In normal breathing patterns, your air passage is clear and air can flow in and out unobstructed. However, when you’re asleep, those tissues relax and can constrict that airway. As you breathe in and out during your sleep, the soft tissues in that constricted airway will vibrate, resulting in snoring. In some cases, the airway may even close. When this happens, we have progressed from simple snoring to obstructive sleep apnea. Sleeping on your back makes this happen more easily.

When your breathing is blocked, your body detects the drop in oxygen levels and responds by giving you a quick moment of wakefulness, and then you draw a breath. Though you may be unaware, this can happen hundreds of times in a night. The only sign you may notice is that you don’t feel rested when you wake up. Solving the obstruction can be as simple as moving the lower jaw forward.

Sleep Apnea symptoms include:

• Snoring that disturbs you or others
• Snoring that is interrupted by pauses or choking
• Sleepiness and fatigue during waking hours, even with a full night’s sleep
• Sudden night awakenings, occasionally with the feeling of gasping for air
• High blood pressure
• Headaches when you wake up in the morning
• Waking up during the night with headaches

The only way to know for certain that you are suffering from sleep apnea and not just ordinary snoring is to get a sleep study. Dr. Ali can discuss how to get an assessment done.

Historically, the first line of defense has been continuous positive airway pressure or a CPAP device. Many people find them difficult and intrusive into their lives, which may account for the fact that many of those who are given CPAPs don’t use them.

A simpler way is to use an appliance that Dr. Ali can have custom designed for you. The appliance is fairly comfortable, unobtrusive, and trouble-free. It simply pushes your lower jaw forward a little as you close your mouth. It can be adjusted to achieve a balance between maximum effectiveness and maximum comfort and is quite popular with patients. It is ideal for travel compared to a CPAP device.

Be aware, though, that while these appliances have an excellent success rate, not every case can be treated with an appliance. The sleep study assessment will determine which patients can use a sleep appliance.

If you feel that you may be suffering from sleep apnea, or simply you or a partner has an annoying snoring problem, please feel free to speak with Dr. Ali today.