All About Sleep Apnea

Sleep Apnea can be quite confusing, and is often misdiagnosed. However, according to Dr. Jack Ringer, who has been trained to provide you with the best oral appliance therapy for your needs, there are some signs to look for when it comes to Sleep Apnea, which could be deadly if left untreated.

The Mayo Clinic will tell you that one of the most common misnomers when it comes to Sleep Apnea is snoring. Most people assume that if you snore, you have Sleep Apnea; however, not everyone that snores suffers from Sleep Apnea. If you or someone you know snores, chokes or gasps while sleeping, it could be Sleep Apnea.

Dr. Ringer explains that some of the other symptoms associated with the disorder include:

• Frequent or loud snoring
• Gasping or choking while sleeping
• Headaches in the morning
• Breathing pauses
• Excessive sleepiness during the day
• Insomnia
• Difficulty staying awake
• Dry mouth or sore throat when you wake up
• Concentration problems
• Learning problems
• Memory problems
• Moodiness
• Depression
• Irritability

One of the most common misconceptions when it comes to Sleep Apnea is that it only affects people who are overweight or the elderly. According to Dr. Ringer, anyone can be affected regardless of body type, age, or gender. Some of the traits below may put you in a higher risk category when it comes to the disorder.

Excess Weight-People who have a BMI that is 25 or higher are considered overweight. If you are overweight or obese, your risk of Sleep Apnea increases.

Large Neck-Men who have a neck size that is 17 inches or more are more susceptible to the condition while women who have a neck size that is larger than 16 inches are also at risk as larger necks have more fatty tissue that will block your airways.

Being a Man-If you are male, you are twice as likely to suffer from the condition.

Smokers-Smoking will put you in the high-risk category when it comes to the disorder

Older people-Women over 50 and men over 40 are more apt to suffer.

Family history-The disorder does run in families and can be inherited.

Hypertensive-People with Sleep Apnea tend to have high blood pressure.

If you suffer from Sleep Apnea and are tired of using a CPAP, call or click and schedule an appointment for an oral appliance therapy consultation with Dr. Jack Ringer today.