Effects Of Sleep Apnea

Sleep Apnea is more common than you think and if you wake up tired, spend your day barely able to stay awake at your desk, or are often ready to snap, you could be suffering from it. Obstructive Sleep Apnea can be quite serious and can lead to other health problems if left untreated.

According to recent research, nearly 90 percent of OSA cases are misdiagnosed with physicians telling patients that hypertension, thyroid problems, depression, or anxiety could be causing their inability to sleep. Some doctors are even diagnosing patients with heart conditions.

Sleep specialists understand that weight, neck size, and even facial structure could make men and women more prone to sleep apnea.

If you have been following Dr. Jack Ringer’s blog, you will know that OSA causes oxygen levels in the blood to drop. People who have Sleep Apnea are constantly tired and drowsy unable to sleep at night. People suffering from OSA may wake up as many as 100 times each night gasping for breath unable to breathe.

The Mayo Clinic explains that although obese people are at a higher risk when it comes to OSA, not all overweight people have Sleep Apnea. Sleep Apnea patients have a higher risk of cardiac failure, hypertension, and stroke.

If you have been diagnosed with OSA, your sleep specialists may recommend a CPAP or continuous positive airway pressure unit that treats OSA with air that flows through the mask. The CPAP helps open the airways without interrupting the breathing cycle. However, not all patients respond to this type of treatment and that is where Dr. Jack Ringer comes in.

Dr. Ringer is a dental sleep practitioner and certified by the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine to provide patients who suffer from Sleep Apnea, Oral Appliance Therapy.

Oral Appliance therapy is an alternative to the often uncomfortable and cumbersome CPAP and requires little if any maintenance.

The oral appliances used by Dr. Ringer and his team actually help re-position your jaw and your tongue to a more forward position. The appliance helps keep your airways open while controlling your snoring and minimizing the effects of OSA.

If you have been diagnosed with Sleep Apnea and have been using a CPAP unit, or if you want to try an alternative for your OSA call or click and schedule an appointment with Dr. Jack Ringer today.