Many patients who have sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) also have teeth grinding issues and TMJ issues. SDB can range from frequent loud snoring to obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). They frequently report that they wear a mouth guard made by their dentist to reduce damage to their teeth. Why is managing snoring and sleep apnea critical to […]
It is well established that obstructive sleep apnea can create many medical issues. It has been associated with a higher incidence of hypertension, cardiac arrhythmia, heart attack, stroke, diabetes, and obesity. Less well understood is the correlation between obstructive sleep apnea and mental health issues. Compared with patients not diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, a […]
For a long time, we have known that there was a correlation between sleep apnea and weight gain. Patients with sleep apnea tend to have “centripetal” weight gain meaning weight gain in the face, neck, and belly.It was believed that weight gain caused the sleep apnea and the patients were told to lose weight to […]
It’s an interesting oddity in the field of sleep medicine that patients are told they have obstructive sleep apnea but not told the reason they have it. Similarly, they are usually given a prescription for a CPAP and no discussion is made of the other options that may be available to treat this condition. Even […]
What Causes Snoring and Sleep Apnea The most common cause for snoring and sleep apnea is a nasal or sinus condition that reduces the nasal airflow. What’s really interesting is that the second most common cause is an enlargement of the tongue. When patients hear that tongue enlargement is the second most common cause of […]
What is the difference between snoring and Sleep Apnea First off, let’s define snoring and sleep apnea. Snoring is resistance to airflow through the upper airway creating vibration and noise production. Sleep apnea is the same condition except for the resistance to airflow is intermittently severe enough to create cessation of airflow (apnea). The obstructive […]
The field of sleep medicine has changed dramatically in the last few years with the development of Home Sleep Testing (HST) for the diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Snoring vs. Obstructive Sleep Apnea As a matter of background, snoring is a condition where there is resistance to airflow through the upper airway while sleeping […]
It is important to understand that snoring and obstructive sleep apnea are the same condition. It is just a matter of severity. The condition can worsen over time for a variety of reasons. Snoring is resistance to airflow through the upper airway during sleep that creates vibration of the soft palate, tongue, and tonsil area. […]
If you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea, there is a good chance you have been prescribed a CPAP machine. You may try and try but you just can’t wear it. You may try switching masks, try different CPAP machines, use chin straps, try sleeping pills, program a ramp up in pressure, all to no […]
Approximately 25% of people in the USA snore nightly. The bed partner is typically significantly bothered by this noise but they may also be concerned that it is a more serious condition called obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). There is a lot of confusion about these two problems and how they are related. In this blog, […]
