noises.
Another standard sleep apnea symptom is waking frequently in the night.
Why does this happen?
During the night, the sleep apnea patient is trying to obtain a healthy amount of oxygen. When oxygen levels dip too low, the patient is prone to waking, in order to “restart” his or her breathing process. Consequently, the patient’s regular sleep cycle is disturbed, and he or she does not get the necessary restful night’s sleep.
Many sleep apnea patients also suffer from chronic headaches.
Why does this happen?
Poor quality sleep due to sleep apnea leads to persistent headaches, as well as heightened levels of stress, and problems of focus and concentration.
If you happen to notice any of these common sleep apnea symptoms in your own life, our dental team strongly recommends that you seek treatment immediately. Sleep apnea is not a condition that resolves on its own. However, with high-quality treatment from our O’Fallon sleep apnea dentist, you can avoid many of the long-term complications of obstructive sleep apnea.